Bez telefonu – jeszcze taniej w PLA

Bez telefonu – jeszcze taniej w PLAY

Dnia 20 kwietnia 2009 Operator Sieci Play wprowadza nową promocję bezterminalową One Play bez telefonu z umową na 12 miesięcy.

Korzystając z promocji klient otrzyma rabat na abonament na cały okres trwania umowy, dzięki któremu wyższy abonament jest w cenie niższego oraz 1 z 2 pakietów minut do wyboru przyznawanych bezpłatnie na 6 miesięcy.

Wysokość Abonamentu

One Play 45

One Play 65

One Play 95

Wysokość Abonamentu po rabacie

25 PLN

45 PLN

65 PLN

Pakiet minut do Play i na stacjonarne

50 minut

100 minut

Pakiet minut do wszystkich sieci

30 minut

50 minut

Promocja dostępna jest z Ofertami One Play 45, One Play 65 oraz One Play 95.

Więcej informacji na stronie http://www.playmobile.pl

NTT Com Receives ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005 Certification

NTT Com Receives ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005 Certification

NTT Communications (NTT Com) announced today that it received certification for compliance with the ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005 international standard for IT service management on April 2.

The certification was issued by BSI Management Japan under the auspices of the IT Service Management Forum (itSMF), a not-for-profit organization promoting IT service management best practices and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library® (ITIL®), a compilation of concepts and policies for managing IT infrastructure, development and operations, and the Japan Information Processing Development Corporation

The certification encompasses NTT Com’s management of large-scale private networks of enterprise customers. Under the service, NTT Com manages both its own network services and communication facilities and those of the customer, resulting in total, one-stop maintenance and management of the entire communication system.

Monitoring the customer’s system on a 24/7 basis, NTT Com quickly detects any system failure and quickly repairs the error while keeping the customer informed of the situation. A service manager familiar with the customer’s telecommunication system is then dispatched to the customer’s premises to provide advice about how to hasten recoveries and prevent possible failures in the future. The service manager thereafter prepares a monthly report about the operation of the customer’s system and any subsequent failures.

NTT Com has steadily upgraded its IT management system through measures including ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. It also has incorporated the ITIL in its operations by acquiring ITIL-related certifications, including ITIL Foundation and senior consultant-level ITIL Manager, and joining itSMF Japan, the first itSMF established in Asia, in 2003.

About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Com delivers high-quality voice, data and IP services to customers around the world. The company is renowned for its diverse information and communication services, expertise in managed networks, hosting and IP networking services, and industry leadership in IPv6 transit technology. The company’s extensive global infrastructure includes Arcstar™ private networks and a Tier 1 IP backbone (connected with major ISPs worldwide), both reaching more than 150 countries, as well as secure data centers in Asia, North America and Europe. NTT Com is the wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, one of the world’s largest telecoms with listings on the Tokyo, London and New York stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html.

NTT.com America’s CTO and Vice President, Kazuhiro Gomi, to Speak at Capacity USA 2009

NTT America’s CTO and Vice President, Kazuhiro Gomi, to Speak at Capacity USA 2009

What: NTT America, a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) and a Tier-1 global IP network services provider, today announced Kazuhiro Gomi, Vice President, Global IP Network and CTO, NTT America, will speak on a panel at Capacity USA 2009, Capacity magazine’s 9th annual U.S. wholesale telecommunications conference for carriers, service providers and international operators.

Who: Kazuhiro Gomi, Vice President, Global IP Network and CTO, NTT America, joins executives from Deutsche Telekom North America, Level 3 Communications and Move Networks in a two-part panel addressing the current status of content delivery on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 2:15 p.m. EDT. For the first portion of the panel, “Identifying the Drivers of Demand in the Content and Media Marketplace,” panelists will assess the drivers of growth in the delivery of content, discuss the emergence of technology partners to serve media companies, E-learning companies, game companies, online gaming, TV companies and broadcasters, and determine the evolution of content. The panelists will also address enterprises as the next super users of video, and identify vital elements of implementing a successful business model to enable the effective delivery of media and content to meet key customer needs.

