London, May 29, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- COLT Telecom Group plc (Nasdaq:COLT) (LSE:CTM):
Notification of interests in shares under
Section 198 of the Companies act 1985
1. Name of Company
COLT Telecom Group plc
2. Name of Shareholder having a major interest
Notification is in respect of indirect interests
3. Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18
Notification is in respect of a non-beneficial interest held by AMVESCAP Plc. either directly or through its subsidiary companies
4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of shares held by each of them
Vidacos Nominees Ltd 142,478,265
HSBC Nominees Limited 18,287,017
Chase Nominees Limited 8,649,527
Bank of New York 5,759,600
Northern Trust Nominees Limited 2,860,251
CM Investment Nominees Ltd 37,312
5. Number of shares/amount of stock acquired
N/A
6. Percentage of issued class
N/A
7. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed
5,000,000
8. Percentage of issued Class
Less than 1%
9. Class of security
Ordinary Shares of 2.5p
10. Date of Transaction
22nd May 2003
11. Date Company informed
28th May 2003
12. Total holding following this notification
178,071,972
13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification
11.81%
14. Any additional information
The holding, the subject of this notification of interest, also includes a notifiable interest in the holding of INVESCO Perpetual UK Growth Funds which now holds 45,690,000 shares (3.03%) registered in the name of Vidacos Nominees Ltd.
15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries
John Doherty: 0207 390 3681
16. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification
Mark A. Jenkins Company Secretary Date of Notification: 29th May 2003