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Senior appointments and new regional offices as INQ steps up growth phase

London – 18 January 2010

INQ Mobile is delighted to announce the opening of new regional offices in Beijing, Singapore and Silicon Valley.

The new offices are part of INQ’s expansion plans into key markets in 2010, developing strong local teams and building up relations with local operators.

The offices also have strategic value to INQ; bringing the company closer to internet brands in Silicon Valley, fostering business development opportunities to support INQ’s core objective of bridging internet and communication with best in class Social Mobile devices.

The expansion will strengthen the company’s position in Chinese manufacturing and commercial centres as well as giving INQ a powerful route into South-East Asian markets.

INQ has made five senior appointments.
Kinson Loo has joined as President of INQ, Greater China. Kinson comes from Sony Ericsson where he was Corporate Vice President and Head of Region. He is vastly experienced and respected in the Chinese market. He was recently included a Top Ten list of the most influential people in the Chinese mobile phone industry by the People’s Daily newspaper.
Kinson will take the reins at INQ’s new Beijing office and spearhead INQ’s push throughout mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Jim Hudak is heading up INQ’s North American operation as General Manager and VP for Americas. Jim has 15 years worth of experience in start-up businesses and large corporations. Most recently, Jim led global business development for social mobile internet firm, iSkoot. He previously had a similar role with social mobile firm mig33. He has also worked for Fonav and was CEO of AirTx.

INQ has also appointed Paul Murdock to run Sales Operations for Americas. Paul worked at Nokia for over 13 years where he held several roles as VP and was a central figure in the launch of Nokia’s Tablet device.

Separately, Henry Whicheloe joins INQ from Vodafone Wholesale to take on the role of Head of Retail and Distribution for Europe. Henry has a strong background in retail and distribution having run his own retail business as well as holding senior roles at Brightstar and Orange Business.

Ronnie Burnett is Head of Operator Sales for Europe. Ronnie worked for RIM for five years and, more recently, held several senior sales roles for Huawei, managing T-Mobile and O2 global accounts.

CEO Frank Meehan said: “We are gearing up for an exciting 2010. We laid some amazing building blocks during our first year in business, and we are ready to grow this year. More high calibre people will join the business over the coming months as we continue to pursue our mission to reinvigorate the mobile market with amazing communications and internet devices available to more people.”

About INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile makes devices for a new generation of consumers who value email, Facebook, IM and Twitter as much as voice and text.
INQ’s first handset, the award-winning INQ1, was launched in November 2008, and INQ produced its follow-up handsets, the INQ Mini and INQ Chat 3G later in 2009.
INQ has pioneered the idea of ‘Social Mobiles’ with innovative functionality such as integrated address books, multi-tasking and zero-click Facebook and Twitter widgets on the home screen.
INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, Hutchison Whampoa, which has made investments in the biggest internet brands and was an early investor in 3G networks.
INQ has attracted interested from network operators around the world about potential distribution deals.

For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com or follow INQ on Twitter, @inqmobile.

For more information, contact:
Soheb Panja, INQ Mobile
+44 (0)7730 426 776
soheb@inqmobile.com

Julie Blane, SPR Europe, a SparkPR Company
+44 (0)7949 251607
jblane@corp.sparkpr.com

(US)
Karen To, SparkPR
+1 415 321 1863
karen@sparkpr.com

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UK’S MOST INFLUENTIAL ‘TWITTERATI’ REVEALED

New study reveals the top 20 most influential Tweeters in entertainment, music, politics, sport and technology

Following the news that ‘Twitter’ has been named the word of 2009⁽¹⁾ and after a year that has felt like one long celebrity popularity contest lived out online, a new study by INQ Mobile reveals 2009’s top 20 most influential UK individuals on Twitter.

The new list, entitled Twitterati, identifies the online influence of the 20 most popular UK Tweeters across five categories including entertainment, music, politics, sport and technology.

The list was compiled by phone manufacturer INQ to mark the launch of its ‘Chat 3G’ phone; a mobile with a Twitter ‘feed’ running on the homescreen so Twitter addicts are automatically updated when people they are following tweet.

And although headlines have been dedicated to Lily Allen’s departure from the site, Cheryl Cole’s public Twitter display of her wedding ring to quash marriage rumours and Darren Bent’s Tottenham Twitter tirade, only the most dedicated micro-bloggers have made the list.

The research sees Mashable’s Pete Cashmore in the number one position crowned as the most influential person in technology and across all of the five categories; Stephen Fry at number two as the most influential name in entertainment; Dougie Poytner from McFly at number four as the leader of the pack in music; Sarah Brown is the biggest social player in politics and Andy Murray at number 11 as the most influential sport’s personality of the year.

The top 20 UK influencers

Phone manufacturer INQ designs mobiles for the internet generation. Along with Twitter, the INQ Chat 3G also gives consumers push Gmail, a built-in Facebook application and a camera that can be used to upload photos to Facebook with just one click.
Measuring influence
The list was created by identifying the five most popular Twitterers across the five different categories, giving each an influence rating out of 100⁽²⁾.

