Press Release
Milan - July 15th 2004
The number of clients has doubled in only four months.
Videocalls and other UMTS services are available for over 36 million Italians.
Increasing amount of downloads: 135 million of pay-for pages and content downloaded since April 2003.
More than 120 million minutes of Videocalls.
World-first launch of the first mobile VideoAnsweringMachine.
3, The Italian Mobile Video Company of the Hutchison Whampoa Group, the first operator in Italy and in the world to launch UMTS services, confirms its leadership in third generation mobile telephony, announcing today it has reached the milestone of reaching its first one million customers. During the past four months alone the company has signed up over half a million new subscribers.
This important landmark has been reached 16 months from the commercial launch, on March 12th, 2003.
At a considerable investment and to meet the coverage obligations of the licence, 3 has today the widest UMTS network in Italy. In fact, thanks to 5.000 antennas supporting its network, Videocalls and third generation services are available for 65% of the population - more than 36 million Italians in more than 1,000 cities, including 130 tourists resorts. By the end of 2004, coverage will increase to 75% of the population.
Customers of 3 have made over 120 million minutes of Videocalls and more than 135 millions downloads of pay-for pages and content since April 2003, with an average growth rate of the 46% per month in the past quarter.
3 registered 2.8 million downloads of video news and multimedia news, 10 million music content downloads and 300,000 downloaded videogames, with growth of 95% in the past five months.
Euro2004 registered 25.000 daily downloads, a total of 500.000 for the entire competition.
Furthermore, including VideoGoals and VideoSintesi of the Champions League and of the Italian soccer Championship, there have been 8 million downloads.
On InContri, the first VideoDating service on Videomobile phones, over 650,000 messages have been exchanged. Also, VideoPartner, the first game of seduction in mobility, registered more 500,000 downloads.
A huge success for La TuaTV, the first mobile TV of the third generation: Big Brother 4 realized almost 2 million minutes of Videodirect while The Farm achieved 400,000 minutes of Videodirect.
Finally, 3 confirms its leadership in third generation services by also launching the world's first mobile VideoAnsweringMachine. With the Video Message Centre, the answering machine has evolved to become Video. Thanks to the video personal assistant Valentina, a 30 year-old blonde girl, it's possible to watch VideoCalls received while the Videophone is switched off or out of coverage range, to delete or save the received Videocalls and to watch again those in the archive.
To see the video messages, just make a Videocall to 4333 at the cost of a voice call - but the service is free until September. The video personal assistant will introduce you to the Video Message Centre so you can watch new messages.
| 3 - Is the commercial brand of H3G, the mobile video company in the Italian market. After having won the UMTS license in Italy in November 2000, with the offer of 3,25 billion euros, 3 launched its service at the beginning of March 2003 and aimed for the leadership of the third generation mobile market. Among its shareholders are prominent leaders in Italy and the world, from the sectors of telecommunications, the Internet and new media, publishing and finance. Hutchison Whampoa Limited is the primary shareholder 88,67% of the authorized capital. The other shareholders include CIR, S. Paolo Imi, BMI, RCS Mediagroup, Gemina and Tiscali. |
Contacts:
Gian Marco Litrico
Media and External relations Director
Tel.+39-02 4458 2129
gianmarco.litrico@h3g.it