Stay in touch with your ICQ friends by mobile phone

December, 2002 - Telstra Mobile and ICQ ("I Seek You") have teamed up to offer instant messaging services to Telstra Mobile customers from today via ICQ for SMS (Short Message Service).

ICQ, a world leading online communications community and international service from America Online, Inc (AOL), is an internet based messaging application which allows users to stay in touch online with family and friends. ICQ currently has over 140 million registered users worldwide

ICQ for SMS extends the instant messaging service giving Telstra Mobile customers the ability to exchange messages with their ICQ friends on their mobile phone.

Telstra Consumer Marketing, Chief of Products, Mr Rick Wakeham said teaming up with the popular ICQ would enable Telstra's six million customers to stay in touch with their friends, family and colleagues using desktops, mobile phones and other wireless devices, offering an added level of flexibility.

"Our customers are always looking for new and innovative ways to keep in touch as they become more mobile. ICQ for SMS will give our customers the freedom to stay connected with those most important to them, without the need to access a computer," Mr Wakeham said.

"Telstra customers now have more ways than ever to stay in touch with their friends and family around the globe with ICQ for SMS" said Avi Shechter, co-general manager of ICQ. "We look forward to making it even more convenient for them to send messages across different platforms."

ICQ for SMS enables Telstra Mobile customers to log in to ICQ, access their Contact List of friends and see who in their Contact List is online. Users can receive instant messages from their friends, and also have the ability to send and respond to instant messages, all from their mobile phone or wireless device.

Users are also able to maintain contacts in their Contact List from their mobile phone or device. This process ensures they remain in control of who sends them ICQ for SMS messages.

Telstra Mobile users are charged the standard rate for each SMS they send via the service, whether to a PC or another phone. Telstra Mobile customers are also charged 25 cents (GST inclusive) for each ICQ for SMS instant message sent to their handset. Both pre-paid and post-paid customers will have access to this new service.

To activate the service Telstra Mobile customers will need an ICQ number and password. Users who do not yet have one can easily and quickly register for an ICQ number by downloading ICQ's latest version from www.icq.com

About ICQ
ICQ is wholly owned by America Online, Inc. ICQ was created in 1996 by the Israel-based company, Mirabilis, and acquired by AOL in 1998. ICQ is a world leading communications community with over 140 million registered users worldwide. The product is available for free at www.icq.com.

ICQ is part of AOL Web Properties, an online network featuring some of the most popular brands on the Internet, including Netscape, CompuServe, ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, MapQuest and MovieFone. The AOL Web properties network reaches the widest audience on the Internet representing more than 60 percent of Internet audience at work or home.

Media Inquiries:
Virginia Murphy
Telstra Mobile Corporate Relations
Ph: 03-86278321

David Packman AOL PackmanJnr@aol.com

Catherine Corre
ICQ / AOL
1 (650) 937-4046
corre@netscape.com