Their relative influence was then measured by exploring:

• The number of ‘tweets’ they send
• The number of times they ‘re-tweet’ others’ updates
• The number of times that person’s updates have been ‘re-tweeted’
• The number of times they are referenced in other people’s ‘tweets’

Elaine Quinn, spokesperson for INQ Mobile comments, “Twitter has certainly been the word on everyone’s lips in 2009 but nothing has dominated the conversation quite so much as the popularity contest between celebrities. In the UK we’ve become used to hearing stories about celebrities going head to head in the fight for followers with Stephen Fry publicly losing his lead to Eddie Izzard and Richard Bacon.

“However, it actually gets more interesting when you look at who has the most impact. Even though Richard Bacon now has more followers than Stephen Fry, Stephen still holds more influence to date.”

International influence
The research also explored the current top 20 most influential international individuals across each of the same five categories. While the UK’s Pete Cashmore still sits comfortably at the top of the international influencers list across technology and each of the other categories, the other leading names include P Diddy at number two the biggest name in music, Oprah Winfrey as the top entertainer at number four, Barack Obama somewhat inevitably the premiere politician at number eight and Shaquille O’Neal as the big name in sport at number 11.

The top international influencers

– Ends –

For more information please contact the INQ Mobile press office at Mischief on 020 7100 999 or inqmobile@mischiefpr.com

Notes to Editors:

About INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile (www.inqmobile.com) launched in 2008 to give consumers high-quality yet affordable mobile internet, and enable carriers to stimulate data usage across their customer base. The company recently released data detailing device usage on UK and Hong Kong networks that show usage patterns typically seen only on high-end smartphones.
An average of 65 per cent of INQ users use Facebook regularly, 30 per cent use their INQ frequently for email, and Windows Live Messenger activity is three to four times greater than on comparably priced 3G phones.  In February 2009, INQ1 won 'handset of the year' at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The INQ Chat 3G is available in the UK now.

⁽¹⁾ ‘Twitter’ was named the most popular word in the print and digital media around the world this year by the Global Language Monitor in November 2009

⁽²⁾ Influence was measured using Twitalyzer.com based on results from 14/12/09

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Breakthrough handset redefines customers’ social networking experience;
Strengthens SingTel’s leadership in the multimedia and social networking space;
World’s first phone fully integrated with Facebook and one click access to Twitter

Singapore, 14 September 2009 – Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) and INQ Mobile today announced that SingTel mobile customers will soon become the first in Asia and among the first in the world to get their hands on the ultimate 3G social mobile phone, the new INQ Mini 3G.

The innovative phone is exclusive to SingTel customers in Singapore and will hit the stores on 19 September 2009. The launch of the new INQ Mini 3G follows the global success of the first INQ Mobile phone, INQ1, which was named ‘Handset of the Year’ at the 2009 Mobile World Congress.

The much-awaited INQ Mini 3G by the social networking communities around the world boasts a ‘carousel-style’ menu with one-click access to popular social networking applications such as Facebook and Twitter. The phone is also customised to offer SingTel users a complete social experience on the move with instant access to AMPed, SingTel’s social music service, and IM on Mobile.

Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s Executive Vice President of Consumer, said: “SingTel is pleased to partner INQ and be the first in Asia to bring the INQ Mini 3G exclusively to our customers. The device complements our efforts to transform SingTel into an integrated multimedia solutions company, helping to strengthen our foothold in the social networking space, especially with the youths who are active players. We believe that INQ’s unique features provide an ideal platform for our customers to enjoy a social music experience and at the same time always stay connected to their digital communities.”

INQ Mini 3G: Innovative features that strengthen SingTel’s leadership in the multimedia and social mobile space

The INQ Mini 3G is the first social mobile phone to be fully integrated with Facebook, offering ‘always on’, one-click access to this popular social networking application, as well as Twitter. It also merges contacts on the mobile phone and Facebook to create the world’s first ‘live’ address book. Customers will see the caller’s latest Facebook profile picture with every incoming call. Another impressive feature is that the main Inbox will contain separate folders for Facebook messages, pokes and requests, as well as emails and SMS, all on the same page.

Customers can multitask easily with the user-friendly INQ Mini 3G to access popular social networking services such as Twitter, email and instant messenger using its Switcher feature. They can view updates 24/7 with the ‘always on’ feature by simply logging in just once to these applications and staying connected even when the phone is powered off and on.

INQ Mini 3G is pre-installed with the popular Twitter service. With the ‘always on’ feature, Twitter fans will enjoy a one-click tweeting experience and can tweet and retweet via the Internet rather than sending an SMS.

And the light-weight INQ Mini 3G offers all these impressive application-rich capabilities at a fraction of the price of other smartphones.

