Re Agreement

Scottish & Southern Energy PLC 18 December 2000 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Powerful Link to Improve Communications A comprehensive site sharing agreement has been announced between Vodafone and Scottish and Southern Energy. The agreement will further improve Vodafone's existing mobile phone coverage in the Highlands and Islands especially in more remote areas. In the South of England it will assist Vodafone in meeting the continued increase in customer usage. The agreement will make Scottish and Southern Energy's existing 1000 communications sites throughout the North of Scotland and the South of England available to Vodafone and will also give it access to 10,000 pylons in these areas. Using Scottish and Southern Energy's existing infrastructure will reduce the environmental and amenity impact of Vodafone's network throughout the north of Scotland and the south of England. As one of the successful bidders for a Third Generation (3G) licence, Vodafone will also be rolling out its new network to provide mobile internet access and other high bandwidth services. Colin Hood, Scottish and Southern Energy's Director of Power Systems, said: 'This agreement is a welcome addition to our Telecoms business. The use of our existing network of communications sites and electricity pylons is very much in line with government thinking to use and share existing assets to avoid proliferation particularly in sensitive areas. 'We have developed relationships with the major communications companies to offer our existing assets in this way. This reduces the impact of the important development of the telecoms network throughout the UK and assists their speedy development through removing the need to construct a site and, if necessary, to clear local planning requirements.' NOTE FOR NEWS EDITORS SSE Telecoms is the telecoms arm of Scottish and Southern Energy. SSE Telecoms is building on the communications expertise built up in the energy utility and recently announced a £45 million investment programme to expand the use of fibre optic cable to link major centres in the UK and to offer telecommunications network services to major customers. For further information please call: Press Office Scottish and Southern Energy 0870 9000410 Andrew Dowler Financial Dynamics 020 7831 3113

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