WORLDWIDE | INVESTORS | CAREERS | SUPPORT | CONTACT US
Openwave Systems, Inc.
News Room
 
Home > News Room > Press Releases > 2001 > 11/12/2001
  Print this Page Email this Page  
  GENIE SELECTS OPENWAVE TO PROVIDE ITS FULLY INTEGRATED MOBILE AND WEB INSTANT MESSAGING PLATFORM
  

  Innovative Messaging Solution Marries the Popularity of SMS with the Power of the Web
 
COMDEX, Las Vegas, NV - November 12, 2001 -- Genie, the mobile Internet business of mmO2, and Openwave Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OPWV), the worldwide leader of open IP-based communication infrastructure software and applications, today announced that Genie has officially selected Openwave to provide an integrated Web, WAP and SMS Instant Messaging platform for its 5.8 million registered users. The system is expected to launch with Genie UK customers early in 2002.

Openwave Instant Messaging delivers an open, standards-based approach to interactive communications with “presence” – the technology that enables users to see whether their contacts are currently available on the Web or on their mobiles. The innovative platform combines the most popular aspects of using a mobile phone, like SMS, with those of the online environment from Instant Messaging. Although Web Instant Messaging is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK, an estimated one billion instant messages are being sent globally on a daily basis (CSFB, July 2001). As for SMS, the UK alone tracked a record 1.09 billion text messages being sent in September 2001 (Mobile Data Association, Oct. 2001). Further evidence of the potential of interactive messaging is the growing popularity of WAP chat rooms, which are the leading driver of WAP pages views on the Genie portal, at over 310 million impressions for September 2001.

The Genie deployment of Openwave Instant Messaging will provide subscribers with presence information about their contacts, interoperability with both SMS and Microsoft® MSN Messenger communities, and a simple, intuitive mobile instant messaging experience. In the UK, MSN Messenger is currently the leading Web-based service with over three-and-a-half million unique users as of July 2001 (Jupiter MMXI). Openwave has been actively working with leading standards-based working groups like IMunified.org, GSM Association and the WAP Forum with Genie and other European carriers to develop guidelines for carrier-to-carrier interoperability for mobile instant messaging, leading the way for Europe’s mobile communities to come together.

Kent Thexton, chief marketing officer mm02 and president, Genie said, “We selected Openwave Instant Messaging for its ease of use and its ability to tie the power of the Web and WAP into the hugely popular market for SMS. Openwave continues to be a valuable partner to Genie by delivering innovative IP-based messaging services, including IM and Unified Messaging, helping us to maintain our presence as one of Europe’s leading mobile Internet services providers.”

Genie recently launched GenieOne™, a consumer integrated messaging solution running on the Openwave Unified Messaging platform, enabling subscribers to tailor their communications experience by using interactive text, voice and WAP-based messaging from mobile, PC, WAP and PSTN environments. Users benefit by enjoying the freedom to reply to messages using either text or verbal communication, regardless of device. Genie currently offers mobile Internet services based upon the Openwave™ Services OS™ platform, utilizing the Openwave Mobile Access Gateway, email and portal functionality. Earlier this year, Genie selected the Openwave Mobile Browser WAP edition as their browser-of-choice for next generation of handsets from their suppliers and developers.


About Openwave
 
Openwave Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OPWV) is the worldwide leader of open IP-based communication infrastructure software and applications. Openwave is a global company headquartered in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.openwave.com.

About Genie
 
Genie, the mobile Internet business of mmO2, is made up of web and WAP portals in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, South Korea and a WAP portal in Malaysia with 5.8 million registered accounts*.

Genie is also an application service provider (ASP) to network operators with its partner Seven. As an ASP, Genie offers hosted secure access to enterprise applications through an integrated customised portal. In addition, Genie in Asia Pacific hosts mobile Internet communications and portal services. Key Genie partners include Openwave Systems, Logica, Looksmart, Siemens and Palm.

In November 2000, Genie launched the UK's first exclusively online mobile service offering mobile phones (www.mobile.genie.co.uk/shop) with mobile Internet access through text messaging and WAP, soon to be offered in other markets.

*Genie traffic and user data sourced from Red Sheriff, 30 September 2001, Genie's data collection software and from Genie registration database.


Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
 
This release contains forward-looking statements relating to expectations, plans or prospects for Openwave Systems Inc. that are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of Openwave's management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: (a) risks associated with the development and licensing of software generally, including potential delays in software development and technical difficulties that may be encountered in the development or use of the Company's software; (b) competition and technological changes and developments; (c) general risks of the Internet and wireless and wireline telecommunications sectors; and (d) the uncertain economic and political climate in the United States and throughout the rest of the world and the potential that such climate may deteriorate further.

For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to the risk factors discussed in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC''), including but not limited to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001. All documents also are available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov or from Openwave's Web site at www.openwave.com. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements included in this document.


 
Openwave, the Openwave logo and Services OS are trademarks of Openwave Systems Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

For further information:
 
Contact Openwave Worldwide Public Relations

Openwave Systems Inc.
Openwave Systems Inc.
+1 650 480 4316
liz.landis@openwave.com

Genie
Kevin Caruth
+44 07771 964 595
kevin.caruth@genieinternet.com

  



 
Search Press Releases

Search
 
 
 
 
Openwave Investors
Stock information, email alerts, SEC documents and investor news.  
About Our Customers
Openwave customers serve over half of all mobile subscribers 
Openwave Executives
Openwave's team of visionary executives and board members 
Company Overview
Openwave's history and mission  
Industry Events
Learn about Openwave's presence at industry events. 
 
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS | PRIVACY POLICY | SITE MAPCopyright © 2000-2008 Openwave Systems Inc.