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Empresas y finanzas

Partner Communications Announces Dividend Distribution and Buyback Program


    Partner Communications Company Ltd.
    (Nasdaq:PTNR)(LSE:PCCD)(TASE:PTNR), a leading Israeli mobile
    communications operator, announces that, pursuant to the dividend
    policy adopted for 2007, its Board of Directors approved the
    distribution of a cash dividend for Q4 2007 in the amount of NIS 2.02
    (approximately US$ 0.53) per share, totaling approximately NIS 320
    million (US$ 83 million) payable on March 6th, 2008 to shareholders
    and ADS holders of record on February 20th, 2008. The total dividend
    amount for 2007 will be approximately NIS 752 million (US$ 196
    million), representing approximately 80% of the annual net income.

    In respect of 2008, the Board reaffirmed the existing dividend
    policy which provides for an 80% payout ratio of annual net income.
    The Board has also approved a share buy-back plan throughout 2008, in
    an amount of up to NIS 600 million

    About Partner Communications

    Partner Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner") is a leading
    Israeli mobile communications operator providing GSM / GPRS / UMTS /
    HSDPA services and wire free applications under the orange(TM) brand.
    The Company provides quality service and a range of features to 2.86
    million subscribers in Israel (as of December 31st, 2007). Partner´s
    ADSs are quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market(TM) and the London
    Stock Exchange. Its shares are also traded on the Tel Aviv Stock
    Exchange (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR; LSE: PCCD).

    Partner is a subsidiary of Hutchison Telecommunications
    International Limited ("Hutchison Telecom"), a leading global provider
    of telecommunications services. Hutchison Telecom currently offers
    mobile and fixed line telecommunications services in Hong Kong, and
    operates mobile telecommunications services in Israel, Macau,
    Thailand, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Vietnam and Indonesia. It was the first
    provider of 3G mobile services in Hong Kong and Israel and operates
    brands including "Hutch", "3" and "orange". Hutchison Telecom, a
    subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, is a listed company with
    American Depositary Shares quoted on the New York Stock Exchange under
    the ticker "HTX" and shares listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
    under the stock code "2332". For more information about Hutchison
    Telecom, see www.htil.com.

    For more information about Partner, see
    http://www.orange.co.il/investor_site/

    Note: This press release includes forward-looking statements
    within the meaning of Section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as
    amended, Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
    amended, and the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities
    Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We have based these forward-looking
    statements on our current expectations and projections about future
    events. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks,
    uncertainties and assumptions about Partner.

    Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "seek,"
    "will," "plan," "could," "may," "project," "goal," "target" and
    similar expressions often identify forward-looking statements but are
    not the only way we identify these statements. All statements other
    than statements of historical fact included in this press release
    regarding our future performance (including our outlook and guidance
    for 2008), plans to increase revenues or margins or preserve or expand
    market share in existing or new markets, reduce expenses and any
    statements regarding other future events or our future prospects, are
    forward-looking statements.

    Because such statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual
    results may differ materially from the results currently expected.
    Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited
    to:

    -- the effects of the high degree of regulation in the
    telecommunications market in which we operate;

    -- regulatory developments related to the implementation of
    number portability;

    -- regulatory developments relating to tariffs, including
    interconnect tariffs, roaming charges, and SMS tariffs;

    -- the difficulties associated with obtaining all permits
    required for building and operating of antenna sites;

    -- the requirement to indemnify planning committees in respect of
    claims made against them relating to the depreciation of
    property values or to alleged health damage resulting from
    antenna sites;

    -- the effects of vigorous competition in the market in which we
    operate and for more valuable customers, which may decrease
    prices charged, increase churn and change our customer mix,
    profitability and average revenue per user, and the response
    of competitors to industry and regulatory developments;

    -- regulatory developments which permit the Ministry of
    Communications to require us to offer our network
    infrastructure to other operators, which may lower the entry
    barrier for new competitors;

    -- uncertainties about the degree of growth in the number of
    consumers in Israel using wireless personal communications
    services and the growth in the Israeli population;

    -- the risks associated with the implementation of a third
    generation (3G) network and business strategy, including risks
    relating to the operations of new systems and technologies,
    potential unanticipated costs,

    -- uncertainties regarding the adequacy of suppliers on whom we
    must rely to provide both network and consumer equipment and
    consumer acceptance of the products and services to be
    offered, and the risk that the use of internet search engines
    by our 3G customers will be restricted;

    -- the results of litigation filed or that may be filed against
    us;

    -- the risk that, following a possible rearrangement of spectrum,
    we may lose some of our frequencies or we may be allocated
    spectrum of inferior quality;

    -- the risks associated with technological requirements,
    technology substitution and changes and other technological
    developments;

    -- alleged health risks related to antenna sites and use of
    telecommunication devices;

    -- the impact of existing and new competitors in the market in
    which we compete, including competitors that may offer less
    expensive products and services, desirable or innovative
    products, technological substitutes, or have extensive
    resources or better financing;

    -- fluctuations in foreign exchange rates;

    -- the possibility of the market in which we compete being
    impacted by changes in political, economic or other factors,
    such as monetary policy, legal and regulatory changes or other
    external factors over which we have no control; and

    -- the availability and cost of capital and the consequences of
    increased leverage.

    as well as the risks discussed in Risk Factors, Information on the
    Company and Operating and Financial Review and Prospects in form 20-F
    filed with the SEC on June 12th, 2007. In light of these risks,
    uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in
    this report might not occur.

    We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
    forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
    future events or otherwise.