London - February 20, 2002 - Hutchison 3G UK Limited ('Hutchison 3G'), holder of the UK's largest 3G licence, today announced that it has awarded Alcatel a three-year contract for the delivery of its Open Services Platform (OSP). The OSP will provide Hutchison 3G with the service-enabling technology needed to support the introduction of its voice, data and multi-media services. Initially the system will be deployed in the UK and later made available in other countries where Hutchison Whampoa has 3G interests. Alcatel's Open Services Platform enables the seamless integration of Hutchison 3G's services into multi-vendor environments, irrespective of the underlying core network. It gives Hutchison 3G the flexibility to cost-effectively and easily develop a wide range of services for both voice and data streams.

Colin Tucker, managing director of Hutchison 3G said: "One of the keys to winning and retaining customers is the ability to deliver easy to use, ever-evolving, personalised and relevant services. Alcatel's technology met our requirements for a flexible solution that will enable us to develop and deliver innovative applications within strict timescales." Jean Philip Hagg, vice president of Alcatel's Network Applications activities said: "We are proud that Hutchison 3G has chosen Alcatel to partner in the realisation of their global next-generation networks. The key to our selection was our proven ability to understand the complexities of both voice and data service delivery over a multi-vendor environment. Alcatel is a leading supplier in Intelligent Networks with a proven track record, having worked with more than 110 operators world-wide. This contract confirms our position as a leading supplier in the 3G applications market."

For further information please contact:

Hutchison 3G

Firefly communications    +44 207 386 1595

Alcatel

Laurent de Segonzac    +33 (0) 1 40 76 15 04    Laurent.desegonzac@alcatel.fr

Notes to editors

1. About Hutchison 3G

Hutchison 3G UK Ltd. ("Hutchison 3G") holds licence 'A' (a third-generation licence), which was issued by the UK government in May 2000. This licence was for the largest block of spectrum auctioned in the UK, as it was set-aside for a new entrant to the market. The licence consists of 15MHz of paired spectrum, and 5MHz of unpaired spectrum.

3G is a convergence of media, information and telephony which promises to change people's lives by enabling them to access information on the move when, where and how they want. The 3G standard (agreed throughout Europe, Japan, China, and the rest of Asia) is formally known as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). It represents a global standard for third generation mobile communication systems and is at the heart of the Hutchison 3G initiative.

Hutchison Whampoa Limited holds a 65 per cent stake in Hutchison 3G, the other major shareholders are NTT DoCoMo (20 per cent) KPN Mobile (15 per cent). For further information on Hutchison 3G please visit www.hutchison3G.com or call Firefly on 020 7386 1595.

2. About Alcatel

Alcatel designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. Relying on its leading and comprehensive products and solutions portfolio, stretching from end-to-end optical infrastructures, fixed and mobile networks to broadband access, Alcatel's customers can focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 25 billion in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: www.alcatel.com

3. About Alcatel Multi Service Software Solutions

Alcatel provides network operators with world-leading software applications enhancing greatly the value of their telecommunication services to business and residential customers. Alcatel's software applications operate in a multi-vendor network environment and include Intelligent Network, Messaging and Multimedia Portal solutions for voice, data and video converging markets on both fixed and mobile networks. They range from Prepaid, VPN, 800/900 services to innovative multimedia content applications. These innovative applications, optimally associated with Alcatel's content charging and payment solutions, pave the way towards a new and profitable business model for Next Generation Networks Service Providers.