Synchronica distribution deal with global mobile solutions leader Brightstar

Sunday, 09 March 2008 12:49

Fast growing Synchronica has announced a worldwide agreement with Brightstar Corp for distribution of its award-winning mobile push email and synchronization technology Mobile Gateway. The company has also demonstrated its commitment to emerging markets by announcing it has raised an additional US$3.9 million to further fund its push into emerging markets.

Mobile Gateway enables operators to offer push email on mass-market handsets for both consumer and business users. The service is ideally suited for consumers and business users in emerging markets because it provides zero-footprint, carrier-grade push email and synchronization services for virtually all mass market feature phones and smartphones being used by subscribers today.

Even the most basic phones can receive email via an Email to SMS Gateway, which shows header and body text in a text message. Another benefit for subscribers in emerging markets, where PC penetration is low, is that they can now sign up for the service from their handset via WAP, removing the need to register using a PC.

As part of the distribution agreement, the two companies will create a dedicated sales and marketing team that will draw on Brightstar's vast customer base to promote Mobile Gateway in over 50 countries across six continents. Initial marketing undertaken by the teams has generated positive responses from a number of potential customers and over 15 opportunities are now in active discussion or under trial.

Brightstar serves many of the world's leading mobile network operators with a strong presence in the fast growing emerging markets in Asia Pacific, Africa, India, and throughout Latin America. The company delivered one of every 20 mobile devices in the world in 2007.

Commenting on the agreement, Synchronica CEO Carsten Brinkschulte said: "We are very excited to team with Brightstar. This is an outstanding validation of Mobile Gateway which provides an easy to use and affordable way for accessing email on mass market mobile phones. Brightstar's marketing flair, as well as its far-reaching and established supply chain extends our global reach, in particular in the booming emerging markets of Latin America and Asia."

Brightstar Vice President, Data Centric and Enterprise, Michael Tate, said: "We are delighted to partner with Synchronica, as Mobile Gateway is an outstanding product. As a global leader we seek value-added solutions for the global wireless market, and Mobile Gateway is best in class. We see a huge opportunity for push email and synchronization solutions, and Mobile Gateway is sure to generate tremendous interest across the world."

To help it to capitalise on mobile email opportunities in emerging markets, Synchronica has raised an additional US$3.9 million bringing total investment in the company in 2008 to US$7.5 million The funds will be used primarily to expand Synchronica's sales and support functions in emerging markets including Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Synchronica also offers Mobile Backup, a backup and restore service for the personal information stored on mobile devices. The company believes this is ideally suited to users in emerging markets because the mobile phone is increasingly becoming the primary repository of choice for social and business contact information in these areas. Mobile Backup offers fast and simple ways for consumers to sign up, via a straightforward WAP interface or through a simple SMS sign-up procedure. A built-in client provisioning module automatically configures the phone.

Analysts Informa predict there will be 4.81 billion mobile phone subscribers by 2012, with the majority of the next billion subscribers coming from emerging markets, where PC and fixed-line penetration is low and consumers rely on their mobile phones for communication.

About Brightstar

Brightstar Corp. is a global leader in customised distribution and supply chain solutions for the wireless industry. With global headquarters in Miami, Brightstar operates sales, distribution, and manufacturing facilities in more than 50 countries on six continents. The company provides solutions to over 30,000 network operators, MVNOs, retailers, resellers, and independent agents around the world and also represents the world's leading wireless manufacturers.

About Synchronica

Synchronica plc develops and markets industry standard mobile email and synchronization solutions for the vast majority of devices in the market today. Mobile operators, device manufacturers, and service providers in emerging and developed markets use Synchronica products to offer mobile email, PIM synchronization and backup and restore services to their consumer and corporate customer base. The company is headquartered in the U.K., with a development centre in Germany and presence in the USA, Hong Kong, and Dubai. Synchronica plc is a public company traded on the AIM list of the London Stock Exchange.

More info:

• www.synchronica.com

• www.brightstarcorp.com

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