Mr Frank Meehan, Chief Executive Officer of INQ, said: “We are very excited to be bringing the INQ revolution to Singapore with such an innovative partner, SingTel. INQ’s social mobiles represent a real breakthrough; easy-to-use, high speed 3G handsets created to make Internet communications services accessible for everyone.”

Mr Yuen added: “The online community has been waiting for the right mobile phone – function, form factor and price – that can meet their mobile social networking needs while on the move. INQ Mini 3G packs a punch with its novel features and delivers the ultimate social mobile experience to our customers, especially with INQ’s complete integration with Facebook – a world’s first. SingTel is making it very easy and attractive for everyone to network and even download their favourite music with AMPed on their INQ mobile device.”

“Are you INQ?” marketing campaign
Last month, SingTel organised a design competition to encourage budding artists and designers to express themselves freely. Contestants had to design works based on Singapore life and incorporate interesting elements of social and music activities. The two-week competition received over 60 entries, some of which will be incorporated into the advertising campaign for the INQ Mini 3G on SingTel.

To complete the social mobile experience, customers who sign up for selected mobile plans can enjoy free AMPed and IM on Mobile services for up to 12 months.

Pricing details will be announced on 19 September 2009 when the phone goes on sale at SingTel Shops, hello! stores and exclusive retailers island-wide.

For more information on phone features, click on www.singtel.com/INQ.

About SingTel
SingTel is Asia's leading communications group with operations and investments worldwide. Committed to bringing the best of global communications to customers in Asia Pacific and beyond, SingTel provides a comprehensive portfolio of services that includes voice and data solutions over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms, as well as infocomm technology and pay TV.

SingTel’s network of 37 offices in 19 countries and territories throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States, enables it to deliver reliable and quality network solutions to its customers. Together with its regional partners, it is Asia’s largest multi-market mobile operator, serving 262 million customers in eight markets.

About INQ Mobile
INQ was created fill the gap in the market for high-quality, affordable phones capable of driving data usage amongst consumers. INQ calls them ”Social Mobiles” because they make social networking fast, simple and intuitive - resulting in data usage patterns typically seen only on high-end devices. INQ’s first mobile - the INQ1 – won ‘handset of the year’ at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, Hutchison Whampoa, which made an early investment in global 3G networks. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com or follow us on Twitter @inqmobile.

Media contacts:

Tze Hui, Cheam
SingTel
Tel: +65 6838 3678
Email: tzehui@singtel.com

Flora Chan
Red Dawn (Singapore)
Tel: +65 986 32217
Email: media@INQmobile.com

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INQ LAUNCHES TWO AFFORDABLE 3G SOCIAL MOBILES WITH TWITTER AND iTUNES MEDIA SYNC

• New line-up includes INQ Chat 3G - INQ's first qwerty mobile - and the compact and colourful INQ Mini 3G
• INQ brings Twitter, free push Gmail and media sync with PC and Macs to mass market social mobiles

LONDON - August 4, 2009 - Today INQ Mobile took the next step in its mission to bring  easy-to-use mobile internet to the mass market with the launch of two new 3G Social Mobiles complete with internet-based Twitter and media sync capabilities.

The new phones offer high-spec functionality without the hefty price tag - shaking up the market by giving operators a unique proposition - a 3G social mobile with the speed, usability and suite of applications capable of driving data usage in the mass market.

The INQ Chat 3G is the company's first qwerty-style phone, while the compact INQ Mini 3G expands the range and provides an entry-level social mobile ideal for the price-sensitive prepay market. They complement the award-winning INQ1.

For the two new phones, Twitter joins the suite of communications applications that INQ has already woven into the heart of its social mobiles: which include Facebook, Skype and Instant Messaging.

Working closely with the Twitter team, INQ has developed an authentic Twitter application for both its new Social Mobiles.  After the initial log in, Twitter will be 'always on'. Consumers can send tweets and retweet via the internet rather than using SMS. With the INQ Chat, a specially designed Twitter widget will deliver Twitter updates straight to the home screen.

The INQ Chat 3G was developed in response to consumer and operator demand for a qwerty-style keypad device from INQ. It has a new email client developed by INQ that incorporates free push Gmail - removing a cost for push mail typically borne by operators or passed on to consumers.  The INQ Chat 3G comes complete with the expanded suite of INQ applications; Facebook, Skype, email, IM and Twitter.

The INQ Mini 3G is a slimline Social Mobile that offers Twitter, Facebook, IM, Skype and web-based email services like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and GMail.  It brings the usability that INQ is known for to a new form factor.  Like the INQ Chat, the INQ Mini offers impressive capability at a fraction of the price of other application-rich devices.

Both phones have plug and play HSDPA modems enabling high-speed wireless broadband on PCs and Macs.

The INQ Mini 3G and the INQ Chat 3G represent a new design direction for the company; both can be customized with a range of seven coloured backs.

