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Partner Communications Announces Midroog Reaffirms the "Aa2" Rating with a Change in Outlook to "Stable"

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^{Published in Science and Technology on Monday, December 29th 2008 at 6:07 GMT, Last Modified on 2008-12-29 06:08:01 by Market Wire}  

ROSH HA'AYIN, Israel--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Partner Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner" or "the Company") (Nasdaq:PTNR)(TASE:PTNR), a leading Israeli mobile communications operator, announces that "Midroog" reaffirmed the "Aa2" rating for Partner, with a change in outlook from "positive" to "stable".

In the report that was published, Midroog highlighted that: "Elements that could raise the rating include: significant broadening of the Company's services portfolio. Elements that could adversely affect the rating: a reduction in the debt coverage ratio such that it would not support the rating and regulatory initiatives that may weaken the company's position and damage its financials performance".

The entire report can be found on Midroog's website: [ http://www.midroog.co.il/web/homepage.asp ]

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™ brand. The Company provides quality service and a range of features to 2.882 million subscribers in Israel (as of September 30, 2008). Partner's ADSs are quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market™ and its shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR).

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, 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/ ]