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Press Releases
2005.09.07

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Israel’s Cellcom Selects ACCESS’ NetFront™ Browser for new i-mode™ Service

Selection Confirms ACCESS as Leading Provider of Integrated Software Solutions for i-mode Alliance Operators and Handset Vendors Worldwide

TOKYO, Japan/NETANYA, Israel – September 7, 2005 – ACCESS Co., Ltd., (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 4813), a global provider of mobile content delivery and Internet access technologies, and Cellcom Israel Ltd., the leading telecommunications operator in Israel, announced that they have partnered to bring ACCESS’ NetFrontbrowser (featuring right-to-left rendering support for Hebrew) and JV-Lite2 Java solution to the handsets offered for Cellcom’s newly launched i-mode service. The handsets offered include the S342i, S410i, E378i, L342i, and N411i. As part of the agreement, ACCESS will also provide its Compact Viewer Plus a preview and test environment for i-mode content developers that also features right-to-left rendering support for Hebrew.

ACCESS’ NetFront browser and JV-Lite2 applications were designed from the ground up to function as an integrated solution that shares resources and memory and which delivers a pre-tested, Java-enabled mobile browsing solution that is significantly more compact and efficient than solutions from multiple vendors. As an i-mode solution, NetFront browser and JV-Lite2 ensure tight interoperability optimized specifically for the i-mode service while providing mobile operators and their handset partners with seamless i-mode deployments that reduce overall development costs and speed time-to-market. ACCESS’ NetFront browser and JV-Lite2 solution for i-mode subscribers has been proven in over 5 million i-mode handset deployments outside Japan.

“We’re very pleased to partner with ACCESS to integrate their NetFront browser and JV-Lite2 solutions with the initial handsets that will be offered through our new i-mode service,” said Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg, President and CEO of Cellcom. “NetFront browser and JV-Lite2 provide Cellcom with an advanced, pre-tested, i-mode client solution that helps us to quickly deploy handsets for the service, while ACCESS’ Compact Viewer Plus provides our i-mode content partners with a tool that saves them development time and money and will directly lead to the availability of a broader range of i-mode content for our customers.”

“ACCESS’ partnership with Cellcom facilitates the deployment of handsets for Cellcom’s new i-mode service. The partnership demonstrates ACCESS’ commitment to help operators and handset manufacturers to successfully deploy i-mode services throughout the world,” said Toru Arakawa, president and CEO of ACCESS. “We’re excited to work together with Cellcom and its handset partners to help bring Cellcom subscribers the advanced mobile data services and benefits that the i-mode service provides.”

Cellcom’s i-mode deployment represents the first i-mode deployment in the Middle East and validates the growing popularity and acceptance of the i-mode service based on NTT DoCoMo’s original i-mode service that ACCESS helped to pioneer. ACCESS’ extensive experience providing advanced mobile Internet technology solutions for mobile operators throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including the majority of i-mode deployments to date, ensures that Cellcom subscribers will enjoy a rich, powerful, and fun mobile Internet experience.

About NetFront Browser
NetFront browser recently surpassed 195million deployments globally representing 650 unique devices ranging from mobile phones and PDAs to digital televisions, gaming consoles, and automobile telematics systems from major Internet device manufacturers. NetFront supports a wider range of operating systems than any competing browser including solutions for Palm® OS, Symbian OS, Linux OS, Microsoft® Windows® Mobile/PocketPC and mobile handset environments like BREW®. NetFront browser technology is used by the world’s leading mobile operators, software providers and electronics manufacturers including Adobe, Alpine, Amoi, AT&T Wireless, Casio, Epson, Hitachi, Hutchinson 3G Group, IBM, KDDI, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Mitsubishi, palmOne, PalmSource, Samsung, SANYO, Sharp, Sony, Telcel Venezuela, TCL, Toshiba, UTStarcom and more.

About Cellcom Israel Limited
Cellcom is Israel’s largest and most profitable cellular operator with about 2.5 million customers. Currently, it operates a GSM/GPRS network, based on European technology, in addition to its American TDMA infrastructure. Cellcom’s subscribers benefit from roaming agreements with the majority of cellular operators around the world. In early 2004 Cellcom introduced Full-EDGE coverage, thus becoming Israel’s first third generation operator. Cellcom’s GSM/GPRS/EDGE network enables the company to offer a variety of value-added services to its customers – Java games, MMS, downloads and streaming services. In 2004 Cellcom inaugurated its UMTS network in dense urban areas, as a step toward the expansion of this network. Cellcom’s rapid growth is reflected in its revenues, which amounted to NIS 5.6 billion in 2004. Starting in 1997, when Cellcom posted its first net profit, the annual growth of EBITDA has been 15% and growth of annual revenues has been 13%. The company has continued to post high profits (NIS 639 million in 2004).

About ACCESS
ACCESS is a global provider of Internet technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets. Its NetFront browser, widely recognized as one of the most advanced Internet browsers in the world, is a cornerstone to the company’s vision of enabling Internet access anywhere and on any device. NetFront technologies are delivering full Internet browsing and related services to next-generation mobile devices and consumer electronics ranging from digital TV to automobile telematics. For more information: www.access.co.jp or www.access-us-inc.com.

ACCESS, NetFront, JV-Lite2 are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACCESS CO., LTD. in Japan and other countries. . Sun, Sun Microsystems, Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. i-mode is a trademark or registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Asia Contact:
ACCESS Co., Ltd., Japan
Kyoko Obara
+81 (3) 5259-3685
prinfo@access.co.jpcom
China Contact:
Access China Inc.
Delia Liu
+86 (10) 6566-9636
delia.liu@accesschina.com.cn
Europe Contact:
ACCESS Systems Europe GmbH
Claudia Hoeck
+49 (208) 8290-6432
hoeck@access-sys-eu.com
US Contacts:
ACCESS Co., Ltd. U.S. Branch
Manuel Morales
(510) 284-0708
mmorales@access-us-inc.com

Cellcom Contacts

Cellcom Israel Ltd. Galitt Tuchterman
+972 9 9599695
galitttu@cellcom.co.il
www.cellcom.co.il