The INQ Chat 3G and INQ Mini 3G applications can be updated over the air - a unique feature essential to keep pace with how online applications change and consumer usage evolves.

INQ is also introducing seamless media syncing between its devices and PCs or Macs. The software, powered by doubleTwist, syncs music from iTunes and WMP straight to your INQ mobile and, unlike most other sync solutions, doesn't require the customer to give up using their favourite media player on their computer. The new mobiles from INQ will also be able to sync video and photos.

INQ's ground-breaking platform was built from the ground up for the mobile internet and offers unprecedented integration throughout the handset. Popular internet applications are not simply bolted on (as they are with proprietary systems which are primarily voice and text) - but embedded within the underlying software, delivering benefits such as native messaging and an address book that consolidates phone contacts with those from relevant applications.

This allows INQ to remove many of the cumbersome steps that have made using these services on ordinary mobiles frustrating or time-consuming. INQ phones multi-task, so key applications like Facebook, Skype, IM and email are 'always on' and accessible with one click from the home screen; a log-in to any application is required only once.

Frank Meehan, INQ's CEO, said: "We build phones that focus specifically on what people want to do most on mobile, and deliver it at a price point that's easy for consumers and profitable for operators. We have completely broken the vice grip hold that high end smartphones had on great mobile internet experiences, and made them available to everybody."

"With the INQ Chat 3G, we've reinvented the qwerty for consumers by creating a fantastic social mobile. With the INQ1, we were blown away by how much consumers were writing just using the standard 12 keys -  30% of them were regularly sending emails. So we know that a keypad will go down a storm."

INQ Mobile launched in 2008 to give consumers high-quality yet affordable mobile internet, and enable carriers to stimulate data usage across their customer base. The company recently released data detailing device usage on UK and Hong Kong networks that show usage patterns typically seen only on high-end smartphones. An average of 65% of INQ users use Facebook regularly, 30% use their INQ frequently for email, and Windows Live Messenger activity is three to four times greater than on comparably priced 3G phones.  In February 2009, INQ1 won 'handset of the year' at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The INQ Chat 3G and INQ Mini 3G will be available in Q4 2009.

- Ends -

Notes to editors

INQ Chat 3G specifications include:

• 114.5mm x 61.0mm x 12.8mm
• Widgets automatically push Twitter and Facebook updates to the home screen
• Active address book is presence-enabled showing live status from all your contacts, letting you chose how to contact them
• Built-in plug and play HSDPA modem to give your PC wireless broadband access
• 2.4" QVGA TFT landscape display
• 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera
• Built-in GPS
• 120MB memory, (expandable to 8GB)
• Brew 4.0 and Java MIDP 2.0 for application development multitasking supported by dedicated Switcher hard key
• Download support
  Audio: AMR, AAC, AAC+, E-AAC+(Audio only), MIDI, MP3, wav
  Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264
  Streaming
  Audio: AMR, AAC, AAC+, EAAC+(Audio only)
  Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264

INQ Mini 3G specifications include:

• 102.9mm x 45.8mm x 12.8mm
  Active address book is presence-enabled showing live status from all your contacts, letting you chose how to contact them
• Built-in plug and play HSDPA modem to give your PC wireless broadband access
• 2.2" QVGA TFT landscape display
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• 100Mb user memory (expandable to 8GB)
• Brew 4.0 and Java MIDP 2.0 for application development multitasking supported by dedicated Switcher hard key
• Download support
  Audio: AMR, AAC, AAC+, E-AAC+(Audio only), MIDI, MP3, wav
  Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264
  Streaming
  Audio: AMR, AAC, AAC+, EAAC+(Audio only)
  Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264

About INQ Mobile

INQ Mobile, a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited, is pioneering the development of Social Mobiles. The company was founded to address a growing need among operators across the world for advanced mobile internet handsets for the mass market that drive data revenue, minimize subsidies and minimize network load. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks.  For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com or follow us on Twitter @inqmobile.

For more information, contact:

Elaine Quinn, INQ + 44 (0)7782 326305

Rachel Bremer - Sparkpr for INQ (UK) +44 (0)779 551 8335, rachel@sparkpr.com, Twitter: rbremer

Karen To - Sparkpr for INQ (US) +1 415 321 1890, karen@sparkpr.com

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INQ¹ WINS PHONE OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT FORUM

LONDON – 24 June, 2009 – INQ Mobile, maker of the world’s first low cost Social Mobile, was named “Phone of the Year” at last night’s Meffys Awards, held by the Mobile Entertainment Forum. The Meffys are considered the industry’s official benchmark for measuring success and rewarding innovation, and the awards honor the most influential players from around the world. This category recognizes the importance of mobile handsets in driving consumer discovery and entertainment, and the INQ¹ was recognized by the judges for being a mass market phone that offers social media and mobile internet services in an easy to use, simple way, driving mobile data usage.

