Europe's Mobile Operators Step Up their Game as Social Networking Users Increase by 150 Percent by End of 2010

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, January 28 - Europe mobile operators are called upon to take full advantage of mobile
social networking's potential as the number of users in the region is
expected to increase from 52 million in 2009 to 112 million at the end of
this year and could reach over 450 million users by 2014, according to a new
report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom research arm
of the Light Reading Communications Network (www.lightreading.com).

Mobile Operators See Strong Revenue Potential from Social Networking
looks at the social networking business model in Europe and analyzes its
future, including forecasting the number of social networking members
expected by 2014. The 18-page report addresses three possible drivers of
uptake: a quality user experience based on the high penetration of 3G and
smartphones that we project across Europe; operators' efforts aimed at
increasing mobile social networking uptake; and the efforts of social network
providers to promote the value of mobility among their users. Case studies
examine Orange and Telefonica. Download an excerpt (
www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN012810_INEUR2.1) of this report.
Purchase this report online (
www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_eur_100106.htm?sc=PRN012810_INEUR2.1
).

Pyramid Research believes that there is a strong opportunity for mobile
social networking in Europe and predicts the total number of users will
increase by 150 percent by end of 2010 to 112 million, and will reach over
450 million users by 2014, notes Stela Bokun, analyst at Pyramid Research and
author of the report. "Technical issues, such as the penetration of 3G
networks and advanced handsets, that are of paramount importance to many
other markets are, with few exceptions, non-issues in most European markets,
and both mobile operators and SNSs are motivated toward a joint future," says
Bokun.

For this growth to last throughout the entire forecast period, both
mobile operators and SNSs should strengthen their collaboration and bring it
to a new level. "By collaborating, European operators and global SNSs can
increase the pie for everyone by creating new revenue opportunities from
increased data usage and can benefit from new revenue streams, such as
advertising," Bokun says. "SNSs' proactive role in promoting the importance
of mobile access among their users will be a strong contributing factor in
the projected uptake of mobile social networking," she continues. "For
example, through strong collaboration with mobile operators, Facebook has
grown its mobile users from only 5 million in January 2008 to an estimated 85
million in December 2009; our projection is that more than 30 percent of its
global mobile users are in Europe," adds Bokun.

Mobile Operators See Strong Revenue Potential from Social Networking is
part of Pyramid Research's Europe Telecom Insider report series. Telecom
Insiders are packed with trend analysis, industry best practices, market
sizing and forecasting, competitor analysis, and case studies, providing you
information you can leverage to make better business decisions.

Download an excerpt of this report here (
www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN012810_INEUR2.1). This report is
priced at US$595 and can be purchased online here (
www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_eur_100106.htm?sc=PRN012810_INEUR2.1
) or by contacting Amalia Vega at avega@pyr.com or telephone at
+1-809-330-4520.

About Pyramid Research

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the
complex demands our clients face in the telecommunications, media and
technology industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the
intersection of emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business
models, powered by the bottom-up methodology of our market forecasts for over
100 countries - a distinction that has remained unmatched for more than 25
years. As the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications
Network, Pyramid Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the
communications industry's most comprehensive market data, trusted research
and insightful technology analysis.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the
leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3
trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate
source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry,
leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light
Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most
comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis
in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20
targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and
Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as
focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives.
Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and
operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (www.techweb.com), the global leader in technology media
and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the
transformative power of technology. Through its three core businesses - media
solutions, marketing services and paid content - TechWeb produces the most
respected and consumed brands and media applications in the technology
market. More than 14 million business and technology professionals (CIOs and
IT managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software Developers, Government
decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively engage in TechWeb's
communities and information resources monthly. TechWeb brands includes:
global face-to-face events such as Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon;
award-winning online resources such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and
Network Computing; and market-leading InformationWeek, Wall Street &
Technology, and Advanced Trading magazines. TechWeb is a UBM company, a
global provider of news distribution and specialist information services,
with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information
distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization
of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve
professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from
journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated
events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in
more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these
communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do
business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more
information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.

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Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910