During the second portion of the panel, “Pinpointing the Opportunities Content and CDNs Present to Carriers and Service Providers,” panelists will analyze the rationale behind content delivery networks, address how CDNs can best partner to serve the next-generation content, evaluate alternative CDN business models and discuss ways to extend power to the CDN user. The panelists will also determine the role of CDNs in the WeB.X space, evaluate the changing landscape for ISPs and new business models, discuss extending the IP backbone and demonstrate the capabilities of the next-generation network. In addition, panelists will also provide alternative strategies for carriers and service providers.

Why: Capacity USA 2009 has firmly positioned itself as the executive meeting forum for the U.S. and international carrier community. Over 300 senior decision makers from carriers and service providers in the U.S., international operators from Latin America, Asia and Europe, and CDN providers, content companies, cable companies, ISPs, and wireless operators will come together to discuss the rapidly changing telecom environment. The NTT Communications Global IP Network is one of the only fully integrated IP networks with a robust content delivery network layered on top. By having full control of the network, NTT Com is able to deliver high quality streaming from its customers to their viewers. Our research shows that Web sites perform two to eight times faster because of the ability to off-load their content from origin servers. As a result, our Smart Content Delivery (SCD) solution manages and distributes rich media and static content in a manner that strengthens a company’s brand with increased customer loyalty and greater satisfaction.

Where: Marriott New York Marquis, 1535 Broadway, New York, NY

Event Information:
http://www.capacitymedia.com/conferences-events.asp?id=51&cat=&subcat=&start=0

About NTT America
NTT America is North America’s natural gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, with strong capabilities in the U.S. market. NTT America is the U.S. subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation, the global data and IP services arm of the Fortune Global 500 telecom leader: Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NTT). NTT America provides world-class Enterprise Hosting, managed network, and IP networking services for enterprise customers and service providers worldwide. For additional information on NTT America, visit us on the Web at http://www.nttamerica.com.
U.S. product information regarding the NTT Communications Global IP Network and its award winning IPv6 transit services may be found at http://www.us.ntt.net/, by calling 877-8NTT-NET (868-8638), or by emailing sales@us.ntt.net.
About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Com delivers high-quality voice, data and IP services to customers around the world. The company is renowned for its diverse information and communication services, expertise in managed networks, hosting and IP networking services, and industry leadership in IPv6 transit technology. The company’s extensive global infrastructure includes Arcstar™ private networks and a Tier 1 IP backbone (connected with major ISPs worldwide), both reaching more than 150 countries, as well as secure data centers in Asia, North America and Europe. NTT Com is the wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, one of the world’s largest telecoms with listings on the Tokyo, London and New York stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html.

MVNO Service to Offer Flat-rate Plans & Greater Connectivity

MVNO Service to Offer Flat-rate Plans & Greater ConnectivityTOKYO, JAPAN – NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) announced today that it has begun accepting subscriptions to its new flat-rate billing plans for „Mobile/Remote Access DOCOMO Model,” a service for secure broadband access, including via NTT DOCOMO’s 3.5G high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) network, to NTT Com-provided virtual private networks (VPN).

NTT Com also announced that connection to the service is now possible via wireless routers, and that the service is compatible with telemetering systems for machine-to-machine transmission of data.

The two new flat-rate plans, named „Mobile Flat Plan (d)” and „Mobile W Flat Plan (d)”, will be launched on April 14 and in September respectively. The benefits of each plan will depend on the customer’s level of use. The monthly charge for „Mobile Flat Plan (d)” is 4,980 yen (excluding tax), while the charge for „Mobile W Flat Plan (d)” will range from 2,480 yen to 5,630 yen, according to the level of use. A separate monthly charge of 700 yen (excluding tax) will be billed for each VPN ID.

As a special promotion, the first 100 customers who register for „Mobile Flat Plan (d)” by September 30 will be charged only 2,980 yen per month over the entire period of their initial contract. For more details, visit: http://www.ntt.com/vpn/ubiquitous/campaign.html (Japanese only).

Wireless router connectivity now is available as a primary means of connection to the service in locations where wired broadband is unavailable, or when the user must remain physically mobile. This option also can used as a backup if the user’s regular access line fails.