MEF's Executive Director, Rimma Perelmuter, said “We are delighted for INQ Mobile, a new entrant to the market, whose focus on usability and social networking features answers the needs of consumers who seek a fun, affordable and connected experience.”

INQ’s innovative approach – building hardware and software from the ground up with social media and internet services at the core – has caught the attention of the mobile industry and consumers. So far this year, the INQ¹ has won the “Handset of the Year” at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Mobile Industry Awards “Best Newcomer,” and now “Phone of the Year” at the Meffys.

The company also recently released data on usage of the INQ¹ on the 3 UK network. The numbers seen on an entry-level handset and pay as you go tariff were comparable, or in some cases higher, than what operators typically see on much more expensive smartphones.

An average of 65% of INQ¹ customers are using Facebook , with the majority of users accessing once a day or more.
30% of INQ¹ customers are regularly using email.
Windows Live Messenger usage is 3-4 times greater than on other 3G phones on the 3 UK network, with around 50% of INQ¹ customers accessing the service every month.
19% of the INQ¹ base uses Skype.

About INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ¹, the world’s first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com or follow us on Twitter @inqmobile.

For more information, contact:
Rachel Bremer – Sparkpr for INQ (UK) +44 (0)779 551 8335, rachel@sparkpr.com, Twitter: rbremer
Rebecca Fuller – Sparkpr for INQ (US) +1 415 321 1863, rebecca@sparkpr.com

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MOBILE DATA USAGE ON INQ¹ TOPS PERFORMANCE OF SMARTPHONES

Usage on Low Cost Slider Handset Rivals 3G Smartphones, Thanks to Tight Integration of Internet and Social Media

LONDON – May 9, 2009 – INQ Mobile, maker of the world’s first low cost Social Mobile, today released data on usage of the INQ¹ on the 3 UK network. The company’s handset was built from the ground up with social media and internet services at its core. This close integration of applications and easy to use interface means that, for the first time, consumers are using an entry-level priced handset, often on a pay-as-you-go tariff, to access data at levels typically reserved for much more expensive smartphones.

An average of 65% of INQ¹ customers are using Facebook , with the majority of users accessing once a day or more. This level of mass market data usage on a well priced slider device means higher margins and ARPU for carriers because it is paired with lower subsidy and network load costs.

The high usage of email on a non-QWERTY device surpassed all expectations. 30% of INQ¹ customers are regularly using email, which shows that if it is easy enough to use people will access email even on standard 12 key devices using T9. This number also confirms that email can penetrate into the mass market, and not be restricted to high-end, expensive smartphones. The email service for 3 UK is provided by SEVEN, and takes advantage of the INQ API to provide customers with tightly integrated push email.

Windows Live Messenger usage is 3-4 times greater than on other 3G phones on the 3 UK network, with around 50% of INQ¹ customers accessing the service every month. Skype usage is also high, at 19% of the INQ¹ base.

"3 have always led the industry when it comes to widespread data and mobile internet activity amongst the base but the numbers we're seeing on INQ's Social Mobiles really push us to a new, truly mass level” said Marc Allera, Director of Sales and Marketing at 3G only operator 3 UK. “The INQ results with high customer take-up of the integrated services, vindicate 3's strategy of delivering easy to use, well priced mobile internet solutions for everyone. If an internet communication service is well designed, always on, and simple to use then the take-up potential on mobile is huge. The reason people don't use internet services on most devices (except the iPhone) is because the user experience on nearly all devices isn't good enough. The INQ team has very successfully addressed this.”

“The iPhone and Blackberry are great devices, but it is important to remember that smartphones only make up 12% of the market.* We see a huge opportunity to provide an internet and social networking experience on a handset that costs operators a fraction of what they’re paying for higher end phones,” said Frank Meehan, CEO of INQ Mobile. “Consumers with an INQ¹ can get unlimited data, internet and texts on £15 pay as you go tariff. And now we have seen that they are actually using the phone to access data services like Skype, Windows Live Messenger, email and Facebook at an astonishing rate. We are very happy to see that the simple, well integrated approach we’ve taken to creating a Social Mobile is resonating with the other 88% of the market.”

INQ is also seeing strong numbers in the Hong Kong market, which launched with the INQ¹ in March 2009. 50% of INQ¹ customers regularly use data services on a level that is four times higher per subscriber than the typical 3G user base. Facebook usage is also three to four times higher than the average on other 3G devices on the 3 Hong Kong network.
*Source: Gartner

About INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ¹, the world’s first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com or follow us on Twitter @inqmobile.

