Acquisition

Centrica PLC 9 January 2002 9 January 2002 Centrica enters broadband market Centrica plc today announced that it has acquired the broadband customers and associated infrastructure of iomart Group plc, a European Internet security and messaging company. The transaction, for a consideration of £2 million in cash secures 2,750 broadband business and residential customers in the UK, customer service facilities in Glasgow and Stornoway, associated broadband infrastructure and 40 employees. Centrica Telecommunications Managing Director, Ian El-Mokadem, said: 'This acquisition gives us a key position in the developing broadband market and offers access to the technological knowledge of iomart. Combined with Centrica's financial resources and marketing expertise, this will allow us to further develop our telecoms strategy.' Enquiries Centrica Investor Relations: 01753 494900 Centrica Telecommunications: 0161 888 9085 Notes 1. In Britain, energy and essential services group Centrica plc trades under the AA, British Gas/Scottish Gas, Goldfish and One.Tel brands. 2. Centrica Telecommunications is the leading indirect access telephone supplier in the UK with over 1 million active customers of its two brands. Its British Gas Communications business was launched in September 2000 and it acquired its One.Tel business in summer 2001. The business aims to bring innovative telecoms products and services at competitive prices. 3. iomart Group plc is an Internet and messaging company, supplying Internet security applications and secure e-mail messaging services. Founded in 1998, and listed on the UK AIM stock market, iomart is a European based company with operational headquarters in both the UK and Germany. iomart operates as a reseller of BT Wholesale broadband products and has a nationwide ADSL customer base of 2,750 installations.

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Centrica (CNA)
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