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3 and Vodafone UK secure FA Premier League rights

October 3 2003

3 and Vodafone UK today announce that they have jointly secured the FA Premier League mobile rights in a three-season deal. Starting with the 2004/05 season and running through to the 2006/07 season, the rights will give both Vodafone and 3 customers access via their mobile phone to all 380 FA Premier League matches a season.

The revised rights package enables Vodafone and 3 to offer customers a number of mobile services including exclusive video match highlights, previews, archive footage and Premiership round-ups as well as other services such as audio bulletins, 'near-live' picture messages and match scores.

Gavin Darby, CEO, Vodafone UK commented, "Vodafone live! has consistently delivered premium services to our customers and the FA Premier League deal further enhances what is already an excellent offering. Sport is inextricably linked with Vodafone through our sponsorships and this deal further strengthens what we can offer. Our bid partnership with 3 has ensured that we were best placed to deliver value for the Premiership clubs."

Gareth Jones, COO, 3 UK said, "3 already offers customers highlights from this season's Barclaycard Premiership on their video mobiles. Today's three season agreement re-inforces 3's position as the home of mobile football. The improved rights package guarantees customers an enhanced service until 2007. Our joint bid with Vodafone is good news for fans, the clubs and ensures we continue to offer the leading football mobile service in the market."

Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive, FA Premier League added, "The FA Premier League is happy to continue its partnership with 3 and welcomes the addition of Vodafone to our central mobile phone rights offering. These two companies have a proven track record in delivering quality services to their customers; this will be of obvious benefit to the competition as well as offering yet more access and choice for FA Premier League fans."


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For additional information please contact:

Ben Taylor or Julien Cozens
Vodafone UK07000 500100press.office@vodafone.com
 
3020 7010 9200media@three.co.uk
 
Dan Johnson
FA Premier League020 72981690djohnson@fapl.co.uk


Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK has 13 million customers, the largest share of the corporate mobile communications market and is part of the world's largest mobile community. The Newbury-based company offers a wide range of mobile voice and data communications. The Vodafone UK network covers 99% of the population and transmits over 10 million text messages every day. Vodafone UK was the world's first mobile operator to introduce international roaming, and currently offers its customers roaming on 331 networks in 141 countries.

In May 2003, Vodafone UK was ranked top for customer satisfaction for the second time in the UK's pre-pay mobile phone sector in a survey by JD Power and Associates. In the Oftel Mobile Network Operators Call Success Rate Survey for April to September 2002, a national call completion rate of 98.3% gave Vodafone the highest number of successfully completed calls and lowest number of dropped calls of all four networks.

About 3

Hutchison 3G UK Limited deliver third-generation mobile multimedia and communications services under the 3 brand in the UK, offering a convergence of media, information and telephony to enable live video calls, multimedia content and entertainment while on the move.

3 services are available from sister companies in Australia, Austria, Italy and Sweden. 3 also holds UMTS licences in Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel and Norway.

For further information, please visit: www.three.co.uk