Mobile operators to deliver world's largest cause-related campaign in support of universal education at the FIFA World Cup^TM 2010

BARCELONA, Spain -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Her Majesty, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan joined the GSMA today to announce the 1GOAL: Education for All mobile campaign, the world's largest cause-related campaign ever undertaken. 1GOAL is an initiative to ensure that every child in the world has the opportunity to go to school by 2015. Today, 72 million children in the world are denied that chance, and do not have access to basic primary education.

Operators from across the mobile world have joined forces with global football stars, the football world and FIFA, along with educational champions, charities and campaigners to support 1GOAL - a legacy of the FIFA Football World Cup 2010^TM - to give all children in the world the chance in life an education brings.

Operators serving more than 1 billion mobile users will deliver an international mobile communications campaign of unprecedented reach that combines the platform of the world's biggest sporting occasion with the world's largest medium, to harness public support for 1GOAL.

From the GSMA's Board, founding operator supporters of the mobile campaign include: AT&T Wireless, Axiata Group Berhad, Bharti-Airtel, Hutchison 3 Group, KT, MTN, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., Orascom, SingTel Group, Smart Communications, SOFTBANK MOBILE, SK Telecom, VimpelCom and Zain Group. Additionally operators including Batelco Group of the Middle East, CSL of Hong Kong, Mobitel of Sri Lanka and Umniah of Jordan have joined the 1GOAL mobile campaign in recent days.

The campaign provides the platform for millions of citizens globally, to show their support for 1GOAL. It launches on April 20^th and runs up until the World Cup final in South Africa on 11^th July.

"We are grateful for the GSMA's leadership and partnership in creating this campaign," said Her Majesty, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Co-founder and Co-Chair of the 1GOAL initiative. "I want to thank each and every one of you here today who has joined the 1GOAL team and who'll reach out to subscribers with a message, an app, or a widget. 1GOAL is about people-power... the largest ever, never-before-done, cause-related campaign of its kind. And I hope that those of you in the mobile ecosystem who haven't done so, will join up and sign up before our kick-off in April."

"Our board has recognised the role, responsibility and reach of mobile in harnessing global support for universal education, a critical part of the UN's mission to eliminate world poverty," said Rob Conway, CEO and Member of the Board of the GSMA. "As a result, today we announce a collaborative campaign that is unprecedented in our industry, utilising the scale of the world's largest medium to make a real difference to the future for millions of children in the world."

"As the South African football team captain and on behalf of my team and the children of Africa, thank you to the worldwide mobile team that has signed up so far to support 1GOAL," said Aaron Mokoena. "This will be the year that the mobile fraternity and football joined hands for the greatest of events, and the greatest of causes; Education for all."

World leaders are meeting during 2010 to discuss their ongoing commitments to education for all and the 1GOAL mobile campaign will enable tens of millions of people to let those leaders know that education for all can help end world poverty.

The mobile campaign - coordinated by the GSMA - will comprise a host of mobile communications tools, including mobile advertising, applications and messaging. The GSMA & 1GOAL will provide the marketing tools and innovative football-related content to operators and others in the mobile ecosystem that support the campaign. It will enable millions of people to sign up, via a host of mobile response mechanisms, demonstrating to global leaders and the UN that universal education is a universal 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.

About 1GOAL: Education for ALL

In 2000, 164 world governments came together to create the UN Millennium Development Goals. 2 of the 8 goals involve ending poverty through providing education for all:

• To ensure that all boys and girls complete primary schooling by 2015.
• To ensure that girls have the opportunity for education at all levels by 2015.

They promised to make sure there was enough money and that the policies were in place to make it a reality. Since then many countries have abolished school fees, spending was increased by $4 billion and an extra 40 million children are now going to school.

1GOAL is an initiative to mobilise support to hold world leaders to these promises for 2015. 1GOAL is run by the Global Campaign for Education and is part of a large global education initiative: the Class of 2015, http://www.classof2015.org.

The campaign, launches on April 20^th 2010 and will run up until the World Cup final on July 11th will engage and mobilise the World Cup audience through films, digital & print channels globally, involving some of the biggest Broadcasters, Sponsors, Players, Teams And Nations In The World.

