Amsterdam — Africa's leading telecommunications company with mobile operations across the continent today re-launches its brand Celtel, to reflect better the Group's businesses and opportunities. Additionally at a Group level, the company previously known MSI Cellular Investments Holdings is renamed Celtel International.

The re-launch of the Celtel brand follows substantial research on consumer attitudes across Africa to identify brand attributes to which consumers can better relate and which better reflect the Group's pan-African communications services.

Tito Alai, Chief Marketing Officer of Celtel International, commented:

"We combine local understanding with international expertise, without any legacy issues, to provide relevant and genuine pan-African communications services. We are very focussed on embracing the multicultural diversity of Africa with its 3,000 cultures, languages and ethnic groups, both in urban and rural environments. Our more emotive brand promise is all about: 'making life better'."

The new logo and branding is upbeat, vibrant, symbolic and celebrates the richness and vitality of the diverse African people. The agency FutureBrand was charged with developing a new logo using iconography that has a local relevance feel but no specific cultural origins, so highlighting the Group's pan-African positioning.

The identity developed is also intended to provide a sense of expansion and growth, which has led to the selection of a stimulating and intriguing symbol. The look and feel also makes use of strong primary colours and simple modern lines to represent a progressive telecommunications company and to stand out visually.

Marten Pieters, Celtel International 's Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"The re-launch of our brand represents more than a logo change, although having a much stronger and more representative graphic is very important. We believe in providing a responsive customer service through reliable and effective technology and an efficient team. Our new branding renews our promise, to improve the lives of African people through quality mobile communications.

"The re-launch is the result of many months of effort by our marketing team. It represents the launch of the next stage in our development to be the most successful pan-African telecommunications company."

Enquiries:

Celtel International B.V: Tito Alai, Chief Marketing Officer + 31 (0) 23 554 26 37

College Hill: Corinna Dorward/Adrian Duffield +44 (0) 20 7457 2020

Note to Editors

Celtel International is Africa's leading communications operation, with mobile networks in 12 countries - more than any other operator. Some 2.5 million users are connected to Celtel, a number which is growing at over 50% per annum.

Celtel operates in Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Niger, the Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Celtel is a major shareholder in mobile network operator, Mobitel (Sudan), and was a founding shareholder and minority partner in Vodafone Egypt. It is involved in major fixed-line operations in Tanzania and Sudan.

The Celtel International company, previously known as MSI Cellular, is Amsterdam-based. It took control of its cellular licence in 1998 and since then has gone from strength to strength, winning licences from 13 African governments to invest, build and operate in mobile communications. .

Celtel has been a lead investor across Africa as governments and regulators have liberalised their respective telecommunications industries. Over the past five years Celtel has invested over US$750 million to build the business.

Celtel's focus is on developing wide coverage and quality connections. The Celtel brand is synonymous with upbeat, vibrant, symbolic and celebratory of the richness and vitality of the diverse African people. Celtel networks tend to reach a higher proportion of the population than other networks, including remote rural areas.

Shareholders in Celtel include:

* CDC Capital Partners, a leading risk capital investor in emerging markets, with over US$1.5 billion invested in some 50 emerging countries.

* IFC (International Finance Corporation) the private sector arm of the World Bank and the largest source of private equity for developing countries.

* AIG Infrastructure Fund, sponsored by AIG and managed by EMP, the largest private equity infrastructure manager in emerging markets with nearly US$5 billion under management.

* Zephyr Asset Management, the US based emerging market fund.

* Citigroup, the global financial services group.

* Bessemer Venture Partners, the investment arm of one of the oldest funds in the USA.

* Palio, the Swiss technology investment company.

* FMO, the Dutch development institution and DEG, the German development institution.

* Old Mutual Asset Management in South Africa

* Capital International, Inc., the major US investment group.