Nokia and MobileChannel.Network to deliver a unique, SMS and WAP based, Olympics experience to mobile operators' customers

MobileChannel.Network (MC.N), a member of the Nokia Artuse™ Developers Program, is delivering through its Mobile Sports Channel joint venture, a commercial mobile Internet content service during the Summer Olympics 2000 in Sydney, Australia.

The service, based on SMS and WAP, has been designed to interface with Nokia infrastructure products and is offered to Nokia operator customers for their subscribers. It enables mobile users to get information on their favorite sporting events, including hot news, any newly set records, listing of audio reports and interviews, and take part in Olympics trivia.

Nokia is working with Switzerland-based MC.N through the Nokia Artuse Developers Program, which operates globally to boost the development of value added services on standard technologies such as WAP.

MC.N is creating a portfolio of mobile channels for mobile users. The first channel provides global coverage and delivery of sports content. This service is called Mobile Sports Channel. Mobile Sports Channel content is unique for the worldwide mobile market and is obtained through the exclusive joint-venture agreement that MC.N has with Trans World International (TWI), the programming arm of Mark McCormack's International Management Group (IMG).

"Working together with major industry players such as Nokia to develop mobile services and to offer global sport content to mobile users strongly reflects our slogan 'Delivering Emotion', said Janne Mäkinen, Senior Executive, Business Development & Accounts, MC.N, "Delivering emotion represents the innovative use of technology to maximize the emotional experience, the importance, and the enjoyment of the content to the consumer."

"Cooperation between Nokia and top application developers and content providers such as MC.N, bring opportunities for operators to launch attractive applications. Nokia Artuse developer activities especially on standard technologies such as WAP stimulate the creation of innovative services which will play a major role in the evolving Mobile Information Society," said Kevin Brough, Managing Director, Nokia Australia.

Mobile Sports Channel delivers comprehensive coverage of sports events worldwide with specific emphasis on the emotion of sport. Content is delivered only to profiled subscribers, ensuring that service recipients only receive news on sports they have a passion for. Profiled users are notified of key developments in sports, teams, or personalities they follow and can obtain further details from any location that has mobile network coverage. Using a unique real time feedback publishing process, text and audio reports created by a team of dedicated journalists are delivered to mobile users when they want them.

MobileChannel.Network (MC.N) is a fast-growing company delivering original and unique content services to mobile phones and devices. The company develops and supplies specific technologies to support the delivery of content services. These technologies include software for configuring WAP devices. The content quality and delivery methods are designed to maximize the emotional experience of users.

Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. The company is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, broadband and IP networks, related services as well as multimedia terminals. In 1999, Nokia's net sales totaled EUR 19.8 billion (USD 19.9 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 60 000 people.

Further information:
Communications Department, Nokia Networks
Tel. + 358 9 5113 8193, Fax ( + 358 9 5113 8199
Email nokia.networks@nokia.com
www.nokia.com

MobileChannel.Network, David Jenefsky
Email: Press@mobilechannel.net
Tel. +41 22 363 9232
Mobile +41 78 618 8378
Fax +41 22 363 4345

Notes to Editors:
NOKIA ARTUSE DEVELOPERS PROGRAM
The Nokia Artuse Developers Program provides developers with an early access to application development environments, tools, and expertise combined with co-marketing activities. The aim is to help developers work together with network Operators.

Operating globally, Nokia Artuse Developers Program focuses on boosting the development of attractive value-added services on standard technologies, such as WAP. This program suits any application developer or content provider/packager with an ambition to develop applications and services relating to mobile Internet and messaging. In addition to WAP, this program supports messaging technologies, such as Smart Messaging and Computer Interface for Messaging Distribution (CIMD).