Futuretel & Highlake Announce Bidding Process for the Sale of Controll

    Business Editors

    RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 2005--Futuretel S.A., Opportunity Mem S.A., Newtel Participacoes S.A., Telpart Participacoes S.A., Telemig Celular Participacoes S.A. (NYSE:TMB) (Bovespa:TMCP3) (Bovespa:TMCP4), Tele Norte Celular Participacoes S.A. (NYSE:TCN) (Bovespa:TNCP3) (Bovespa:TNCP4), Telemig Celular S.A. and Amazonia Celular S.A. ("Companies"), in compliance with provision of CVM Instruction Number 358/02, hereby inform its shareholders and the general public that Futuretel S.A., together with Highlake International Business Company Ltd., will start a competitive bidding process for the sale of indirect corporate participation representing more than 50% of the voting capital of Telemig Celular Participacoes S.A. and Tele Norte Celular Participacoes S.A. The Companies, furthermore, inform that they will invite to participate in the competitive bidding process, as sellers, among others, Caixa de Previdencia dos Funcionarios do Banco do Brasil - PREVI, Fundacao Sistel de Seguridade Social - SISTEL, Fundacao Petrobras de Seguridade Social - PETROS, Fundacao Embratel de Seguridade Social - TELOS, Fundacao dos Economiarios Federais - FUNCEF, CVC/Opportunity Equity Partners Fundo de Investimento em Acoes, CVC/Opportunity Equity Partners L.P., Opportunity Fund, Tele Fundo de Investimento em Acoes and other individuals which are shareholders of the several companies that are part of the corporate chain of Telemig Celular Participacoes S.A. and Tele Norte Celular Participacoes S.A.

--30--SG/sa*

CONTACT: Telemig/Tele Norte Celular Participacoes Investor Relations: Renata Rodrigues Pantoja, (5561) 429-5618 rpantoja@telepart.com.br or Fernanda Lucena Ribeiro, (5561) 429-5617 fernanda@telepart.com.br

KEYWORD: BRAZIL INTERNATIONAL LATIN AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING MERGERS/ACQ SOURCE: Telemig Celular Participacoes S.A.

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