Compatibility with telemetering systems enables the service to be used for machine-to-machine communication applications, such as the monitoring of vending machine stock, electricity and gas meters or measurement data, the transmission of machine-generated warnings, and more. Telemetering charges will vary according to the conditions of each system.

The service, which NTT Com will provide as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), will be expanded through partnerships in a number of fields for increased compatibility with telemetering systems. NTT Com also plans to expand the lineup of compatible mobile handsets by releasing original models or introducing lower-priced models. In addition, a new service package offering rental routers is expected to be released in the foreseeable future.

About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Com delivers high-quality voice, data and IP services to customers around the world. The company is renowned for its diverse information and communication services, expertise in managed networks, hosting and IP networking services, and industry leadership in IPv6 transit technology. The company’s extensive global infrastructure includes Arcstar™ private networks and a Tier 1 IP backbone (connected with major ISPs worldwide), both reaching more than 150 countries, as well as secure data centers in Asia, North America and Europe. NTT Com is the wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, one of the world’s largest telecoms with listings on the Tokyo, London and New York stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html.

NTT America Announces Release 09.1 Enhancements to the Enterprise Hosting Product PortfolioNew Services & Enhancements Now Available for Enterprise Hosting Customers

NTT America Announces Release 09.1 Enhancements to the Enterprise Hosting Product PortfolioNew Services & Enhancements Now Available for Enterprise Hosting Customers

New York, N.Y. – NTT America, a wholly owned US subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation, today announced the availability of new and refreshed products and services as part of its Enterprise Hosting Release 09.1. These include an expanded Service Level Agreement for mission-critical Colocation services; a new and significantly improved Customer Portal; automation of sales quotation and ordering for Storage Area Network Services; and addition of higher-density HP hard drives for Dedicated Hosting Services.

The Colocation Services in NTT America’s latest datacenter in Ashburn, Virginia have been enhanced with a fully featured customer Service Level Agreement (SLA). In addition to standard Backbone Service and network performance commitments, NTT America now supports SLA coverage for power as well as temperature and humidity. The values and measurement guidelines for facility temperature and humidity are based on the recommendations of ASHRAE TC9.9 (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers Technical Committee 9.9). With this expanded SLA, customers have the assurance they need for their mission critical IT infrastructure operation.

NTT America is also announcing the availability of a new and significantly improved Customer Portal for Enterprise Hosting services. This new Portal delivers faster performance and provides customers with an integrated view into their outsourced IT infrastructure via an intuitive, user-friendly navigation. The Customer Portal enables customers to see their current services and associated performance monitoring results and reports; submit, view and track billing and technical tickets; request and manage services; and perform various account and service management tasks on-line.

NTT America offers several tiers of Storage Area Networks (SAN) service. These SAN options are aimed at providing customers with cost-effective solutions for high-end, mid-range and low-end storage requirements. Configuration, pricing and ordering of this Managed Storage Service have now been automated and streamlined, resulting in rapid response to customers’ requests for quotations and service delivery. Improved ordering and provisioning of SAN service ensure that customers’ solutions are deployed with greater responsiveness and business efficiencies.

Due to increasing customer demand for server-based higher density storage for its Dedicated Hosting Service, NTT America is introducing several new hard drives for HP ProLiant servers and Modular Smart Arrays (MSAs). These additions provide the latest in Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial Attached Technology Attachment (SATA) drives. With the availability of these drives, NTT America offers its customers multi-Terrabyte storage as a standard hardware configuration option.

“Our New Product Release 09.1 includes enhancements across many services in our portfolio, and is designed to meet the needs of our target medium, large, national and global enterprise customers,” said Vini Handler, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Enterprise Hosting. “By adding depth and standardization to our product line, we continue to provide our customers with the state-of-the-art hosting services and support they have come to expect from NTT America.”

About Enterprise Hosting
Enterprise Hosting is a business unit of NTT America and offers a comprehensive set of enterprise grade hosting services. These services, based on an Infrastructure as a Service model, are designed to accommodate rapid deployment and implementation of small to very large and global IT operations. For information on the complete portfolio offered by Enterprise Hosting, visit us at http://www.eh.nttamerica.com.

