SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15a-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Report on Form 6-K dated
August 1, 2012
Partner Communications Company Ltd.
(Translation of Registrant’s Name Into English)
8 Amal Street
Afeq Industrial Park
Rosh Ha’ayin 48103
Israel
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)
Form 20-F x Form 40-F o
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)
Yes o No x
(If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- )
This Form 6-K is incorporated by reference into the Company’s Registration Statements on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 2002 (Registration No. 333-101652), September 5, 2006 (Registration No. 333-137102) and on September 11, 2008 (Registration No. 333-153419)
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Enclosure:
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Partner Communications announces the reduction of the royalty rates paid to the state in 2012 and their abolishment as of 2013
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PARTNER COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES THE
REDUCTION OF THE ROYALTY RATES PAID TO THE STATE
IN 2012 AND THEIR ABOLISHMENT AS OF 2013
Rosh Ha’ayin, Israel, August 1, 2012 - Partner Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner" or "the Company") (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR), a leading Israeli mobile communications operator, announces that following the approval of the Israeli Parliament's finance committee on July 10, 2012, the regulations that regulate the royalty rates that apply to general licensees for the provision of mobile radio telephone services using the cellular method (MRT), general licensees for the provision of domestic fixed-line telecommunication services (domestic fixed-line operators, including exclusive domestic fixed-line operators) and general licensees for the provision of international long distance (ILD) services, were amended on August 1, 2012.
Following the amendment of the regulations, the rates of the royalties paid to the state by the Partner Group shall be reduced in 2012 and shall be abolished as of 2013 onwards.
The total royalties paid to the state by the Partner Group with respect to the first quarter of 2012 is in the amount of approximately NIS 20 million.
The reduction in the royalty rates is as follows:
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(A)
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With respect to Cellular Communications Services:
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(1)
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The royalty rate for the year 2012 shall be 2.5% from the beginning of the year until May 23, 2012, 1% from May 24, 2012 until July 31, 2012 and 0.292% for the remainder of the year, provided that the annual royalty rate for the year 2012 shall be 1.3%.
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This royalty rate is reduced compared with the previous arrangement according to which the royalty rate was 2.5% from the beginning of the year until May 23, 2012 and 1% for the remainder of the year;
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(2)
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The royalty rate as of the year 2013 onwards shall be 0% (instead of 1% for the same period).
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(B)
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With respect to Fixed Line and ILD Communications Services:
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The royalty rates as of the year 2013 onwards shall be 0% (instead of 1% for the same period).
For additional information see the Company's 2011 annual report on Form 20-F/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2012 under “Item 4B. - Regulation - 2 Telecommunications Law".
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "project", "goal", "target" and similar expressions often identify forward-looking statements but are not the only way we identify these statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release regarding our future performance, plans to increase revenues or margins or preserve or expand market share in existing or new markets, reduce expenses and any statements regarding other future events or our future prospects, are forward-looking statements.
We have based these forward-looking statements on our current knowledge and our present beliefs and expectations regarding possible future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Partner, consumer habits and preferences in cellular telephone usage, trends in the Israeli telecommunications industry in general, the impact of current global economic conditions and possible regulatory and legal developments. For a description of some of the risks we face, see "Item 3D. Key Information - Risk Factors", "Item 4. - Information on the Company", "Item 5. - Operating and Financial Review and Prospects", "Item 8A. - Consolidated Financial Statements and Other Financial Information - Legal and Administrative Proceedings" and "Item 11. - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk" in the Company's 2011 Annual Report (20-F) filed with the SEC on March 22, 2012, as amended on March 26, 2012. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur, and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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About Partner Communications
Partner Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner") is a leading Israeli provider of telecommunications services (cellular, fixed-line telephony and internet services) under the orange™ brand. The Company provides mobile communications services to over 3 million subscribers in Israel. 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 an approximately 45%-owned subsidiary of Scailex Corporation Ltd. ("Scailex"). Scailex's shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the symbol SCIX and are quoted on "Pink Quote" under the symbol SCIXF.PK. Scailex currently operates in two major domains of activity in addition to its holding in Partner: (1) the sole import, distribution and maintenance of Samsung mobile handset and accessories products primarily to the major cellular operators in Israel (2) management of its financial assets.
For more information about Scailex, see http://www.scailex.com.
For more information about Partner, see http://www.orange.co.il/investor_site
About 012 Smile Telecom Ltd.
012 Smile is a wholly owned subsidiary of Partner which provides international long distance services, internet services and local telecommunication fixed-line services (including telephony services using VOB) under the 012 Smile brand. The completion of the purchase of 012 Smile by Partner took place on March 3, 2011. For further details see the press release dated March 3, 2011.
Contacts:
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Mr. Ziv Leitman
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +972-54-7814951
E-mail: investors@orange.co.il
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Ms. Yaffa Cohen-Ifrah
Head of Investor Relations
Tel: +972-54-9099039
E-mail: Yaffa.cohenifrah@orange.co.il
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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Partner Communications Company Ltd.
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/s/ Ziv Leitman
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| Name: |
Ziv Leitman
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Title:
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Chief Financial Officer
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Dated: August 1, 2012
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