Paegas GSM Network Has Delivered The Most Text Messages over Christmas

• Paegas users are among the most active senders of text messages in the world
• The Paegas GSM network transmitted over 15 million messages only during the Christmas Day
• Up to 30,000 short text messages passed through the SMS centre in a single minute

The Paegas GSM network SMS centreâ??s load increased by more than 300 percent on the Christmas Day compared to a regular working day. In total, 15 million text messages were transmitted on 24th December, hence the most in the Czech Republic. A year ago, 3.5 million SMS were sent on the same day. â?śOur customers traditionally belong among the most active users of the SMS service in the world. The Paegas network is even in the lead concerning the number of messages per customer. This was also proven by this yearâ??s Christmas, for which we thoroughly prepared,â?ť said the spokeswoman of RadioMobil Tereza Kakosová.

Before Christmas the SMS centre was modified in order to be ready to handle the load. Its overall capacity is now more than 500 percent higher than during last yearâ??s Christmas. By the end of 2000, each RadioMobil customer sent on average twice as many text messages than a year ago. Meanwhile, the number of customers is still rapidly growing. This is because SMS are widely used for communication among owners of mobile phones, and also because all Paegas SIM cards not older than two years contain the Paegas Info application based on the SIM Toolkit standard and so every owner of a mobile can easily use a range of information services. A large number of SMS messages is also generated by banking SIM cards, which allow RadioMobil clients to control their bank accounts using the mobile phone. At present there are more than 100 thousand banking SIM cards among the users of the Paegas GSM network. â?śFor us, the growing interest in text messages is a pleasant surprise. It only further confirms our right choice when we decided to support these services. Twist was the first prepaid service that allowed its users to send SMS. Applications based on SIM Toolkit such as Paegas Info or banking services also have their share on the high number of text messages in the Paegas network,â?ť explains the spokeswoman of RadioMobil Tereza Kakosová.

According to estimates of the expert magazine GSM World, about 12 billion SMS messages were sent all around the world in November. However, the December figure should grow up to 15 billion. At the beginning of 2000 it was just four billion text messages. According to the Association of GSM Operators, all GSM operators in the world eventually got beyond the one-billion-SMS-per-month boundary first in April 1999.

The joint-stock company RadioMobil is the operator of the most dynamically growing GSM 900/1800 MHz network in the Czech Republic. The Paegas GSM network operated by RadioMobil is one of the most technologically advanced networks worldwide and many of its services lack adequate competition in the Czech market. Only Paegas network offers to all of its clients with no exception, including Paegas Twist pre-paid card users, advanced services such as free data and fax connection, GSM banking, Paegas Assistant etc. Only Paegas network offers Paegas Click service connecting the realms of the Internet and mobile phones. At www.click.cz, Paegas users may configure the services as well as use a comprehensive electronic mail box. And they can always be sure that they have chosen the most effective operator in the Czech market.

Today, the Paegas GSM network covers over 99% of the Czech population and 99.8% of first class roads. RadioMobilâ??s customers may use their mobile phones in networks of 193 operators from 86 countries (117 various locations altogether). During 1999, RadioMobil invested over CZK 5.5 billion in the network and in 2000, it plans to increase its investments to more than CZK 10 billion. By the end of September 2000, more than 1,500,000 customers were using Paegas services.

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.