News release

Vodacom taps HP OpenCall HLR to support large subscriber base in South African wireless market

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 7, 2006

HP today announced that Vodacom, the leading wireless operator in South Africa, has deployed the HP OpenCall Home Location Register (HP HLR) in its GSM/UMTS wireless network. An HLR functions at the heart of a wireless network, and holds the record of all services a subscriber has purchased.

Vodacom SA already provides voice, data and multimedia services to 17,6 million people — and is growing rapidly. The innovative operator wanted to migrate from a Release 98 HLR to the most advanced technology — so it could continue to provide the highest levels of service — even as it expanded the network to accommodate millions of new subscribers.

The HP OpenCall HLR is currently deployed by 35 operators on five continents, managing subscriber databases for more than 120 million subscribers.

Vodacom selected the HP OpenCall HLR as the single logical database offers Vodacom a simplified one-stop solution.

"Vodacom continuously offers innovative and world-class products and services to our growing customer base and to ensure that we do that successfully, we make use of the most advanced mobile service," said Pieter Uys, Vodacom Chief Operating Officer. "The new HP OpenCall HLR is a core building block in our growth plans."

"We worked closely with Vodacom to ensure that this major upgrade in the heart of their network was accomplished seamlessly — and without disrupting Vodacom's wellknown quality of service," said Steve Dietch, director, worldwide marketing, OpenCall Business Unit, HP. "With the new HLR, Vodacom has a strong foundation to expand revenues and reduce costs."

The HP OpenCall HLR functions as a central database that links individual information (identity, settings, status, authentication) with network routing information — so that each subscriber receives complete voice and data services while he or she is on the move. The solution runs on the HP NonStop server platform.

The HP OpenCall HLR is part of the HP OpenCall portfolio, a suite of standards-based, carrier-grade software platforms for developing and deploying next-generation voice, data and converged multimedia services. With 25 years of experience in the telecom industry, HP delivers a broad range of complete solutions and professional services through its Network and Service Provider Business.

Additional information on the HP OpenCall portfolio is available at www.hp.com/go/opencall.

HP at 3GSM World Congress, Feb 13-16, Barcelona, Spain

HP will feature a wide range of HP and partner solutions for the network and service provider industry at its pavilion in Booth B02b in the Fira de Barcelona. For more information on specific solutions, please visit www.hp.com/go/communications.

About Vodacom South Africa

• Vodacom is South Africa's leading cellular network with 57% market share.
• As at December 31, 2005, Vodacom Group recorded 21.5 million customers across its networks operating in South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique and Lesotho.
• Vodacom South Africa increased its customer base to 17.6 million customers in an increasingly competitive market.
• In November 2004, Vodacom announced a strategic partnership with Vodafone, the World's Largest Mobile Community.
• In December 2004, Vodacom switched on their 3G network it now comprises more than 1460 3G base stations.
• Vodacom launched Vodafone live in April 2005 and Mobile TV, the first in South Africa in December 2005.
• Vodacom was voted the "Most Admired Telecoms Brand" in the 2004 and 2005 Markinor Survey.
• For more information visit: www.vodacom.co.za

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Oct. 31, 2005, HP revenue totaled $86.7 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they ever materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including the expected development, performance or rankings of products or services; statements of expectation or belief; and any statement of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the development, performance and market acceptance of products and services and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2005, and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2004. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.