Ahead Of Launch Individual Supporters that have signed up for 1GOAL, Include: Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah Of Jordan; Co-Founder And Global Co-Chair, Jacob Zuma, President, South Africa; Hillary Clinton US; Secretary Of State; Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero; President, Spain; Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, UK; Ban Ki-Moon; Secretary-General, United Nations; Kevin Rudd; Prime Minister, Australia; Sepp Blatter; President, FIFA; Bono; Eusébio, Portugal; Gary Lineker, England; Josep Guardiola, Barcelona; (Manager); Marcel Desailly, France; Mia Hamm, USA; Michael Essien, Ghana; Rio Ferdinand, England; Robin Van Persie; Netherlands; Robinho, Brazil; Thierry Henry, France; Tim Cahill, Australia; Tim Howard, USA; Zinedine Zidane, France, among many others.

Find 1GOAL here:

Website: www.join1goal.org

Facebook www.facebook.com/1GOAL

Twitter http://twitter.com/join1goal

Videos http://www.youtube.com/user/join1goal

Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/1goal

About the Global Campaign for Education & Class of 2015

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) is the co-ordinator and founding member of the Class of 2015 and 1GOAL. GCE is a network of major non-governmental organisations (NGOs), teachers' unions and civil society in more than 120 countries, founded in 1999. Every year GCE runs a Global Action Week promoting access to education as a basic human right and campaigning for urgent action on education, with more than 10 million people taking part. www.campaignforeducation.org.

The Class of 2015 was launched at the UN summit in New York in September 2008. Class of 2015 launch signatories include Bono, Sir Bob Geldof, Gordon Brown, Jose Manuel Barroso, Robert Zoellick, Kevin Rudd, Queen Rania as well as the leaders of many charities and teaching trade unions. The full list can be seen at: http://www.classof2015.org FIFA joined the Class of 2015, with a pledge from Sepp Blatter for the 2010 World Cup to leave a lasting legacy of education in Africa and the rest of the world.

Quotes

AT&T:
"AT&T is proud to be a part of the campaign to highlight the need for universal education," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "This global campaign combines the worldwide reach of mobile and the one of the biggest sports events in the world. We are strong believers in '1GOAL: Education for All', and will support our customers who want to get behind this opportunity."

Axiata Group Berhad:
Jamaludin Ibrahim, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Axiata Group Berhad said: "A child's right to education is an ideal we hold very dear across the Axiata Group. We strongly believe that it is the key to unlocking a child's true potential, and gives his or her aspirations a fighting chance to create a better, brighter future for themselves and for their nations. The power of mobile communications is the perfect conduit to raise further awareness for this worthy cause. For these reasons, we firmly support the 1GOAL: Education for All Mobile Campaign."

Batelco Group:
Batelco Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Kaliaropoulos said: "Batelco, as the leading telecommunications provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has long been associated with supporting educational initiatives. We understand that to ensure a nation's economic success in the future requires investment in the present education of its youth. In Bahrain Batelco is a staunch supporter of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's Schools of the Future project and of the Crown Prince's Scholarship Fund, spearheaded by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. We accordingly give 100% support to the noble aims of 1Goal which we believe is a winning formula that will make a significant and positive difference in the lives of young people all over the globe."

Bharti-Airtel:
"We at Bharti Airtel are committed to EDUCATION FOR ALL and gender equality, not only in India but across the world," Said Sanjay Kapoor, Deputy CEO for Bharti Airtel. "Bharti Foundation in India is an example of our commitment where we are on our way of realizing goal of quality schooling for 100,000 underprivileged children in India. We also recognize the transformative role mobile can play in extending reach of education. We are therefore strongly dedicated to the 1GOAL: EDUCATION FOR ALL mobile campaign as eliminating poverty through universal education and alleviating the status of the girl child is a cause we strongly support and stand by."

CSL, Hong Kong:
"Education for the next generation is crucial to the sustainability of the global economy. We fully support 1GOAL in its endeavours to ensure that all children can go to school," said Tarek Robbiati, Telstra International Group Managing Director and CSL CEO.

Hutchison 3 Group:
Christian Salbaing, Deputy Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Europe and Managing Director of 3 Group Europe said: "We are pleased to support Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, the 1GOAL Team and GSMA in support of the 1GOAL Education for All Mobile Campaign. Education is the cornerstone of global progress and the 1GOAL initiative to ensure that every child in the world has the opportunity to go to school, is essential to achieve it. 3 Group is happy to associate its leading Mobile Broadband and Mobile Internet networks and platforms on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup to help deliver the 1Goal message to its customers globally."

