<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:#FF0000'>O2 Rebrands in Czech Republic</span></span>

Telefonica O2 Czech Republic has started to offer its services under the O2 brand, and launched a new IP-based TV service. O2 will replace the two original brands, CESKYTELECOM and Eurotel, and will be used for all fixed line and mobile products.

The change of the corporate identity to O2 involves several major projects, which will be phased in over the next six months. These include the re-branding of thousands of payphones, vehicles, the exteriors and interiors of buildings, employee uniforms and identification cards as well as logos on the displays of mobile phones.

One of the key objectives of Telefonica O2 Czech Republic is to introduce further improvements to customer care and support through a single contact number and Internet address. In addition, all shops with be unified under the O2 brand and soon customers will also be able to choose the option of receiving a unified bill for mobile and fixed services.

Together with the brand, Telefonica O2 is also launching new services. The first product, called O2 TV, will offer more than 30 broadcast channels available through a fixed connection and is now potentially available to more than one million lines. The O2 TV service is based on the transmission of a broadcast signal and other interactive multimedia services using IP (Internet Protocol) technology. The user only needs a modem that supports the O2TV service and a set-top box connected to the television in order to watch missed television shows, movie rentals, and receive radio stations.

Jaime Smith, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, said: "In the Czech Republic, we will present ourselves under the unified brand of O2. In all communication, this brand will also be bolstered by the logo of parent company Telefonica a guarantee of quality and international scale. We are an integrated telecommunications operator with a strong parent company which is active globally and as such, we can offer customers services for all of their telecommunications needs."

O2 ended the first half of this year with just over 2.2 million subscribers reports the Mobile World subscriber database. The operator market share is just under 20%.

I've some doubts about the last sentence, maybe Meir can tell us something more updated. How is it possible that Eurotel, now O2 has just 20% share of the market? Czechs are 10 millions, so 2.2 million of users are 20% of the population, but I don't know if mobile penetration in CZ is 100% (I think not yet). And if that was true it would mean that T-Mobile and Vodafone have the 80%, which sounds a bit hard to be real.

You are right O2 have problems with internet domains for some time. BTW ther was mistake in the O2 Telefonica statement. By end of the year 2005 there was 11,45 million of registered mobile subscribers in Czech Republic
Of this Eurotel had 4.68 million, Vodafone 2.14 million and T-Mobile 4.63 million. So mobile penetration is well over 100%.
see link sorry in czech at the moment
http://www.mobilmania.cz/text2/ar.asp?ARI=111823

Hot news? HSPDA on T-MObile Slovakia goes now up to 5 Mbits per second

And at last here it is the brand new domain for O2 CZ...

http://www.cz.o2.com

a more complicated domain was hard to find! :D