About NTT America
NTT America is North America’s natural gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, with strong capabilities in the U.S. market. NTT America is the U.S. subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation, the global data and IP services arm of the Fortune Global 500 telecom leader: Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NTT). NTT America provides world-class Enterprise Hosting, managed network, and IP networking services for enterprise customers and service providers worldwide. For more information on NTT America, visit us on the Web at http://www.nttamerica.com.

About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Com delivers high-quality voice, data and IP services to customers around the world. The company is renowned for its diverse information and communication services, expertise in managed networks, hosting and IP networking services, and industry leadership in IPv6 transit technology. The company’s extensive global infrastructure includes Arcstar™ private networks and a Tier 1 IP backbone (connected with major ISPs worldwide), both reaching more than 150 countries, as well as secure data centers in Asia, North America and Europe. NTT Com is the wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, one of the world’s largest telecoms with listings on the Tokyo, London and New York stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.ntt.com.

A new perspective from Nikon with the D5000

A new perspective from Nikon with the D5000

Body Only RRP: £719.99 / €878.00
D5000 + 18-55 VR kit: £799.99 / €972.00
Sales start date: 1st May 2009

Nikon UK is pleased to announce the D5000, its latest digital SLR camera that is perfect for capturing family fun and developing the skills of photography hobbyists. Packed with features that make taking pictures easy and fun, this camera stands out above the competition with its unique Vari-angle LCD monitor, allowing you to shoot easily from almost any angle.

The D5000 inherits the D90’s groundbreaking HD movie capability, Nikon’s proprietary D-Movie function, and extensive in-camera editing features to enhance images. Coupled with the wide choice of scene modes, 12.3MP sensor and high-sensitivity that ranges between ISO 200 and 3200 (which can be extended to ISO 100 and ISO 6400 equivalent) for shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions, this camera makes it easier than ever to take great quality pictures.

“This camera offers exceptional image quality and technology inherited from higher-end Nikon models giving consumers first hand experience of the outstanding quality that Nikon is famous for,” says Jordi Brinkman, Product Manager for Nikon Europe B.V. “With the D5000’s unique Vari-angle LCD screen, you can easily take pictures from any angle, bringing a totally new perspective to your images. The added benefit of the D-movie function (introduced as a world-first with the D90), is now being brought to a wider consumer audience looking to have fun with photography and to grow their skills, or to upgrade their existing DSLR.”

View life from a different angle

The D5000’s 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD monitor offers a whole new perspective on photography, allowing you to take pictures easily from any angle. Its flexible, moving screen allows you to position the camera perfectly to suit the angle or shot you’re trying to take – so whether you’re at a concert and you want to get a clear view above the crowd for your shot or you want to take a picture from ground level, you can adjust the Vari-angle monitor to give you the best view of your subject. Close it to protect the monitor or place it in the standard position for regular shooting using the viewfinder. You can even reverse the monitor for effortless, perfectly-framed self-portraits. Thanks to Nikon’s ergonomic design values and the downward opening direction of the screen, it will never get in your way, and you’ll be able to maintain a steady grip on the body which will prevent camera shake. The choice is limitless.

D-Movie and Live View

Shooting movie clips with a DSLR will allow you to get really creative. For example, you can change the lens for a new perspective and enhance the emotional impact of your movies using the Picture Control settings before you even start shooting. The D5000 offers D-Movie (with audio) – high-definition movie capture which is perfectly compatible with the latest television screens and an HDMI output for easy connection. The single button access to the Live View function allows you to view and compose your shot or movie on the Vari-angle LCD monitor for optimal framing. When taking still shots, the camera offers four types of contrast AF (wide area, normal area, face detection and new subject tracking) to make capture as easy as possible. In subject tracking AF mode, the camera will even restart tracking the subject once it leaves the frame and then returns, so your target will always be in focus.

Setting the Scene

With a total of 19 scene modes, you don’t have to know the ins and outs of digital photography to take great pictures. Simply turn the dial to ‘scene’, choose the appropriate scene mode setting and the camera will do the rest for you. The camera will even display a sample scene to make the scene selection easier for you. Another easy-to-use feature is the camera’s extensive range of built-in editing function, with which you can edit your pictures and create visual effects in-camera, before you even get to a computer.

