Europe UK : Lebara Mobile launched its UK service and provided details of the best-of-breed organisations it is partnering with, including Vodafone UK, Phones 4u, Data Select, Alphyra, Epay and PayPoint, to provide low-cost Pay As You Go international calls from mobiles in the UK from as little as 4p per minute, using a SIM-based service.

Focusing on ethnic communities based in the UK, Lebara Mobile Pay-As-You-Go SIM cards, top-ups and handset bundles are now available giving UK customers the ability to make low-cost international phone calls directly from their mobiles. Compatible with all standard UK GSM handsets, customers can take advantage of low-cost local, national and international calls from their mobiles in the UK.

Lebara Mobile now provides low-cost SIM-based mobile services in seven European countries: the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. In 2006, Lebara was named as the fourth-fastest growing private company in the UK by The Sunday Times in its Fast Trak 100 listing, 2006'.

UK mobile network operator Vodafone UK will provide the network infrastructure for Lebara Mobile customers to make calls in the UK. For global reach, calls are passed to the Lebara Mobile international switched network, and routed seamlessly to their destination.

Tim Stone, new business development director for Vodafone UK, said: "In March, we set out our wholesale strategy and our ambition to grow our market share through incremental and scalable partnerships. We believe that Lebara Mobile has a sustainable and targeted strategy and development prospects due to its strong leadership team, experience and solid distribution channel. Lebara Mobile has clearly defined its customer base and understands the needs of those consumers. We very much look forward to supporting them as they enter the UK market."

Fastest growing independent mobile phone retailer Phones 4u was revealed as the main retail sales partner and will stock Lebara Mobile SIM packs and electronic top-up vouchers. Jim Slater, Phones 4u marketing director for Phones 4u, said: "We are always looking for new ways to offer our customers more choice and the best possible value, and we believe this is exactly what Lebara Mobile's Pay-As-You-Go SIMs represent."

Leading European wireless communications solution

For channel distribution of its SIM cards, Lebara Mobile UK has secured a strategic partnership deal with Data Select, one of Europe's fastest growing enterprises and a leader in the delivery of wireless communications solutions. Data Select will also soon be providing handsets for Lebara Mobile.

National network of 50,000 e-top-up terminals To enable electronic voucher top-up, Lebara Mobile UK has agreements with the three main solutions providers: Alphyra, Epay and PayPoint. Over 50,000 top-up terminals will be configured to sell Lebara Mobile airtime.

"We are delighted to announce that we have such high profile partners on board at the time of our UK launch - it is testament to the hard work and commitment that has gone in to fostering these relationships and our partners' understanding of our strategy and the opportunities it presents," said Robert Gaskin, UK country manager for Lebara Mobile UK. "We will continue to strengthen these relationships and seek new partnership opportunities, building on our strong experience in Europe, to offer our UK customers the same reliable, high quality, easy-to-use mobile service that over 600,000 customers already benefit from."

For pricing and terms of business, please visit www.lebara-mobile.co.uk.

About Lebara

Mobile Lebara Mobile offers tailored innovative telecommunications solutions so that families, friends and colleagues can keep in touch, both at home and abroad. Lebara Mobile was founded in 2001 as part of the Lebara Group and now operates in seven European countries: the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden and now the UK. The Group's headquarters are in London. Lebara Mobile has some 600,000 customers and generates annual sales in excess of EUR 162 million. The Fast Track 100 listing', produced by the Sunday Times in 2006, ranked Lebara Mobile the fourth fastest-growing private company in Great Britain.