Axalto supplies Telefonica Moviles with Spain's first 128KB USIM cards

February 24, 2004

Axalto, a Schlumberger company, and Telefonica Moviles Espana (TME) have signed an agreement making Axalto the supplier of the first dual (GPRS/UMTS) 128 KB USIM cards which Telefonica Moviles is already providing to corporate customers.

Telefonica Moviles Espana has recently launched 'Oficin@ MoviStar UMTS', the first 3G service to be marketed in Spain by a mobile telephone operator, which provides high-speed data transmission. The product comprises a PCMCIA UMTS/GPRS card, which includes the 128 KB USIM card supplied by Axalto.

Telefonica Moviles is the first Spanish operator to launch this type of card on the market. The new USIM cards can also be used in current GSM handsets and so provide TME customers with new advanced functions in their mobile phones such as roaming service facilities, more SMS storage capacity and the integration of the MoviStar menu.

"Telefonica Moviles Espana is in a prime position to confirm its leadership of the Spanish operator marketplace with the introduction of commercial 3G services", explains Philippe Vrignaud, director mobile communications of Axalto. "In our discussions, TME showed high expectations in terms of local support, technological requirements as well as demonstrated the importance to them of sustainable return on investment from the applications. With this Spanish 3G network initiative by TME, Axalto is happy to sustain and pursue an historical partnership with the leading operator"

"Axalto is most experienced supplier of 3G cards in the marketplace and a highly reliable partner to be delivering 128 KB cards in volume; as we embark on this important communications initiative in Spain, it is key to have the support, expertise and experience of Axalto behind us", says Luis Ezcurra, general Manager of Services at Telefonica Moviles Espana. "In addition, its solution features all the advantages of interoperability and compliancy with the latest industry standards".