PRESS RELEASES

Ovum expands its global reach into Africa

Firm partners with Africa Analysis to increase consulting capability in the region

For immediate release. 3 October 2006. Ovum announced today that it has reached a formal long-term strategic partnership with Africa Analysis to strengthen its telecoms consulting capability in Sub-Sahara and South Africa.

In line with Ovum's global expansion plans, the deal formalises previous co-operation between both firms. Ovum Consulting and Africa Analysis will join forces for bids and projects in the areas of strategy, commercial telecoms and regulation. This new alliance has kicked off with the win of a project to review a strategy for a major incumbent operator in the region.

A specialist in telecoms, Africa Analysis works with fixed and mobile operators across the region. It also provides regulatory bodies with independent advice.

The African telecommunications markets have and are undergoing significant regulatory change. Regulators are faced with a complex set of challenges in introducing market liberalisation that seeks to enhance value creation while ensuring consumers benefit from better services, improved quality, lower prices and more choice. This in turn has led to telcos having to redefine their businesses, seek out new opportunities and defend traditional revenue streams.

"There is growing interest in Ovum's consulting services and expertise in Africa," says Martin Venzky-Stalling, Director of Ovum Consulting. "Over the past 18 months we have delivered more than a dozen projects in Sub-Sahara and South Africa. This strategic partnership significantly strengthens our presence in the region and is highly complementary. The combined consulting team broadens our delivery capability, provides us with a platform to expand from and brings our services and telecoms expertise to a wider range of customers."

"Interest in our partnership by African telecoms companies has been excellent," says Andre Wills, Managing Director of Africa Analysis. Regulators and telecoms companies today require advice that is steeped in developing market understanding and shaped by global experience. Combining Ovum's extensive global consulting experience and research depth with our African market understanding results in our partnership offering a powerful compelling value proposition to our clients and to African telcos."

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About Ovum PLC

Ovum's primary activity is providing value-added advisory services and consulting to retained and project clients. The company acts as a well-respected and trusted source of industry data, knowledge and expertise on the commercial impact of technology, regulatory and market changes. Ovum engages in continuous research and industry analysis to determine market dynamics in its specialist sectors.

Ovum has developed long-standing relationships with many of its corporate clients, which include major international blue-chip companies such as Alcatel, AT&T, BT, Cable & Wireless, Cisco Systems, Deutsche Telecom, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Telstra and Vodafone.

About Ovum Consulting

Ovum Consulting (www.ovumconsulting.com) works with clients to address a range of strategic, regulatory, technology, financial and operational issues. Ovum Consulting differentiates itself through the depth of its industry experience and the breadth of its research base. It employs structured methodologies and advanced tools and models, enabling it to leverage its expertise more efficiently and effectively. Its delivery model is to work closely with its clients through all stages of a project.

About Africa Analysis

Africa Analysis specialises in providing analysis services and consulting advice to telecommunications regulators, telcos and service providers in emerging markets. The company is one of very few companies with experience in the African, Middle Eastern and East European markets. Africa Analysis analysts and consultants have travelled extensively across Africa gaining first-hand knowledge and experience of the various country markets. With permanent offices in South Africa and a network of partnered field offices in a number of strategic African countries, the company's service delivery capability extends across the entire continent.