Europe : Critical Path, has expanded its partnership with leading operator O2 UK. As part of its initiative to deliver new converged messaging services to consumers, O2 has upgraded its messaging systems, deploying Critical Path's Memova® platform.

With a focus on delivering services that integrate mobile and the Internet, O2 needed a messaging platform that could provide a scalable, flexible, consumer-oriented foundation for converged services. Memova enables a variety of converged services for consumers, including mobile email, advanced multimedia messaging and communications, and integrated access to personal information and content. These services simplify and unify the consumer experience across both mobile and fixed-line connections.

"We are committed to delivering the best possible experience to our 17 million customers, providing services that are seamlessly integrated and easy to use as our mobile and broadband worlds increasingly converge," said Mike Fairman, Head of Broadband, O2. "Critical Path provided the underpinnings to our existing Web-mail platform and Memova provides us with flexible, bolt-on features that allow us to extend the experience to our mobile customers."

With the Memova platform now in place, O2 will work with Critical Path to roll out new converged messaging services in 2007.  

"We're pleased to help O2 expand its messaging services through our Memova platform," said Robert Zuber, Chief Mobile Strategist, Critical Path. "O2's strategy is directly aligned with ours, which is to provide easy-to-use, seamlessly integrated services with anytime, anywhere access. We look forward to working with O2 to bring a variety of new converged messaging services to market."

About O2
O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK. These services include voice, text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, 3G and WLAN. Every month, O2's 17 million customers send well over a billion text messages. O2 owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile joint venture in the UK as well as having 100% ownership of Be, a leading UK fixed broadband provider.

O2 UK is part of Telefónica O2 Europe which has more than 35 million customers across Europe. Businesses includes a mobile network operator in Ireland, integrated fixed/mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic, and O2 Airwave - the emergency services network in the UK. The company also recently won a mobile licence in Slovakia, where it plans to launch service in 2007.