Verizon Wireless Selects Gemalto to Provide LTE OTA Platform and Universal Integrated Circuit Card for LTE Network Launch

BASKING RIDGE, N.J and AUSTIN, T.X. – Verizon Wireless announced today it has selected Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, to provide an over-the-air (OTA) platform and LTE Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) for the industry’s first Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband network. The OTA platform and UICC will help Verizon Wireless deliver a secure and reliable multimedia data connection, provide global roaming and remotely add new UICC card applications and services on its 4G LTE wireless broadband network.

Verizon Wireless selected Gemalto for its OTA platform, which will help the wireless leader manage LTE devices on its 4G LTE network, as well as its UICC, a new innovative microprocessor smart card. The UICC will be used inside mobile devices to manage subscriber information exchange – such as transferring contacts and preferences from one device to another – while providing secure access to Verizon Wireless’ LTE network.

Kyle Malady, vice president of product development for Verizon Wireless, said, “As we build the global LTE ecosystem, we are bringing in partners who are best in their class and who have demonstrated the ability to bring products to market quickly. Gemalto fits the bill for its OTA platform and its UICC.”

Philippe Vallée, executive vice president of telecommunications for Gemalto, said, “We are very pleased Verizon Wireless chose us as a technology partner in the LTE OTA and UICC implementation, a significant industry milestone in the migration to all IP networks.”

By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment, Verizon Wireless is deploying a high quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage and in-building penetration, all at a cost structure significantly below current levels.

For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com. For more information about Gemalto’s wireless telecom solutions, visit www.gemalto.com/telecom.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 86.6 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 86,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Gemalto
Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with 2008 annual revenues of €1.68 billion, and 10,000 employees operating out of 75 offices, research and service centers in 40 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. The freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work – anytime, anywhere – has become an integral part of what people want and expect, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure.

Gemalto delivers on the growing demands of billions of people worldwide for mobile connectivity, identity and data protection, credit card safety, health and transportation services, e-government and national security. We do this by supplying to governments, wireless operators, banks and enterprises a wide range of secure personal devices, such as subscriber identification modules (SIM) in mobile phones, smart banking cards, smart card access badges, electronic passports, and USB tokens for online identity protection. To complete the solution we also provide software, systems and services to help our customers achieve their goals. As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.