100% Twist Roaming: A World Novelty by Paegas

• Paegas is the leading Czech GSM network operator in the number of roaming partners
• With the prepaid Paegas Twist services you donâ??t need to wait for a back call â?" the connection is set up immediately
• Where it is not possible to use the advantages of state-of-the-art 100% roaming, the less convenient back call Twist roaming will help

The Paegas GSM network is, together with the German D1 network of T-Mobil, the first in the world to allow prepaid customers a full utilisation of GSM services also when roaming in networks abroad. From 1^st July Paegas Twist users will be able to use their phones the way they are used to doing at home. "The solution we are now introducing brings about the most comfortable way of using mobile phones in the world when roaming with prepaid cards. We were waiting for a new technology so that we could offer the advantages it brings about to hundreds of thousands of our customers at the time when the summer holidays start," the spokeswoman of RadioMobil Tereza Kakosová said.

All GSM operators in the world are trying hard to introduce the newest CAMEL technology (Customised Applications for Mobile Networks Enhanced Logic) based on so-called intelligent networks (IN). CAMEL allows transmission of basic user data between networks of different operators. The customer can hence use the services abroad in the same way like in the home network. S/he can for example send and receive SMS text messages, use quick dialling (for instance to call the Mailbox you only need to dial 3311). The German T-Mobil and RadioMobil, as first successful operators worldwide, are now supporting services based on the CAMEL solution. Other international operators will follow quickly. Several of them are now in the final stage of testing. "We decided for a technology that is becoming a world standard again. Thanks to our timely decision we are one of the first GSM network operators in the world to be able to offer its clients services based on the new technology," Tereza Kakosová added. No other Czech operator is close to introducing this innovative service.

The largest European GSM network operators are now implementing the CAMEL technology. All operators will probably implement it in the future, because only CAMEL gives the operators a chance to offer roaming users the same advantages they are used to in the home network. "The importance of roaming is increasing all the time, and customers do not want to be limited in any way during their travels abroad. There is only one solution that allows this and thats why we implemented it into the network," Tereza Kakosová said.

Although one can expect a fast expansion of the new technology, RadioMobil has decided to offer prepaid users also the outdated and much less convenient possibility to use roaming based on back calls. That can be used in networks of operators that do not support the CAMEL solution so far. Thanks to that owners of Twist cards can take advantage of GSM services abroad. At the same time, Paegas has the largest number of roaming partners in the largest number of countries and offers excellent prices. For roaming with a back call you enter: **111*number of the called party in the international format# (the number in the international format with two zeros at the beginning). After successful despatch the following message appears on the display: "Cekejte na zpetne volani" (Wait for the back call) and in 5 -10 seconds the system calls the customer back in order to connect him/her.

Advantages of 100% Paegas Twist roaming compared to other prepaid service roaming solutions:

• Direct number entering: the user can use the phone memory, s/he does not enter any codes in front of the number
• Immediate connection: no need to wait for a back call, connection proceeds exactly as with calls in the home network
• Quick dialling: the owner of the prepaid Paegas Twist card can also use quick dialling abroad as s/he does in the home network (e.g. numbers 3311 - Voicemail, 333 - Paegas Assistant, 4603 - info line)
• SMS: sending and receiving short text messages is equally simple and reliable like in the home network
• Credit: the customer always knows his/her up-to-date credit instantly (that can be found out by a free call to Credit Info: 4601), all transactions are carried out immediately
• Recharging: if the customer needs to recharge his/her credit, the call from abroad is free

 

The joint-stock company RadioMobil is the operator of the most dynamically growing GSM network in the Czech Republic. At the end of 1999, the Paegas brands share of the market amounted to 47%, and the share of its Paegas Twist pre-paid services even reached over 60%. During 1999 more than 500,000 new customers decided to use its services, which is the highest such figure in the history of mobile communications in the CR. The Paegas GSM network, which is operated by RadioMobil, is among the most technologically advanced in the world and has no rival on the Czech market for a whole range of services.

Only in the Paegas network can literally all customers, including owners of pre-paid Paegas Twist cards, make use of the most up-to-date services: completely cost-free data and fax transmissions, GSM banking, WAP-based services, Paegas Assistant and others. Currently, only RadioMobil offers the option of ordering services or monitoring billing over the Internet, thanks to the Paegas Info Profile service. And customers can always be sure that they have chosen the most effective operator on the Czech market.

RadioMobil can fully rely on its shareholders: ÄŚeské radiokomunikace - 51% (during 2001 its share will decrease to 39.2%, following exercise of an option by the CMobil consortium) and the CMobil consortium - 49% (beginning in 2001, 60.8%). The CMobil consortium is made up of the following: T-Mobil - a 100%-owned daughter company of Deutsche Telekom (85.55%), TIM - Telecom Italia Mobile (12%), as well as SKS - SpoĹ?itelní kapitálová spoleÄŤnost, a.s. and PVT, a.s.

Today the Paegas GSM network covers more than 99% of the Czech population and 99.8% of category 1 roadways. RadioMobil customers can use their mobile telephones in the networks of 181 operators in nearly 81 countries all over the world (108 different locations in all). During 1999 RadioMobil invested more than 5.5 billion Czech crowns into its network, and investment for the year 2000 is planned at over 10 billion. In June 2000 over 1 250 000 customers were using the Paegas services. Paegas registered about 400 000 new customers.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.