Posted by schendera, at 11:28AM 08/18/08 : Synchronica Acquires AxisMobile and Raises Funds of $18 Million in 2008
Note: Synchronica Acquires AxisMobile and Raises Funds of $18 Million in 2008
Landmark Acquisition Aims to Build Leading Mass Market Mobile Email and Synchronization Solutions Provider
Royal Tunbridge Wells, 18 August, 2008. - Synchronica plc (AIM: SYNC.LN), the international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, today announced that it is acquiring consumer mobile email specialist AxisMobile for USD 4.9 million in new Synchronica shares. Synchronica also stated that it has raised additional funds of USD 10 million from new and existing institutional investors which brings the total funding secured in 2008 to USD 18 million. The additional funds will be used to accelerate product integration and fuel the growth of the combined business in emerging markets, such as China, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
The AxisMobile acquisition aims to make Synchronica the leading player in mass market mobile email and synchronization middleware for mobile operators and service providers. The addition of AxisMobile's complimentary technology, customer base, and routes to market, combined with the injection of USD 10 million of additional funds will enable Synchronica to provide mass market mobile email solutions that work on more than three billion mobile phones in the market today.
AxisMobile's consumer mobile email platform complements Synchronica's award-winning Mobile Gateway software by adding email-to-SMS and email-to-MMS gateways, as well as a clientless solution for WAP / XHTML browser access. AxisMobile's patented Optimizer email transcoding gateway further adds the ability to display a large variety of attachments, such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint presentations on standard feature phones handsets that would otherwise be unable to support such functionality.
The AxisMobile acquisition will also enlarge Synchronica's footprint in emerging markets by adding a strong sales force and key customer contracts in the relatively untapped areas of Eastern Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Russia to Synchronica's existing sales presence in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Currently, AxisMobile has eight live customer installations with major mobile operators, predominantly in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and China.
Customers include: MTS, the largest mobile operator in Russia and CIS with 84 million customers; Megafon, a Russian mobile network operator with 34 million customers across 88 regions of the Russian federation including its Moscow subsidiary Sonic Duo; T-Mobile; IXI Mobile, consumer back-ends for USA, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay; E-Plus, Germany's third largest mobile network operator with 13.6 million customers; as well as a major Chinese bank.
AxisMobile has also secured contract wins with a leading Ukrainian mobile network operator, a further leading tier one Russian mobile network operator, and a leading Swiss mobile network operator.
Commenting on the acquisition, Synchronica CEO Carsten Brinkschulte says: "The fundraising and the acquisition of AxisMobile is a dramatic acceleration for Synchronica, and I believe that it will build value for our shareholders. We aim to build a world leader in the market of consumer mobile email and synchronization solutions, and this acquisition is a key milestone which will improve our competitive positioning and accelerate our commercial growth. It will increase our ability to sell to customers, particularly to those in emerging economies where we see the largest potential growth for mobile email and synchronization. With the fundraising and the acquisition of AxisMobile, Synchronica now has sufficient mass and funding to take advantage of the outstanding opportunity to exploit the commercial potential of mass market mobile email. The next few years will be an exciting time for us all here at Synchronica and for our customers around the globe. We look forward with increased confidence from this inflect on point."
Shai Schiller, Executive Chairman of AxisMobile, adds: "This is the start of an exciting new era for AxisMobile and our customers. There are real synergies between Synchronica's products and target markets and our own, so it makes great commercial sense to combine forces. Both companies are committed to open standards and to developing products that work on even the most basic of handsets - a must given that the market for mass market mobile email is being fuelled by demand from the developing world. We are confident that the combined might of our two companies will prove to be greater than the sum of its parts."
Forecasts point to emerging markets as a breakthrough area for mass market mobile email. Informa predicts that there will be 4.81 billion mobile phone subscribers by 2012, with the next billion subscribers coming from emerging markets where PC and fixed-line penetration is low.
Synchronica's Mobile Gateway delivers push email and mobile synchronization of calendar and contact data, targeting consumer and business users with connectors to mass market mailboxes, such as Yahoo or Gmail, as well as business mailboxes, such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino. Unlike other solutions, Mobile Gateway does not require users to install additional software on the handset or behind the firewall and instead uses the dominant open industry standards Push IMAP and SyncML (OMA DS) to synchronize the built-in email and PIM applications pre-installed on more than 1.5 billion handsets in the market.
