SINGTEL'S REGIONAL MOBILE SUBSCRIBER BASE INCREASES TO ALMOST 62 MILLION

Largest ever quarterly increase of 5.2 million subscribers

Singapore, 1 February 2005 -- Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced that its aggregate number of mobile subscribers in the region increased by 5.2 million during the past three months to almost 62 million on 31 December 2004. The increase of 5.2 million is a new record for the Group for net additions in any quarter.

The combined mobile subscriber base of SingTel, SingTel Optus and the Group's four regional associates grew 40 per cent from about 44 million a year ago. On a proportionate basis, SingTel's subscriber base in the six markets - Australia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - increased 38 per cent from a year ago to 25 million.

SingTel's four Asian mobile associates - Advanced Info Service, Bharti, Globe and Telkomsel - all posted strong subscriber growth year-on-year, ranging from 15 to 79 per cent. Their combined subscriber base grew 45 per cent to 54 million.

SingTel Optus acquired 283,000 customers during the quarter, posting a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in subscribers, bringing its base to 6.2 million. The growth was achieved despite a mobile penetration of over 80 per cent in Australia.

In Singapore, SingTel maintained its subscriber base at more than 1.5 million in a highly saturated mobile market with over 90 per cent penetration. During the quarter, SingTel signed up more than 23,000 from a quarter ago.

More details of the market and financial performance of the six mobile operations will be available when SingTel announces its results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2004 on 3 February 2005.

At a glance

SingTel, Asia’s leading communications group, is reaping the benefits of an international expansion strategy which has been successfully developed over the last 15 years. With significant operations in Singapore and Australia (through wholly-owned subsidiary SingTel Optus), the Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of services that include voice and data services over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms.

SingTel Optus is a leading Australian integrated communications company. Since commencing operations in 1992, Optus has invested more than A$7 billion in the construction of fixed, mobile and satellite networks. Optus’ mobile business unit has captured around one third of the total Australian GSM mobile market.

SingTel is also a strategic investor in four of the region’s most successful mobile operations. It has a 21.5 per cent stake in Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand’s largest mobile operator. In India, the Group has a 28.5 per cent effective interest in Bharti Tele-Ventures, the country’s largest GSM operator. One of SingTel’s earliest investments in the region is Globe Telecom in the Philippines. Today, it has a 45.1 per cent stake in the company. SingTel has a 35.0 per cent stake in Indonesia’s largest mobile operator, Telkomsel.

The SingTel Group had a turnover of S$12.0 billion (US$7.17.billion) and net profit after tax of S$4.49 billion (US$2.68 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2004. For the year, AIS, Bharti, Globe and Telkomsel contributed S$927 million in pre-tax earnings (excluding exceptional items) to the Group. The four associates also contributed S$223 million in dividends for the year. More information can be found at www.singtel.com.

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