Amman, 11th December 2001

MobileCom today announced it has activated General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Kingdom-wide bringing its advanced GSM network to 2.5 generation (2.5G), with the commercial services launch set for the beginning of 2002. MobileCom will be working to develop value added services that are useful to Jordanians while ensuring that high quality, GPRS-enabled handsets are available to customers at competitive prices.

MobileCom has delivered GPRS to Jordan and its network today supports GPRS services across the Kingdom, said Jean-Christophe Caillat, CEO of MobileCom. We have moved to upgrade our network to 2.5G standard quickly at the request of His Majesty King Abdullah II who has asked that a world-class communications infrastructure be deployed in the Kingdom. We are now focusing on delivering advanced, value added services that take advantage of GPRS speed and affordability while bringing true high-speed mobility and accessibility to MobileCom users.

GPRS allows mobile phone users to take advantage of a host of exciting data-based value services that allow information to be exchanged at fixed-line Internet dial-up speed across a mobile telephone network without having to dial up a connection. Although a GPRS phone is always connected to the network, users of the services are only charged by volume of data transmitted which significantly reduces cost as opposed to existing connection costs based on the amount of time users stay connected. Another benefit to users comes from significantly faster connection speeds (approximately 30 kbps).

Although GPRS offers true mobility to information through a mobile handset, its services release to the market must be timed appropriately to ensure that a variety of useful services are offered, and benefiting a much larger portion of the population.

MobileComs advanced network is GPRS-ready today and we will be launching a host of services across the Kingdom in the beginning of 2002, ensuring that we deliver useful services that benefit our customers and meet the requirements of the local market, said Erick Valette, chief marketing officer at MobileCom.

MobileCom was the first to provide Jordanians with cutting edge data services such as Yalla and Clickit.

Through MobileComs GPRS services, Jordanians will be able to enjoy true mobility and access to information at a cheaper cost, regardless of where they go and at the speed of the Internet.

Data-based services currently offered by MobileCom such as Yalla, its Arabic WAP portal, and Clickit, an info on demand service, are an example of how mobile phones can provide useful data services that empower users through accessibility to information on the go, even when roaming abroad. GPRSs high-speed capabilities also empower users by accommodating multimedia and graphical Web-based applications that can replace text information with graphical descriptions, such as maps, all of which cost the user less due to GPRSs volume-based packet pricing.

-Ends-

About MobileCom
MobileCom is the Jordanian public mobile telephone network operator, and is the operator of the mobile communications license granted to Jordan Telecom. The company combines local Jordanian capability with the technological advantages and network management / operation experience of one of the worlds leading telecommunications operators, France Telecom.

The company has built a new, highly advanced, mobile communications network to serve the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and launched its full public service in Jordan on 15th September 2000.
Media Contacts
Spot On Public Relations IN JORDAN:
Sherif El Gamrawy, Spot On Public Relations
Tel: 5857777
Fax: 5866293
Email: sherif.el-gamrawy@mobilecom.jo

REGIONAL CONTACT:
Alexander McNabb, Spot On Public Relations,
PO Box 8335, Dubai, UAE.
Tel: (00 9714) 349 1686,
Fax: (00 9714) 349 3245
Email: alexm@spotonpr.com

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