OPTUS DIGITAL MOBILE TURNS 10

This Sunday, 18 May, Optus celebrates one decade of challenging and growing the mobile market.

In ten years Optus has invested heavily in its digital mobile network.

And, ten years on, it's all about further growth as Optus commits to build more base stations and give Australian more reasons to say 'yes' to Optus.

Commenting on the milestone, Managing Director of Optus Mobile, Mr Allen Lew, said Optus was looking to the future with its expansion plans.

"Today we are growing our network at almost twice the rate that we were in our first few years of operation.

"We turn on an average of one new base station every day and, more importantly, we plan to continue to grow the network at that rate," Mr Lew said.

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator, Richard Alston, marked the milestone by congratulating Optus on the role it has played in ensuring competition in the mobile market over the last 10 years.

"Competition in mobile telephony services has resulted in more choice and lower prices for consumers and ensured that Australians have access to world-class mobile services," Senator Alston said.

"It is nice to celebrate 10 years but it is important to continue to grow. We now have around 3,500 base stations, an increase of 11 per cent on last year, and plan to build another 400 in the next 12 months with a focus on improving our rural and regional footprint," Mr Lew said.

Optus' GSM network handles more than 96 million calls and more than 32 million SMS messages each week. It continues to stimulate the market with innovative products and services such as the unique Optus ‘yes time' launched in 1998.

Network milestones

• In November 1999 Optus launched the first WAP (wireless application protocol) service.
• Optus was the first carrier to launch a national GPRS network in November 2000
• Mobile Number Portability was introduced in Australia on 25 September 2001.
• In December 2001 Optus made Australia's first 3G call
• In July 2002 Optus was the first carrier to announce the introduction of MMS (Multimedia Message Service).
• In February 2003 Optus developed and launched applications for MMS video messaging.
• In March 2003 Optus launched Australia's first commercial WiFi service (wireless broadband access).

For more information:
Germaine Graham
Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: (02) 9342 7850