FAQs

About 3G Services, Contents and Applications
About Technology
About Mobile Number Portability
About Network and Infrastructure
About Further Development and Financing
About Health Concerns
Other Concerns

About 3G Services, Contents and Applications

1. In which countries are Hutchison currently offering 3G services?

• 3G services are currently available in nine markets - Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden and the UK.
• As 3G offers an entirely new consumer experience, we are taking a step-by-step, targeted approach, with intensive feedback from our customers every step of the way.

2. How many 3G customers does Hutchison have so far?

• Response to our launch has been encouraging. On 22 March 2006, we have announced close to 12 million customers worldwide. This milestone comes after only 18 months of operation with full handset availability.

3. What kind of services does 3 provide?

• 3 is about bringing together a vast range of multimedia mobile content including information, communication and entertainment on the move in ways that have never been possible before for consumers. At 3, we offer exclusive and compelling new video mobile services like person to person video calling, video messaging and full-length music and video clip downloads and video streaming. Our subscribers can also do international video calls between our nine markets (Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden and the UK.) and also access a wide range of exclusive content and services including news, entertainment, and M-commerce, which enable users to manage their lives any time, anywhere, as well as enjoy unbeatable value on basic services like voice. Location-based services like AGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) are also available in certain markets.
• For the business consumer, 3 has also launched Merlin U530 or UMTS PC card modems (data card) in several markets, allowing users access to the fastest and easy to set-up wireless, mobile internet services. The data card can deliver a maximum speed of 384 kbps* download and 64 kbps* upload in 3 network areas – roughly six times faster than remote access dial up* and nine times faster than typical GPRS mobile data.
• Our services will continue to evolve and expand over time. 3G offers an entirely new consumer experience, and we will be listening to our customers on a daily basis to find out more about what they like and how they are integrating the service into their lives.

4. How many content partnerships have you signed?

• To date, we have signed with over 100 content and service providers. Most of these providers are leaders in their own arena and include categories like news, sports, games, entertainment and location-enabled applications. As our service evolves in each market, Hutchison 3G companies are also in discussion with numerous content suppliers to provide an ever increasing range of products for our customers.

5. How will the products and services differ from country to country?

• As each market is unique, each company has its own content team and will secure and develop local content and services for specific customer segments in their country. Nonetheless, the services will be fundamentally the same, (eg music, entertainment, gaming, sport and overall location-enabled applications) with possible differences in specific content. For example Cricket would be more relevant for Australia than Hong Kong, whilst football is a hot favourite in Europe.

6. Now that you have the 3 brand, will Hutchison give up the Orange brand?

• 3 is the name under which we will market all of Hutchison's 3G business worldwide.
• HWL still holds the Orange franchise in Australia, Israel and Mumbai in India for our 2G businesses, whilst in Israel, we are offering 3G services under the Orange brand as well.

About Technology

7. What are your 3G handsets like?

• 3 is the first operator in the world to launch 3G handsets that are commercial dual-mode devices. These are not only phones, but are digital video camera, still camera, game player, audio and video player and a PDA all in one device. 3 has also launched the second generation of 3G handsets with enhanced features and powerful new functions.
• To date, on a worldwide basis, 3 has already introduced 45 models of 3G handsets.
• Motorola, NEC and LG are our preferred suppliers for 3G handsets worldwide and we are continuously working to offer customers more and better choice of products to suit different customer needs and preferences.

8. Will there be international roaming for Hutchison 3G customers?

• Each company has its own roaming agreements to suit the local market needs but generally, we have up to 100 2G international roaming agreements in place, with more destinations to come.
• There is also 3G roaming between most Hutchison 3G markets which have commenced services and with our partner markets in Japan. Our teams are working to extend such arrangements to other markets with 3G commercial services.
• Customers may contact their local 3 operators for an international roaming destination list.

9. How can a seamless 3G experience be enhanced? Who are your technology partners?

• We have been working closely with various vendors, who are experts in their respective areas, to put in place the essential building blocks for 3G - namely the 3G devices, the network, the middleware. On top of the network is the applications platform, which enables content to be deciphered.
• To ensure the best possible customer experience, Hutchison 3G has designed an IT infrastructure that allows complex and diverse data to be integrated and processed through this common platform, which will be used by all 3G companies in the Group.

