Global Alliance

Telefonica SA 11 February 2000 TELEFONICA AND BBVA, ANNOUNCE GLOBAL ALLIANCE Telefonica S.A. today filed the following notice of corporate action to the National Securities Market Commission(CNMV): Telefonica and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) have signed a strategic accord in the areas of internet, e-commerce, mobile services platforms and means of payment. * The alliance puts Telefonica and BBVA in a unique position to capitalize on business opportunities of an enormous size in these areas, guaranteeing rapid execution. At the same time, the leading position of both companies in their natural markets, their clear commitment to new technologies, the strength of both industrial groups and their broad customer base in the same geographical areas allows them to accelerate the development of these initiatives, guaranteeing their success. * In this context, the BBVA will increase, through purchases in the stock market, its shareholding in Telefonica to up to 10% of the company's share capital. Telefonica will acquire, also in the market, up to 3% of BBVA. The incorporation of Juan Villalonga into the Board of Directors of BBVA, as vice-chairman, is also foreseen. * The alliance, which consist initially of 14 specific actions, contains among its most important elements the increase of the shareholding of the Telefonica Group in the internet bank Unoe.Bank from 20% to 49% and the purchase by BBVA of 40% of the business to business electronic commerce company Telefonica B2B, solidly positioning the two entities in these two high-growth areas. BBVA will integrate the conventional banking activities, trademark, personnel, offices, operations and assets of the Banco de Comercio, which later will merge with the bank Unoe.Bank, SA., increasing the number of on-line customers. Additionally, BBVA and Telefonica will develop joint projects for the development of new means of payment, both over fixed telephone lines and mobile phone, through the company Movilpago. They will create specific companies to develop wireless internet applications and BBVA will take up to 5% in the consortium led by Telefonica to bid for UMTS licenses in Europe. The framework of today's accord also contemplates the creation of companies for investment and joint development in the areas of electronic commerce between businesses to consumers (B2C) and between consumers (C2C) the collaboration of both groups in the development of portals and interactive services, banking transactions and means of payment. Another action arising from the Alliance is the purchase by BBVA of a 20% stake in the share capital of Atento (until now wholly owned by Telefonica), a company which is developing the 'call center' business in Europe, the US, and Latin America and which currently has over 60,000 customer attention points. BBVA will transfer to Atento, S.A all of its 'call center,' activity. BBVA will invest up to US$200 million in the investment fund Communicapital Partners, led by Telefonica, whose purpose the investment in start-up companies, based on the Internet and new technologies. Telefonica and BBVA are committed to coordinating their actions in the company Hispasat, S.A. where they have a joint shareholding of about 40%. Both parties, BBVA and Telefonica, have agreed to offer to La Caixa the possibility of joining the alliance for the development of some of the business lines, in which the contribution of an outstanding institution such as La Caixa could mean a more rapid development of the agreed initiatives. The signing of this accord allows the two institutions to carry out a solid expansion in Internet, electronic commerce, mobile services platforms and means of payment, strengthening the position of both groups in their natural markets.
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