World's Leading Mobile Operators Announce Commitment to NFC Technology

Outline Intent to Launch Service in Core Markets by 2012

LONDON, February 21, 2011 - Many of the world's leading operators, including America Movil, Axiata
Group Berhad, Bharti, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, KT Corporation, MTS,
Orange, Qtel Group, SOFTBANK MOBILE, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telekom
Austria Group, Telenor and Vodafone, have voiced their commitment to
implementing Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, and intend to launch
commercial NFC services in select markets by 2012.

"NFC is perhaps best known for its role in enabling mobile payments, but
its applications go far beyond that," said Franco Bernabe, Chairman, GSMA and
CEO, Telecom Italia. "NFC represents an important innovation opportunity, and
will facilitate a wide range of interesting services and applications for
consumers, such as mobile ticketing, mobile couponing, the exchange of
information and content, control access to cars, homes, hotels, offices car
parks and much more."

The market potential for NFC is significant - according to Frost &
Sullivan, the total payment value for NFC globally will reach more than euro
110 billion in 2015 - and momentum behind the technology is growing rapidly.
To address this opportunity and to provide valuable new services to mobile
users worldwide, the operator community is focused on driving the
standardised deployment of mobile NFC, using the SIM as the secure element to
provide authentication, security and portability.

To achieve this, the GSMA will develop the necessary certification and
testing standards to ensure global interoperability of NFC services. This
interoperability is critical to the widespread adoption of NFC, enabling
users to benefit from NFC services around the world, regardless of operator
network or device type.

"As we have seen, the adoption of different approaches to NFC will only
serve to fragment the market," continued Bernabe. "By uniting around a single
standardised approach to mobile NFC and by collaborating across the entire
ecosystem, our industry will continue to develop the compelling services that
customers demand."

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications
industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's
mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers,
Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is
focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its
membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile
communications industry.

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the new online
portal for the mobile communications industry, at
www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at
www.gsmworld.com.

Charlie Meredith-Hardy, WSWWWGSMA at corp.ipgnetwork.com, +44-(0)-7917-298428; GSMA Press Office, press at gsm.org