O2 is a UK mobile telephony company. It was formerly British Wireless and then the BT Group's mobile telephony division before O2 earned its independence in November 2001, when it was listed separately from its illustrious parent in London. O2 is one of the European leaders in mobile telecommunications services, and is particularly active in Internet services and mobile data transmission, with more than 20 million customers in Europe, the UK, Germany, and Ireland. With more than one B2B Internet portal dedicated to mobile telecommunications, O2 intends to be one of the precursors in Europe of the introduction of GPRS technology and its applications, such as on-line banking services and continuous information. This position should enable it to prepare for UMTS.