There’s more

In addition to all these features, the D5000 is a high quality camera in its own right. With its high-sensitivity 12.3 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor, Nikon’s innovative EXPEED high-speed image-processing system, fast and precise 11-point AF system and highly-durable, high-performance shutter, it is also perfectly suited to those with a higher level of photographic knowledge. Image quality is guaranteed further by the image sensor cleaning mechanism with airflow control system, Active D-Lighting and Picture control. It feels good to handle, too, with Nikon’s typically ergonomic design in a compact, light-weight body. Those who shoot pictures in quieter settings will appreciate the new Quiet shooting mode and, the built-in pop-up flash which will automatically detect when the flash is needed. For those on the move, GPS-compatibility with Nikon’s GP-1 unit will come in handy when pinpointing shooting locations as will the HDMI output when you finally want to present your great shots to your family and friends. The Nikon D5000 is compatible with a wide variety of AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR lenses.

Images of the D5000 are will be available shortly to download at http://www.nikon.co.uk/pressimages.

Nikon launches the AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5G ED

Nikon launches the AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5G ED

RRP: £799.99 / €972.00
Sales start date: 1st May 2009

Nikon UK is pleased to announce the introduction of the AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5G ED lens, a NIKKOR DX-format ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that boasts a focal range starting at 15mm equivalent in FX/35mm format.

At a very affordable price, this new lens offers a superior build quality making it a great addition to anyone’s Nikon system. It is perfect for users wanting to shoot scenes that require a wide angle perspective effect such as in a small room, or for shooting architecture and landscapes.

Ludovic Drean, Product Manager for Lenses at Nikon Europe B.V says: “This great new lens is perfectly suited for Nikon D300 and D90 users and works very well with our other mid-class DSLRs too, including models without a built-in motor such as the D40 and the D60, for example. Its affordable price is no reflection on its superior quality, though, as its high-reproduction performance, minimum distortion and build quality are almost equivalent to those of the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED.”

Superior quality build and excellent reproduction capacity

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5G ED offers a focal length between 10 to 24mm and a picture angle equivalent to a focal length of 15 to 36 mm in FX/35mm format. Thanks to its ring-type Silent Wave Motor (SWM), its autofocus is quiet and fast. Housed in a compact and lightweight body with Nikon’s unique high-quality exterior design, the NIKKOR advanced build quality ensures smooth operation and durability. The optical system features ED glass and a-spherical lenses optimised for digital SLRs with an excellent capacity for accurate image reproduction, delivering high-resolution, high-contrast images whilst minimising chromatic aberration. Using the internal focusing (IF) system, the lens barrel length does not change whilst focusing, giving it a more durable build and allowing for the use of heavy attachments. The lens also has two focus modes – M (Manual) and Manual-priority auto (M/A). M/A mode enables a user to switch rapidly between autofocus and manual focus by merely rotating the focus ring even during AF operation. This allows precise focus adjustment without taking your eye off of the viewfinder.

Specifications

Focal length: 10-24 mm
Max/min aperture: f/3.5-4.5, f/22-29
Lens construction: 14 elements in 9 groups (with two ED glassed and three aspherical lenses)
Picture angle: 109°, 61° (DX-format)
Minimum focus distance: 0.24 m
Max. reproduction ratio: 0.2x
No. diaphragm blades: 7 (rounded)
Focusing: Autofocus with built-in SWM and manual focus
Filter/attachment size: 77mm
Diameter x length: Approx. φ82.5 x 87 mm
Weight: Approx. 460 g

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5G ED is supplied with 77-mm snap-on front lens cap LC-77, rear lens cap LF-1, bayonet hood HB-23 and flexible lens pouch CL-1118.

Philips sells its stake in Pace PLC

Philips sells its stake in Pace PLC

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) today announced it has sold its remaining stake in U.K.-based technology provider Pace PLC (FTSE: PIC) to investors in a capital markets transaction. This transaction represents 17% of Pace’s issued share capital, or 50.7 million of common stock, and reduces Philips’ holding to zero.

