Virgin Mobile Fosters its Branding Strategy With Gemalto Advanced SIM Cards

Mvno Conference, Barcelona (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Gemalto Announces 2-Year Exclusive Agreement With Europe's
Largest Mobile Virtual Network Operator

MVNO Conference, BARCELONA, October 10 /PRNewswire/ --

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), a world leader in digital
security, today announces an exclusive two-year agreement to supply
its SIM cards to Virgin Mobile. Working in close partnership with the
MVNO, the Gemalto teams have developed a customized product that will
enable Virgin Mobile to benefit from the increased flexibility and
responsiveness required to bring its own brand of services to market.
The Gemalto cards will allow subscribers to securely access and enjoy
a wide range of value-added services as soon as Virgin Mobile makes
them available. The cards have been designed to support an extensive
selection of applications such as dynamic menus and information
on-demand.

"The SIM card plays a vital role in building a direct relationship
with subscribers," said Rob Shardlow, Sales and Distribution
Director. "For this reason, we need a reliable partner, with sound
expertise in SIM-based solutions, who will make it easy for us to
deploy our own features and support our branding strategy."

Since its commercial launch as an MVNO in November 1999, Virgin
Mobile has recorded very strong growth. Within one and a half years
of operation, the MVNO signed up over one million subscribers, making
it the fastest major UK mobile communications provider to have
achieved this milestone to date. Today, Virgin Mobile boasts some 5
million subscribers and Gemalto will support its growth strategy by
providing high-end products and to help sustain the highest levels of
excellence in customer service

"We are proud to partner with one of the most successful MVNOs,"
added Jacques Seneca, president Europe, Gemalto. "This multi-year
exclusive agreement with Virgin Mobile illustrates the consistency of
our long-standing relationship and confirms Gemalto's leadership in
SIM management."

This new contract with Virgin Mobile reinforces Gemalto's position
as undisputed leader in the fast-growing MVNOs market. Having worked
with a very large number of leading MVNOs worldwide, the company has
gained an in-depth understanding of their specific needs and is in a
position to provide products, services and support required for
differentiation, cost control and accelerated time-to-market. Gemalto
supports MVNOs through innovative and personalized packaging,
on-demand production and mobile value-added services, as well as SIM
management outsourcing.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is a leader in digital
security with pro forma 2005 annual revenues of EUR1,7 billion
(US$2.2 billion), operations in 120 countries and 11,000 employees
including 1,500 R&D engineers. The company's solutions make personal
digital interactions secure and easy in a world where everything of
value -from money to entertainment to identities- is increasingly
represented as bits and bytes communicated over networks.

Gemalto thrives on creating and deploying secure platforms,
portable and secure forms of software in highly personal objects like
smart cards, SIMs, e-passports, readers and tokens. More than a
billion people worldwide use the company's products and services for
telecommunications, banking, e-government, identity management,
multimedia content, digital rights management, IT security and other
applications. Gemalto was formed in June 2006 by the combination of
Axalto and Gemplus International S.A. For more information please
visit www.gemalto.com.

About Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile is the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator
and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999,
Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers.

Virgin Mobile is part of the ntl:telewest group. The group is the
first to be able to offer `quadruple play' to customers: mobile and
fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.

In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000
600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at
approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within
Virgin Megastores and selected WHSmiths, The Carphone Warehouse, The
Link, Phones 4 U, Currys.digital, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis,
Argos, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Ryman, web retailer Dial-a-phone plus
hundreds of independent mobile phone dealers and available via Shop
Direct/Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.

Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in
Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u, at
concessions in WHSmith and from www.virginmobile.com

Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,700 staff at three sites,
Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer
service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.

Virgin Mobile was voted 22nd in the Best Workplaces in the UK
Financial Times survey for 2006.k.

Contacts Gemalto
Gemalto
Aline Borne
T.: +33-(0)1-55-01-51-05
M.: +33-(0)6-16-29-87-04
aline.borne@gemalto.com
Fleishman-Hillard
Odile Bibollet
Tél.: +33-(0)1-47-42-92-82
odile.bibollet@fleishmaneurope.com

ots Originaltext: Gemalto
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Contacts Gemalto: Gemalto, Aline Borne, T.: +33-(0)1-55-01-51-05, M.:
+33-(0)6-16-29-87-04, aline.borne@gemalto.com. Fleishman-Hillard,
Odile Bibollet, Tél.: +33-(0)1-47-42-92-82,
odile.bibollet@fleishmaneurope.com