| Our vision is to be the best telecommunications company in Slovakia. We are a modern telecommunications company with a long history. We became a joint stock company on 1 April 1999 following registration in the Companies Register of the District Court of Bratislava I, in Section Sa, Entry No. 2081/B. The year 2000 was a significant milestone in our history, when a 51% share in our company was sold to the strategic foreign partner - Deutsche Telekom AG. Shareholders of Slovenské telekomunikácie, a.s. as at 31 December 2002 were Deutsche Telekom AG with 51% of shares, the Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications of the Slovak Republic with 34% of shares, and the National Property Fund of the Slovak Republic with 15% of shares. We are the leading telecommunications services provider in Slovakia. We own and operate a telecommunications network covering the entire territory of the Slovak Republic; we provide national and international telephone services and a wide portfolio of data and Internet services. In addition to the stated services we also provide the distribution and broadcasting of radio and TV signals and offer a wide range of value added services. As at 31 December 2002 we had 1,457,794 telephone lines throughout Slovakia, inclusive of ISDN B-channels and public payphones. We are one of the largest employers in Slovakia and as at 31 December 2002 the average full time equivalent was 9,804. The year 2002 was a year of changes for us, and more particularly, of preparations for the liberalisation and opening of a competitive environment in the area of public voice services starting from 1 January 2003. In line with our vision to be the best telecommunications company on the Slovak market, we focused on core activities, namely on data solutions, Internet services, and high value added services. Last year was also a year of ongoing restructuring. Based on the resolution of the Board of Directors of Slovenské telekomunikácie, a.s., branches in the regions of Bratislava, Western, Central, and Eastern Slovakia were abolished in 2002 and their operations were taken over by individual units of the company. Slovenské telekomunikácie, a.s., TELEMONT, o.z. branch which provided installation work in connection with all kinds of technologies in the telecommunications network, was sold to TELEMONT SLOVENSKO, s.r.o. with effective date of 1 June 2002. Two new limited liability companies - RK Transmission, s.r.o. and RK Tower, s.r.o. were founded as a result of restructuring the branch of Slovenské telekomunikácie, a.s., Rádiokomunikácie, o.z. which provided the distribution and broadcasting of radio and TV signals all over Slovakia. Slovenské telekomunikácie, a.s. has a 51% capital share in EuroTel Bratislava a.s., a provider of mobile communications services and data networks operator. We are a member of various Slovak associations by profession and industry. We are represented in the standardisation, radiocommunications, and development sectors of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Our company is a shareholder in EURESCOM (European Institute for Research and Strategic Studies in Telecommunications), and a member of ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators Association), ETIS (e- and Telecommunications Information Services), ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), and also participates in various international projects and forums. Our company is a shareholder in the satellite organisations EUTELSAT (European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation) and INMARSAT (International Maritime Satellite Organisation). |