The transaction will provide Philips with net proceeds of EUR 76 million, and is expected to result in a non-taxable gain of EUR 48 million in the second quarter of 2009, which will be recognized in financial income and expenses.

This transaction is in line with Philips’ communicated strategy to dispose of non-core shareholdings.

For further information, please contact:
Arent Jan Hesselink
Philips Corporate Communications
Tel: +31 20 59 77415
Email: arentjan.hesselink@philips.com

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified Health and Well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 116,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 26 billion in 2008, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

The offer and sale of securities referred to in this press release have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or under any other applicable securities laws. They may not be sold, transferred, offered for sale, pledged, or hypothecated or otherwise disposed of unless registered under the Act or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Philips lights major Cairo landmark with energy efficient LED lighting

Philips lights major Cairo landmark with energy efficient LED lighting

One of Egypt’s most famous landmarks, the Cairo tower, has been given a spectacular new nighttime look, due to a new, energy efficient, lighting scheme. The stunning new lighting effects are created by state-of-the -art color changing LED technology from Philips, and the result is an exciting new image for this well-known Egyptian symbol. In addition the new lighting offers tremendous potential benefits including increased civic pride, community spirit, tourism and investment. Every building tells an ongoing story and new LED lighting can really bring this to life, and act as a powerful advert for the City itself, its culture and heritage.

Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif officially switched on the new lighting scheme, at a launch ceremony on 11 April 2009 in Cairo. Philips Lighting CEO in Egypt, Tamer Abolghar said ‘We are extremely proud to help promote our nations history and heritage in this way. The benefits for Cairo in terms of civic pride and increased tourism should be considerable. With our new LED lighting technologies we can now create night time effects which were never before possible’.

The LED lighting technology used is extremely energy efficient and uses on average 80% less than a similar scheme using conventional lighting technology. This means both cost savings and environmental responsibility. Additional benefits of LED lighting include the ability to control color effects, which are clearly visible in the case of the Cairo tower, a long lifetime with very low maintenance costs, and design flexibility.

The Cairo tower itself was built during the 1950s and 60s in Egypt and was designed with its partially open lattice-work to resemble a giant lotus plant. It stands 187m tall, some 43m higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza. Today it has become a symbol of Cairo and is highly visible on the Cities Skyline. It has proved very popular with locals, particularly courting couples, and tourists.

Philips’ First Quarter Results 2009

Philips’ First Quarter Results 2009

Global downturn in consumer and lighting markets
Healthcare facing a very soft US hospital market; performance in emerging markets and Home Healthcare Solutions remains strong
EBITA loss of EUR 74 million includes charges of EUR 77 million
Reduction of fixed cost base progressing well and expected to exceed EUR 500 million annualized by the end of this year
Rigorous management of working capital continues; cash balance increased, net debt reduced

Gerard Kleisterlee, President and CEO of Royal Philips Electronics:

“In the first quarter of 2009 we have seen a significant further deterioration of our markets. While the effects were felt most strongly in our activities that cater to the consumer market and to the construction and automotive industries, our Healthcare sales are now impacted as well. We expect no material change to this situation in Q2.

As a consequence of the early action we took in 2008, the reduction of our fixed cost base has progressed well in Q1 and is now expected to exceed EUR 500 million on an annualized basis by the end of this year, with a further acceleration of restructuring in Q2, especially at Lighting.

At the same time we have continued to execute our strategy to further build leadership in Health and Well-being, maintaining investments in R&D, marketing and small acquisitions while divesting the remaining part of our holding in LG Display. We will continue to invest in our future, while dynamically managing our cost base in line with revenue and giving high priority to cash flow and strong liquidity.

We remain convinced that Philips will come out of this recession as a stronger company. The portfolio of leading businesses we have built up is clearly not immune to the market woes we are now experiencing, but it is certainly more resilient than the portfolio we operated in the previous downturn. In addition, our strong balance sheet, including our solid cash position, and our ability to adjust our management priorities in line with the dynamics of external circumstances give me confidence in the future prospects of Philips.”