KT:
"The mobile industry has seen a phenomenal growth over the last decade and enriched lives of people," said Mr. Suk-Chae LEE, CEO of KT Corp. "It has become the most effective means to bridge the digital divide around the globe. 1GOAL is a clear demonstration of how the mobile industry can reach out to people and bring telecommunications welfare for all. KT supports this great initiative with all of its heart and soul. After all, telecommunications is all about people and the children are all about our future!"

MTN:
"MTN regards the 1GOAL: Education for All Mobile Campaign as a unique opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to social development in underdeveloped and emerging markets with a specific focus on education. Our involvement in this campaign is an extension of the developmental role we continue to play in our markets through the work of our foundations. "One of the responsibilities that come with operating a business in highly indebted parts of the world, which are characterized by dysfunctional education systems and high levels of poverty, is responding to the nation's social needs and to work with partners - including government, civil society organisations and the business sector to - effect social change," said Nozipho-January-Bardill, Group Executive Corporate Affairs & MTN Spokesperson.

Mobitel, Sri Lanka:
"Education for all is not an ideal. It is a basic human right," said Madam Leisha Chandrasena, Chairperson of Mobitel, Sri Lanka. "To educate our children is to secure our future. It has the power to heal, to unify and bring peace. And yet, 75 million children around the world still remain outside the classroom. I strongly support 1GOAL: Education for all."

NTT DOCOMO, Inc.:
Dr.Kiyoyuki Tsujimura, Senior Executive Vice President of NTT DOCOMO, said that "NTT DOCOMO believes Education for all is one of the most important goals that should be handled through global cooperation. We fully agree that the mobile industry can contribute to this critical initiative and we are delighted to play a role as a member of the industry through the 1GOAL mobile campaign".

Orascom Group:
"The 1GOAL campaign is an opportunity to showcase how the mobile and digital technology have become an important driver of social and economic development," said Naguib Sawiris, Executive Chairman of Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. "We have joined this campaign as part of our corporate social responsibility program because we believe that education is the key to sustainable development."

SingTel Group:
Ms Chua Sock Koong, SingTel Group CEO, said: "SingTel believes in empowering the youth through education and we are very pleased to support this global initiative. This is an excellent use of mobile technology for this worthy cause."

SK Telecom:
"Educational opportunity is the right of every child. Let us combine our efforts for all children across the world to be provided the opportunity at least for elementary education. SK Telecom wholeheartedly supports 1GOAL," said Manwon Jung, President and CEO.

Smart Communications:
"The 1GOAL campaign is a most worthwhile application of the global power of mobile phones and a unique opportunity for people all over the planet to express their support for the cause of Education For All," said Napoleon L. Nazareno, President and CEO PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc.

SOFTBANK MOBILE:
"There are so many children who are so important. They have a dream but they cannot go to school and get educated. They are the dream of our society, they are the future of our society. We have to support those children. I support 1GOAL," said Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO, SOFTBANK MOBILE.

Umniah Jordan:
Commenting on Umniah's support to the 1Goal Initiative, Mr. Ihab Hinnawi, Umniah's CEO, said: "We at Umniah strongly believe in the importance of education as a key to development and poverty alleviation and that this starts with ensuring that all children have the opportunity go to school. We are proud to be part of this global initiative that supports such a critical cause and one that addresses the needs of one of our key segments at Umniah, the youth segment."

VimpelCom:
Boris Nemsic, CEO of VimpelCom Group stated: "1GOAL Education for All" is a world wide first of its kind global social initiative of vital importance and I believe that 1GOAL Mobile Campaign - is what we really need to harness global support for it. It is a great honour for VimpelCom Group to be a part of this unique collaborative action, which provides us with the opportunity to utilize all the power and expertise of mobile communications for the benefit of the whole society."

Zain Group:
"Our experience in Africa has shown that a little effort can make a big difference; 1GOAL is the perfect example of this principle," said Acting Zain Group CEO Khaled Al Hajeri. "And with over 70 million customers, Zain is ready to play its part in this historic campaign. Real empowerment comes when people can make themselves heard. Today we are committed to shouting out for this basic right of an education for all. At Zain we claim to live in 'A wonderful world'. Now we have the power to effect real change through mobile communications, and shape the future of people who would otherwise not have one."

CONTACT:

GSMA
Daniel Lowther, +44 7747 636 687
press@gsm.org
or
1GOAL
Sam Barratt, + 44 7818 406050
sam@join1goal.com