About Mobile Number Portability

10. Where does Hutchison 3G stand on Mobile Number Portability?

• We believe that number portability is the most important expression of liberalised mobile communications and its ultimate beneficiary is the consumer / customer. Consumers should be given the freedom and flexibility to keep their telephone number when switching to another operator - without undue delay and cost - to choose the best service provider.

About Network and Infrastructure

11. What are Hutchison 3G's views about Infrastructure co-operation?

• H3G is open to all forms of infrastructure sharing in the roll-out of its 3G network. By sharing our investments with other operations, H3G is able to minimise cost, bring its services to market quicker, minimise impact on the environment and decrease the number of building permit applications for local authorities. In any form of co-operation, Hutchison will retain its independence in operation, including design and delivery of customer care, marketing and pricing of services and content. We will observe local telecom rules, terms and conditions of our 3G licences and the competition rules.
• Network sharing can take place at several levels. Under certain circumstances it might be feasible to form a company for building and operating a jointly owned UMTS-infrastructure (eg. In Sweden, Hi3G Access AB and Europolitan Vodafone have formed 3G Infrastructure Services AB for the joint construction of a UMTS-infrastructure in Sweden, except in the metropolitan areas of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. In Australia's case, we have built a large portion of the network and now sharing the radio network with Telstra under a deal, whereby Telstra buys half the ownership and operating rights of our radio network.)
• Whereas in other areas it may be more appropriate to limit co-operation to site sharing only such as: sharing existing masts and co-locating new masts with other operators in order to minimise the total number of masts and costs, whenever this is commercially and technically feasible.

12. What about the network rollout?

• Ongoing network rollout is on schedule in several markets, and vendors are being appointed for the newer markets. As of end of July 2004, the 3 network in Italy covers over 65 per cent of the population and 900 cities in the country, whilst the network coverage is over 79 per cent of the national population in the UK. In Australia, the network coverage extends to the five mainland state capital cities with over 1,750 cell sites covering approximately 68 per cent of the total population within the licenced areas. We are now in six mainland capital cities and have over 2,000 sites. In terms of the population coverage, it is over 50 per cent for mobile broadband, and 96 per cent of the population including 2G roaming. The 3 network covers approx. 41 per cent of the population in Austria, both Sweden's and Denmark’s network combined covers approximately 74 per cent population coverage. In Hong Kong, where services commenced in Jan 2004, the 3 network provides full coverage with over 1,300 cell sites.
• We have also made arrangements for national 2G roaming agreements in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Sweden and the UK to ensure our customers can enjoy full geographical voice coverage.
• We aim to minimise environmental impact by infrastructure co-operations whenever possible and by using low profile antenna.

About Further Development and Financing

13. What about additional 3G licences?

• We are happy with the current footprint we have and will only consider additional 3G licences if we can achieve synergy with our existing 3G businesses.

14. How will Hutchison finance the 3G businesses?

• Our Australia, UK and Italy businesses are fully funded.
• Our other markets have modest financing requirements and we envisage that we have no immediate need for any external financing plan.

About Health Concerns

15. Where does Hutchison 3G stand on health concerns?

• To date, the weight of scientific evidence shows that exposure to radio waves from mobile handsets and base stations operating within international guidelines would not affect our health. This is also the conclusion by independent scientific review bodies around the world including the World Health Organisation.
• Hutchison is aware of public concern regarding potential health risks posed by handsets and base stations and is committed to addressing such concerns in an open and transparent manner.
• All 3G handsets and base stations will be designed and built to operate well within the national and international safety guidelines and will be independently monitored for continued compliance.

Other Concerns

16. Will Hutchison 3G offer adult content?

• 3G is all about personalisation of services to the individual customer.
• Together with sports and music, adult content is only a part of the wide range of content and services offered.
• Not all of our subsidiaries have outlined adult content as part of their service offering to date. Hutchison 3G markets that do offer adult content will make available such services as an opt-in rather than opt out provision, and will have all measures in place to ensure that access to such content is restricted to adults only.

17. What has been done to address crime, fraud & security concerns?

• We have put many mechanisms in place to maximise security benefits and to minimise the risk of using a 3G device.
• We are committed to working with industry and government law enforcement agencies to address this issue through appropriate channels.

18. What about privacy concerns?

• We recognise that privacy is a major customer concern and we are committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of our customers and the security of any information relating to them.
• We have privacy policies covering person-to-person applications (eg chat boards and forums) and will fully comply with all national and international data protection laws.

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