For more information, contact:
Rachel Bremer – Sparkpr for INQ (UK) +44 (0)779 551 8335, rachel@sparkpr.com, Twitter: rbremer
Rebecca Fuller – Sparkpr for INQ (US) +1 415 321 1863, rebecca@sparkpr.com
February 18th, 2009

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INQ¹ WINS BEST MOBILE HANDSET AWARD AT GSMA

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, February 18, 2009 – In Barcelona last night INQ Mobile won the GSMA’s award for “Best Mobile Handset or Device” for its INQ¹ Social Mobile. This award is the most coveted and fiercely contested prize in the mobile industry and is given to a device with the combination of design, technical excellence and functionality that comes together to position a product at the top of its market. The INQ¹ won the award over four other shortlisted contenders including the Nokia E71, T-Mobile G1, RIM BlackBerry Storm and LG KS360.

INQ Mobile, a new Hutchison Whampoa company, is creating a category of consumer devices that put social networking, email and instant messaging at the heart of innovative mass-market mobiles. The company launched the INQ1 in October of 2008 and it became known as the world’s first Facebook phone.

“INQ Mobile was formed by Hutchison Whampoa as part of a two-fold 3G strategy; to maximize the user experience of wireless broadband through extensive high-speed coverage and a flat rate data plan and create innovative yet affordable devices.  The way people communicate has evolved, but mass market devices have remained anchored to just voice and text.  INQ set out to change this. We created a new mobile device platform that would transform the consumer experience with always-on, easy to use, Internet driven communication services, and we designed it to deliver positive economics to operators” said Frank Meehan, CEO of INQ Mobile. “We are proud of having introduced Social Mobile to the market and very honoured that our first device has received such recognition.”

“More than 20 million Facebook users currently access the site through their mobile devices. This number has quadrupled over the last 12 months and we expect it to continue to grow as more people begin to connect with their friends and family through Facebook on innovative mobile devices, like the INQ¹,” said Henri Moissinac, director of mobile, Facebook. “Congratulations to the INQ team for being recognized for the hard work they put into bringing a standout device to market.”

The INQ¹ is an HSDPA handset that provides one-click access to fully integrated applications including Facebook, Skype, Windows Messenger and Last.fm. The intuitive navigation offered by the switcher key and menu carousel, along with instant information provided by the home screen widgets and the integrated phonebook, deliver an experience so intuitive that it’s easy and fun to stay connected. The INQ¹ has a 3.2MP camera that allows for photos to be directly uploaded to Facebook, while preloaded modem drivers mean the handset can double as a plug and play dongle.

“INQ¹ is the first device to have unlocked mobile social networking on a mass market handset to this extent, and Qualcomm’s integrated chipset technology and BREW software have enabled INQ to meet not only the increasing demands of ever-richer user interfaces, but also the capability to deliver the upload and download speeds that has enabled INQ Mobile to realise the potential in mobile social networking. Qualcomm is proud to have played a role in the development of the INQ¹ device that is being recognized by the GSMA, an exceptional accomplishment.” said Enrico Salvatori, SVP and General Manager, Qualcomm Europe.

More about INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ¹, the world’s first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com

Notes to editors:
Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information please contact:
UK
Rachel Bremer
rachel@sparkpr.com/
+ 44 (0)207 253 9897

US
Candace Locklear
candace@sparkpr.com/
+1 510-292-8216

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INQ MOBILE ATTRACTS INDUSTRY'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST

New Execs Join from Qualcomm, Sony Ericsson and Motorola

LONDON, February 9, 2009 – INQ Mobile, a new company dedicated to creating Social Mobiles for the mass market, announced today that three outstanding global talents have joined the company. INQ, a new company that has emerged from Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., is creating a family of consumer devices that put social networking, email and instant messaging at the heart of innovative mobiles, making it fun and easy to stay connected.
Allen Burnes, Amit Gupta and Leonardo Poggiali have all joined INQ on the heels of the company's launch of the world's most advanced social networking mobile phone, the INQ1. Each will be instrumental to the company's build out of a global team to work with operators and content partners to bring social mobiles to new markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

• Allen Burnes joins from Motorola as Director of Sales and Operations
• Amit Gupta joins from Qualcomm as Director of Engineering
• Leonardo Poggiali joins from Sony Ericsson as Head of Operations

Burnes will lead global sales operations for INQ, working with operators to develop complete consumer offerings. Before INQ, he was Motorola's corporate vice president and general manager of EMEA and India. He created the company's Global Future Solutions group and defined a global strategy to support growth of the service and application businesses. Burnes also led Motorola's global business unit to develop new markets, including India, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Gupta assumes leadership of the INQ engineering team, with responsibility for the company's technology direction and product development. He spent the past ten years at Qualcomm, where he was influential in engineering, product management, and technical sales and marketing. Gupta built the Qualcomm Customer Solutions organization, and grew it into a global team that drove adoption of the BREW and BMP platforms. He also led the company's strategic initiatives around mobile 2.0, helping operators increase activations and data usage through always-on datacasting, mobile widgets and application download solutions.

Poggiali will join Burnes' team to oversee the supply chain and global sales operations. Before INQ, he was at Sony Ericsson. He joined when the joint venture was formed and held several executive positions, including director of commercial finance and supply chain for certain global accounts, and head of volume planning for EMEA.

