Roaming expert extends MMS eXchange service to content providers

Latest development supported with mobile messaging software provision by Comfone's partner, MATERNA

Bern, Switzerland/ 3GSM World Congress, Cannes, 14 February 2005 – Comfone, leading provider of global mobile value-added roaming services, today announced the extension of its MMS eXchange (MMSX) service to content providers and content aggregators. The development will simplify the provision of content to mobile operators, utilising existing infrastructure at no extra cost.

Content providers and content aggregators now have the possibility to access international mobile operators via a single link to the Comfone MMSX platform. Also, mobile operators are no longer required to set up additional links to each provider as their existing MMSX connection can be used. Comfone protects the integrity of mobile operators by strict policing of the relationships. Only contracted relationships are allowed on the MMSX platform.

Roland Burri, Comfone Executive Vice President, Product Management, commented, “Opening up the MMSX service to contracted content provider partners of mobile operators is a natural extension of Comfone’s MMSX service. Content provision to mobile subscribers has fantastic potential for sustained growth. From an economic and operating perspective, an MMSX service is the best way to support this growth.”

When launched, the MMSX service initially focused on facilitating the bilateral interchange of MMS between mobile operators, including access, relay, bulk file production, online reporting and financial clearing. This latest MMSX development, addressing content providers and aggregators, is an important breakthrough in streamlining the whole roaming process and complexities for the wireless community as a whole.

John Moroney, Director of Research and Analysis at the consultancy firm Octegra, commented, “Marketing and revenue generation, rather than the management of technology, are now the critical areas of concern for mobile operators. Our research at Octegra shows that financial institutions expect mobile operators to focus on core commercial activities and customer development. We believe that outsourcing services, such as MMSX, will provide operators with competitive advantage by unburdening management from the need to manage peripheral technologies. This will allow them to focus on core commercial activities, such as, service development, revenue generation and marketing. Outsourcing services, to companies like Comfone and MATERNA, will remove some of the exhaustive resource requirements associated with supporting and maintaining roaming agreements.”

“The extension of the MMSX service opens up the platform to content providers and content aggregators. It seamlessly integrates MATERNA’s entire sales product portfolio, which offers customers a one-stop shopping opportunity for value added services”, said Thomas Meisterernst, MATERNA Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

The partnership between Comfone and MATERNA was announced in November last year at the same time as their first collaborative efforts were made public with the launch of Comfone MMSX. MATERNA’s VAS software portfolio combined with its experience in implementing MMSCs worldwide has played a fundamental part in this latest development.

About MMSX
Comfone MMSX facilitates the bilateral interchange of MMS (Multimedia Message Service) between mobile operators, including access, relay, bulk file production, online reporting and financial clearing. The comprehensive MMS eXchange service, part of Comfone's data service portfolio and based on Comfone's proven GRX infrastructure with reach to over 200 mobile operators worldwide, provides IP access, DNS and routing for the transport of MMS. MMS interworking is enabled between different mobile operators with its Relation Management, Mobile Number Portability check, Transcoding and further options.

The enhanced hub solution for MMS provides worldwide coverage for MMS termination and interworking through only one agreement with Comfone and one connection to Comfone's central platform.

Partnership between Comfone and MATERNA
The MMSX services uniquely draw on the joint competencies of Comfone and MATERNA, partners in offering the comprehensive multimedia messaging solution. The companies' collaboration brings together Comfone's expertise in international mobile roaming with MATERNA’s experience in providing, implementing and operating MMSCs (Multimedia Messaging Service Centres) for mobile operators throughout the world.

About Comfone
Comfone supplies mobile operators services that are needed for the worldwide interconnection of mobile networks, so called 'roaming'. Founded in 1997 with the goal to provide efficient solutions in the field of international roaming, Comfone's service portfolio is currently unique in the world. Comfone is the first Roaming Broker and the only operator of an international roaming platform. With head offices based in Berne, Switzerland, Comfone is 75% owned by four management members who are actively involved in the company. Comfone comprises of 70 employees, consisting of 13 nationalities who speak a total of 16 languages. Further services include; Signalling Solutions (SS7), Data, Financial, SMS and MMS Interworking Clearing, Roaming Management, and data services (GRX and MMSX) for GPRS and MMS.

About Materna Information & Communications
A leading information and communications software company, Materna employs some 1,100 employees worldwide, achieving in 2003 a turnover of €142 million. In its Information business unit, Materna integrates IT solutions for process optimisation in business and government. Further business units comprise Customer Service & Support, IT Service Management, Business Portals, Content Management, and e-Government, while its Communications business unit offers Mobile Solutions and Unified Messaging products. This includes value-added mobile services such as SMS, MMS, WAP and mobile Java applications, which are currently distributed under the brand-name Anny Way. The Anny Way Academy is active in practical training and consulting services.

About Octegra Limited
Octegra Limited provides strategic advice and market research in the form of published reports and bespoke consultancy services. Octegra was founded by John Moroney, who was formally a Principal Consultant at Ovum and an Associate Director of Gartner.