J-Phone 3G Licences

British Telecommunications PLC
30 June 2000



    BT AND PARTNERS PREPARE FOR JAPANESE 3G SERVICES
                 WITH AWARD OF J-PHONE LICENCES


BT today announced that Japan's regional J-Phone mobile

phone companies, in which it has equity stakes along with

partners Japan Telecom and Vodafone AirTouch, have been

granted licences for third generation (3G) multimedia mobile

phone services.

     The award of the licences by Japan's Ministry of Posts

and Telecommunications (MPT) means the nine J-Phone

companies can prepare for launch of 3G services in key

regional Japanese markets in December 2001. With the

licences, J-Phone companies will offer 3G services initially

to part of the central, western and eastern Japanese

regions. The DDI group and NTT DoCoMo have also been awarded

licences.

     BT and its partners are investing up to £4.2 billion

(700 billion yen) in future J-Phone operations following a

share issue in the J-Phone companies earlier this year.

     The issue means J-Phone Communications Company Ltd.,

the partners' vehicle for pursuing 3G opportunities in

Japan, holds more than 50 per cent of the equity in the

regional J-Phone operating companies. Future investment is

earmarked for new networks and supporting infrastructure for

3G communications services.

     J-Phone Communications will help steer the strategic

direction of the J-Phone group of companies and take on

responsibility for the design of new networks, as well as

branding and marketing of future services.

     The J-Phone companies' current network makes them

Japan's third largest mobile service provider, with eight

million customers  - 16 per cent of Japan's more than 50

million total mobile subscribers.

     Sir Peter Bonfield, chief executive of BT, said: ' This

is a very exciting time in the development of the next

generation of mobile Internet communications in the vital,

leading world market of Japan.

     ' BT is delighted to be alongside its partners Japan

Telecom and Vodafone AirTouch at the forefront of bringing

the latest mobile technology to market next year.

     ' The future of communications is very much about the

coming together of mobile services and the Internet. It is

also about global services - and the partnership between us

offers unique global capabilities and reach.'

     In April, the three partners announced consolidation of

the nine regional J-Phone companies into three companies,

covering eastern, western and central Japan. The move is

part of a drive for greater efficiency within the companies

and to provide stronger regional operational bases.

     It followed an announcement in March that the J-Phone

companies, in which BT has an interest directly or through

investment in Japan Telecom, would be incorporated into the

IMT-2000 Planning Company Ltd., - the partners' vehicle for

developing 3G mobile opportunities in the region. In turn,

IMT-2000 was renamed the J-Phone Communications Company

Ltd., with direct ownership split between Japan Telecom,

with a 54 per cent stake, BT with 20 per cent, and Vodafone

AirTouch, 26 per cent.

     BT and AT&T jointly hold 30 per cent equity in Japan

Telecom.