"We're fortunate to attract some of the brightest talent in mobile, and create a global leadership team that will change the face of the device landscape," said INQ CEO Frank Meehan. "We are completely reinventing the way device companies are structured, and Amit, Leo and Allen will leverage their deep industry insight and highly cultivated networks so we can quickly harness the emerging opportunity for social-centric mobiles in multiple, simultaneous markets."

More about INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ1, the world's first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com

For more information please contact:

UK
Paula Santos
paula@sparkpr.com +44 0207 253 98 97

US
Mara Ritti
mara@sparkpr.com +1 415 850 8645

Download PDF version

INQ¹ IN THE FINAL RUN FOR 'BEST MOBILE HANDSET OR DEVICE' BY GSMA GLOBAL MOBILE AWARDS

London, January 21, 2009 - Today, the INQ¹, the world's most advanced social networking phone, has been shortlisted in the category 'Best Mobile Handset or Device' by GSMA Global Mobile Awards - the most highly recognized Mobile Awards in the communications industry.

"We are very proud that our first Social Mobile, the INQ¹, has been included on the short list for the 3GSM Best Device," said Frank Meehan, CEO, INQ Mobile. "It recognizes INQ's mission to give wireless carriers worldwide a radical new strategy for getting mass market customers online with intuitive and affordable internet communications on mobile."

"Our congratulations go to all the nominees in this year's Global Mobile Awards," said Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA. "In an uncertain economic climate, mobile communications continue to drive social, economic and technological development, as the calibre of entries this year again illustrates. To have been nominated from such a high quality field of more than 450 companies that entered is a tremendous achievement, and we await the announcement of the winners at the next month's Global Mobile Awards evening in Barcelona with great interest."

The 'Best Mobile Handset or Device Award' recognises the combination of design, technical excellence and functionality that comes together to position a product at the top of its market. 'The INQ¹ totally fits this category because it is an affordable HSDPA handset which for the first time with one-click access users can see live updates from Facebook, Skype, Windows Messenger and Last.fm pushed direct to the front screen of the device. The result is a device featuring Internet-driven applications that are so intuitive and seamless it is actually incredibly easy for mass market consumers to enjoy fully portable social networking.

The INQ¹ is the first handset launched by INQ Mobile, a new company that has emerged from Hutchison Whampoa Limited to create a global brand and family of devices that aim to change the shape of the mass market device landscape. INQ comes to market with a complete reinvention of the mass market mobile device and a ground-up remix of the way handset companies are structured.

Its singular mission is to give carriers worldwide a radical new strategy for getting the mass market online with their mobiles, by driving down acquisition costs for operators and enabling more value loaded tariffs to be offered to consumers.

Currently the INQ¹ is available on 3 - www.three.co.uk. The INQ¹ is free on a contract tariff from £15 per month offering unlimited free Facebook, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and web access, plus 75 minutes of calls to other networks, unlimited texts, unlimited email and unlimited free 3-to-3 calls*. For £20 users get 200 minutes of calls to other networks. INQ¹ will also be available on PAYG at £79.99 with internet packages available from £5 per month.

* Fair use policy applies.

More about INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ¹, the world's first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit: www.inqmobile.com

Notes to editors:
Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, Skype, INQ, INQ¹, Last.fm, eBay and 3 are all registered trademarks.

For more information please contact:

UK
Paula Santos
paula@sparkpr.com/ +44 0207 253 98 97

US
Mara Ritti
Mara@sparkpr.com/ +1 415 850 8645

Download PDF version

INQ¹ - The World's Most Advanced Social Networking Phone - Brings Facebook to the Core of the User Experience, Exclusively on 3.

• INQ, a new mobile handset manufacturer backed by Hutchison Whampoa, unveils first device based on a radical new user experience
• New mobile integrates Facebook into the heart of the handset along with Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Last.fm
• UK's biggest 3G network and mass market pricing brings next generation of mobile internet communications devices to users from just £15 per month

London, 13 November: INQ¹, the world's most advanced social networking mobile phone, is unveiled today and brings Facebook to the core of its user experience. The phone will be available exclusively from 3.

With millions of people accessing social media via mobile phones, 3 believes the combination of the handset, its network capability and pricing, will democratise access to mobile internet services on an unparalleled level.

INQ brings the Facebook experience to the INQ¹ with one-click access and live updates pushed direct to the front screen of the device. Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Last.fm are integrated into the heart of the phone and a host of other social utilities can be customized by the user. This makes the device the first ever real-time interactive, ‘live contact book’ with friends' online status and Facebook profile pictures displayed against their contact details. In addition, the phone offers integrated RSS feeds, free Skype-to-Skype calling and unlimited free instant messenger capabilities. INQ¹ also allows you to directly upload pictures to your Facebook profile from its 3.2 megapixel camera. For these reasons, INQ refers to the INQ¹ as the first Social Mobile.

