In forming a joint venture to manage their shared

network, Partner and Hot will lay off up to 55

maintenance employees.

Orange franchisee Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) today signed an agreement with its employees, allowing it to implement its network merging agreement with HOT Mobile Ltd.. Sources inform “Globes” that as part of the agreement, dozens of employees will be fired by Partner and Hot Mobile. The joint venture will be managed by Partner VP engineering Eyal Iluz. The Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) was a party to the agreement.

Partner has 115 employees maintaining its cellular network of whom 35 will be fired and the remainder will be employed by the joint venture. Hot Mobile has 70 employees maintaining its network of whom 10-20 will be let go with 50 joining the new venture.