Beijing, August 11, 2008 – Samsung Electronics, worldwide partner in wireless communications equipment for the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, today showcased its Wireless Olympic Works (WOW) service and official handsets for the Beijing Olympic Games, providing a sneak peak into how Samsung’s 3G communications platform is revolutionizing global sporting events.  

Samsung’s WOW service and handsets, supplied to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), are ensuring uninterrupted and secure game-time communications using 3G technologies, providing users with real-time Games results, schedules, news, weather reports, medals standings, participant information, and a wide range of internal communications capabilities to keep organizers, coaches and athletes in the loop. Since its first introduction in the 2004 Athens Games, Samsung’s WOW communication platform has redefined the way in which international sporting events are organized and managed, representing one of Samsung’s most important contributions to the sporting world.

 “Communications is vital to any Olympic Games or major sporting event,” said Mr. Gyehyun Kwon, Corporate Vice President and Head of Worldwide Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics. “At the core of the WOW platform is Samsung’s drive to integrate cutting-edge global mobile trends to power the Olympic movement. Samsung is not only enabling BOCOG and the IOC to seamlessly host this year’s Olympic Games, but we are proud and honored to also be enabling Olympians to share the excitement and pride of their performances and experience in Beijing with family and friends back home.”

This year, the Beijing 2008 WOW brings 3G multimedia service to Beijing’s Olympic Green. To provide this first-ever 3G service in China, Samsung worked with Atos Origin, the Olympic Worldwide Information Technology Partner of the IOC, and China Mobile (CMCC), Beijing’s Official Wireless Service Provider.

Samsung’s Beijing 2008 WOW also integrates a more user-friendly interface with its ‘MyWOW’ menu, as well as Text To Speech (TTS), and easy-to-access menu navigation functions. Samsung is also rolling-out for the first time in China, the PTT (Push To Talk) function to further facilitate communication among the event organizers. Starting from the Torch Relay in April, Samsung’s WOW service will be provided throughout the Olympic period.

“The WOW service is streamlined and secure to meet the needs of the IOC, BOCOG and the Olympic family,” said S.S. Kim, Project Manager for BOCOG, Samsung Electronics. “The i668 phone distributed among VIPs as well as the L288 provide a My WOW functionality allowing users to specify their country of origin, preferred language (English or Chinese) as well as determine the category of relevant information they receive, including specific event news and medal announcements.”

As part of its sponsorship this year, Samsung Electronics has supplied TD-SCDMA handsets to BOCOG, the Games' organizing committee. In Samsung's largest sponsorship donation to a national team, the company also donated G618 "Olympic phones" to the Chinese National Team. The Samsung G618, part of Samsung’s Anycall series, features Olympics-related ringtones and images. As the official handset of China's Olympic team, it will be used by athletes, coaches and staff.

Throughout the Games Samsung’s WOW technology and handsets will be demonstrated and on display at the Samsung Olympic pavilion, OR@S (Olympic Rendezvous @ Samsung), the hub for communications during the Olympic Games. Speaking at the OR@S Mr. Kwon said, “guests will have an opportunity to experience how Samsung’s devices, combined with our revolutionary WOW service, will connect hundreds of people, places and moments in China - the world’s biggest wireless market.”

At the OR@S, athletes and visitors can experience the wide range of exciting Samsung technology first hand, including recharging their handsets with the solar powered recharging station, just one of the environmentally friendly features of the OR@S pavilion design. Athletes have also been using the onsite handsets and communications devices to communicate and call friends and family back home and share their Beijing experiences.

Samsung has been a Worldwide Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category since the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games and this status is set to continue through the 2016 Olympic Games. Samsung has provided more than 80,000 units of wireless telecommunications equipment to support Nagano Games, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games (model: SGH-600, 2400), the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games (TDMA-T300, SCH-T300), the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (SGH-E700) and the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games (SGH-D600).