JaXmobilem: the competition on mobile etiquette is drawing to a close

• Almost 10,000 unique visitors have seen the www.jaxmobilem.cz website
• 300 prizes will be awarded to the winners of the competition for the biggest blunder with a mobile phone
• The test results: mobile etiquette is not just a hollow expression for Czechs

Prague, 16 May 2006 - Just five more days are left until the deadline of a competition organized by T-Mobile not only for its customers at www.jaxmobilem.cz. The task for the participants is to describe their biggest blunder with a mobile phone in 160 characters (= 1 SMS). Almost two months ago, on 21 March, the first day of spring, T-Mobile launched a campaign for the considerate use of mobile phones. The project is available at www.jaXmobilem.cz and its main characters are members of the X family, created by the well-known cartoonist Štepán Mareš, who cooperated with T-Mobile on the whole project.

The deadline of the competition is 21 May. An expert jury, including Martina Kemrová, Jitka Chocová (Corporate Social Responsibility Manager of T-Mobile), Eva Mašková (an editor of Katka magazine), Marek Kucharík (Editor-in-Chief of Yop! magazine), Štepán Mareš (cartoonist) and, of course, the X family, will then choose the winners of 300 prizes. To win is quite easy - all you have to do is send your story as an SMS to 736 300 012 or type it into the form available at www.jaXmobilem.cz. The authors of the most original contributions will win one of these attractive prizes:

• 1st prize - an original print and a T-shirt with an illustration by Štepán Mareš, Nokia N70 handset
• 2nd prize - Nokia 6230i handset, a T-shirt with an illustration by Štepán Mareš
• 3rd prize - Nokia 6101 handset, a T-shirt with an illustration by Štepán Mareš
• 4th - 300th prize - a T-shirt with an illustration by Štepán Mareš

And how do we get into embarrassing situations most often? Thanks to SMS, of course: "My fatal message: My parents are gone, take off your briefs and come right away! The reply came fast: I would love to, but my son and wife won't let me. Since then, I've been friends with my father-in-law."

It can also be fun if the phone rings at the wrong time or place, or if we just fail to use it properly: "I wanted to send an SMS to my boyfriend as to when and where we would meet, but instead, I sent it to all of his colleagues - volunteer firemen. So, besides my boyfriend, 18 firemen came for the date :-)"

Often, it is not only blunders, but everyday situations: "Once I left my phone in the pig sty. I come back in ten minutes and the phone is gone. So I call my number from my friend's handset only to hear the pig's belly ring." The following mini-story shows that mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives: "My mum called in the evening (from her mobile phone) and complained what a bad day she'd had: "...and now, on top of that, I can't find my phone!"

Almost 10,000 people have seen the website, which illustrates in an amusing way how to use a mobile phone in a discreet manner. Several hundred participants took part in the competition in seven weeks.

Besides the possibility to win attractive prizes, the website allows everyone to find out whether they know how to use their mobile phone in a considerate manner. Almost 3,000 people have taken advantage of this opportunity. Although the practice is often different, the results show that not even in the 21st century is etiquette a strange word to Czechs. More than half of the respondents use their mobile phones discreetly while mobile barbarians only accounted for two per cent.

Many visitors of the website have also taken the opportunity to download illustrations of the Ten Mobile Commandments and send them as e-cards to their friends. The post popular "commandment" proved to be No. 9: "Calling at the right time" with a cartoon by Štepán Mareš situated in a married couple's bedroom.

The project is part of T-Mobile's programme of corporate social responsibility which also includes, for example, the T-Mobile Fund, which is intended to support local initiatives in the regions where T-Mobile has its offices. Furthermore, T-Mobile organizes an annual charity auction and a volunteer programme for its employees, supports waste recycling on its premises and is the first mobile operator in the market to have enabled customers to hand in their old handsets at Retail Shops for the purpose of ecological disposal.

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.