INQ¹ will be available free on a contract tariff from £15 per month offering unlimited free Facebook, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and web access, plus 75 minutes of calls to other networks, unlimited texts, unlimited email and unlimited free 3-to-3 calls*. £20 will get you all of the above but with 200 minutes of calls to other networks. INQ¹ will also be available on PAYG at £79.99 with internet packages available from £5 per month.

The device, developed by handset manufacturer INQ, also being launched today, is based on a new approach to mobile phone design. INQ, which is backed by Hutchison Whampoa, has developed INQ¹ in collaboration with the 3 Group in an effort to overcome the limitations of traditional design and internet functionality on handsets.

Frank Meehan, CEO, INQ, said: ‘The INQ¹ is the first device from INQ with a new take on mobile user experience, it's about taking the things people love most about the internet and building them into the very heart of the phone. Mobile is still mostly about voice and text for the vast majority of users, but those same people use the internet to communicate every day with Skype, Instant Messaging, Facebook and email. The INQ¹ allows people for the first time to integrate their internet networks into their mobile so now their emails, instant messages and Skype calls are as simple to use as voice and text.”

“With our Hutchison Whampoa backing we've got the experience of providing compelling mobile internet services to nearly 20 million 3G customers around the world. This experience has taught us that traditional handset manufacturers just aren't delivering what customers are demanding and so we've had to develop our own, unique device in order to overcome this.”

Kevin Russell, Chief Executive Officer of 3 UK, said: “3's own exclusive handsets have already delivered the first unlimited data tariffs, the first free, open Instant Messenger services and the first fully-integrated Skype-enabled phone. INQ¹ takes these services, and more, to offer a uniquely powerful and competitively priced mass market internet phone. INQ¹ on 3 offers you the most sociable phone on the most sociable network.”

“Facebook has more than 120 million users worldwide and is as core to the phone as voice or text. Our network helps to unleash the power of these cutting edge handsets and offers consumers easy, great value access. We're democratising and mobilising the internet.”

”We are really happy to be working with INQ to bring its customers a deeply-integrated Facebook experience on the new INQ¹ handsets,” said Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook: “More than 15 million Facebook users currently access the site through their mobile devices. This number has doubled over the past six months, and we expect it to continue to grow as people become even more familiar with handsets like the INQ¹.”
“With more than a million minutes of Skype-to-Skype calls each day on 3 mobiles in the UK, we are delighted by the rapid growth in Skype usage on mobiles since the 3 Skypephone was introduced just over a year ago,” said Scott Durchslag, COO for Skype. “We are very excited about the depth of the Skype experience that the INQ¹ offers, and see this as another major step towards our goal of giving our users even more options to take Skype with them whenever and wherever they go.”

“The INQ¹ is a great step in the direction of opening up the communications benefits of the internet for mobile consumers,” said Hugh Griffiths, Director of Mobile Services for Microsoft UK. “It brings together some of the most popular internet communications services, including Windows Live Messenger, in a way that we believe will bring the world of the mobile and the world of the internet closer together than ever.”

About 3 UK
3 is a mobile operator focused on bringing the benefits of the internet to mobile communications. We offer attractive pricing and give our customers the widest choice of ways to stay connected at home or abroad. To do this we're building the UK's best high-speed mobile broadband network. 3 UK is a member of the HWL group of 3G companies, which include 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy Macau and Sweden.

Three facts about 3:
- 3 launched the UK's first 3G network offering national coverage for calls and texts, and has over 90% population coverage for 3G services. As we consolidate our radio access network with T-Mobile we expect to reach almost complete UK population coverage for 3G by the end of 2009.
- 3 has over 3 million active customers in the UK and over 16 million worldwide.
- 3 was the first to enable free voice over internet calling with Skype and the first to launch a dedicated Skype mobile phone, the 3 Skypephone.

For more information about 3 UK, please visit www.three.co.uk

About INQ Mobile
INQ Mobile is a standalone company wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited. INQ Mobile is the maker of the INQ¹, the world’s first Social Mobile to integrate email, IM and social networking in an intuitive way. INQ draws on the strengths of its parent company, which made an early investment in global 3G networks based on a fundamental belief that 3G changes the way people communicate and was formed to address a growing need for advanced mobile internet handsets from operators across the world. For more information visit www.inqmobile.com.

Notes to editors:
Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, Skype, INQ, INQ1, Last.fm, eBay and 3 are all registered trademarks.

Fair use policy applies*

Contact details:
For 3 consumer PR and reviews information, contact the 3 Monkeys, 3 press office on 020 7440 2379 or at 3@3-monkeys.co.uk

For 3 business and tech PR information, please contact Kim Craine, Parys Communications on 020 7819 2463 or kcraine@parys.com

For INQ media enquiries, please contact:
• US—Candace Locklear on +510-292-8216 or at candace@sparkpr.com
• UK- Paula Santos on +44 775 8585 875 or at paula@spreurope.com