Partner Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner" or "the Company") (NASDAQ:PTNR) (TASE:PTNR), a leading Israeli mobile communications operator, announces that on July 30, 2014 the Ministry of Communication and the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria published a hearing regarding a proposed amendment to general licenses for the provision of cellular services (MRT), granted to five operators including Company (the "Operators" and the "Hearing").
As part of the Hearing, it is proposed to amend the operators' licenses and to materially intensify the requirements set in the licenses with respect to the coverage and service quality of the operators' 2G and 3G networks deployed in Israel and in the Judea and Samaria area, as follows:
1. Minimum coverage requirements - will be set out in terms of population, territory, settlements and roads and railroad track paths;
2. Quality of service requirements - will be set out in terms of the percentage of blocked and dropped calls, the minimum level of reception and the minimal speed for uploading and downloading data.
The operators are allowed to submit their position to the Hearing by August 31, 2014.
The Company is studying the content of the Hearing and is preparing for the submission of its position regarding the Hearing. The Company intends to object to the requirements included in the Hearing document, insofar as such requirements would be found unjust or unreasonable. At this stage, the Company is unable to evaluate the scope of investments and expenses required in order to comply with the requirements of the draft amendment to the license, insofar as this draft will be adopted "as is" at the end of the Hearing process.
Forward-Looking Statements
This
press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of
the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor
provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek",
"will", "plan", "could", "may", "project", "goal", "target" and similar
expressions often identify forward-looking statements but are not the
only way we identify these statements. All statements other than
statements of historical fact included in this press release regarding
our future performance, plans to increase revenues or margins or
preserve or expand market share in existing or new markets, plans to
reduce expenses, and any statements regarding other future events or our
future prospects, are forward-looking statements.
We have based these forward-looking statements on our current knowledge and our present beliefs and expectations regarding possible future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Partner, consumer habits and preferences in cellular telephone usage, trends in the Israeli telecommunications industry in general, the impact of current global economic conditions and possible regulatory and legal developments. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur, and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated. For further information regarding the above-mentioned risks, uncertainties and assumptions and other risks we face, see "Item 3. Key Information - 3D. Risk Factors", "Item 4. Information on the Company", "Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects", "Item 8. Financial Information - 8A. Consolidated Financial Statements and Other Financial Information - 8A.1 Legal and Administrative Proceedings" and "Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk" in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 20-F filed with the SEC, as well as its current reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Partner Communications
Partner
Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner") is a leading Israeli provider of
telecommunications services (cellular, fixed-line telephony and internet
services) under the orange™ brand and the 012 Smile brand. Partner’s
ADSs are quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market™ and its shares are
traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR). For more
information about Partner, see: www.orange.co.il/en/Investors-Relations/lobby/
Contacts:
Mr. Ziv Leitman
Chief
Financial Officer
Tel: +972-54-781-4951
or
Ms. Elana
Holzman
Head of Investor Relations
Tel: +972-54-781-4383
E-mail:
investors@orange.co.il