With the injection of AxisMobile technology, even the most basic phones will be able to send and receive email, further expanding the addressable market for Mobile Gateway in the consumer sector and in particular in emerging markets where low-end devices are dominating the market.
Virtual Press Conference on the Announcement
Synchronica will be hosting a virtual press conference on August 18, 2008, 11.00 BST, for members of the press and analyst communities. In addition to a presentation by Carsten Brinkschulte, Synchronica's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Cornelius the industry-respected analyst from FinnCap will add his perspective to the announcement.
Access to the web conference can be obtained by emailing david.clark@synchronica.com on 18 August before 10:30 U.K. time.
About AxisMobile
AxisMobile was founded in early 2000. It is a leader in the emerging market of consumer mobile email which allows consumers to access email via mobile telephone handsets. AxisMobile's objective is to provide software that drives the mass market adoption of mobile email and related products by making multimedia information portable, ubiquitous, and easy to access on subscribers' existing mobile handsets at an attractive cost. AxisMobile's email platform provides a one-stop-shop for consumer mobile as it supports Web, WAP, IMAP4, MMS, SMS, and J2ME interfaces. Such interfaces cover most methods of transmitting mobile data communications. AxisMobile's platform means that mobile operators no longer need to integrate platforms from different vendors. This reduces costs. AxisMobile aims to leverage customer relationships by offering additional products and services based on its technology platform, hence producing cross sales and increasing the value to customers and to its shareholders. Further information on AxisMobile is available from the web site http://www.axismobile.com
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. Products include the push email and synchronization solution Mobile Gateway and the mass market device backup solution Mobile Backup. Headquartered in the U.K., with a development center in Germany and presences in the USA, Hong Kong, and Dubai. Synchronica plc is a public company traded on the AIM list of the London Stock Exchange (SYNC.LN). More information is available at http://www.synchronica.com
For more information, please contact:
Nicole Meissner
Chief Marketing Officer
Tel.: +44 1892 552 780
Mobile: +44 7977 256 412
Fax: +44 1892 552 721
nicole.meissner@synchronica.com tags: synchronization
· emerging markets
· acquisition
· axismobile
· middleware
and 2 more. groups: in 3G Wireless, Telecom, MobileTech, Wireless
Posted by schendera, at 08:11AM 08/08/08 : Synchronica Mobile Gateway Wins Best Mobile Solution Award of Network Products Guide Reader Trust
Note: Synchronica Mobile Gateway Selected as 2008 Best Products and Services Winner in Mobile Solutions
Santa Clara, Royal Tunbridge Wells, 8 August, 2008. - Synchronica plc announced today that Mobile Gateway has won the 2008 Reader Trust Award for Best in Mobile Solution from Network Products Guide, a Silicon Valley Communications publication and a world leading publication on technologies and solutions. This respected annual award honors products and services that represent the rapidly changing needs and interests of the end-users of technology worldwide. As part of the tech industry's leading global awards program, this year's Best Products and Services were nominated from all over the world. tags: software
· award
· oma ds
· mobile solution
· pim synchronization
and 5 more. groups: in 3G Wireless, Telecom, MobileTech, Wireless
Posted by schendera, at 03:14PM 07/16/08 : Synchronica Sets Sights on Africa with 'BlackBerry-like Solution for the Masses'
Note: Synchronica plc, the international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, is offering Mobile Gateway, its mass market push email infrastructure software, in response to major mobile operators in Africa, wishing to provide affordable BlackBerry-like services. The software which has already been licensed to two major African operators uses industry standards for push email and synchronization and works with more than 1.5 billion phones in use around the world today. This makes it ideal for consumers, prosumers, as well as small businesses in Africa where basic handsets are the norm and where mobile email solves the inherent problems caused by low fixed-line and PC penetration. tags: software
· synchronization
· emerging markets
· blackberry
· sms
and 5 more. groups: in Telecom, MobileTech, Wireless
Posted by schendera, at 01:03PM 03/10/08 : Synchronica Wins Additional Award
Note: Synchronica plc, international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, has once again won the Silver European Seal of E-Excellence Award. The jury, consisting of senior executives from European multimedia associations, honored Synchronica for its successful communication strategy to make mobile email attractive to the mass market. The award was presented at the CeBIT fair in Hannover, Germany.
tags: emerging markets
· cebit
· synchronization solutions
· european multimedia award
· mobile email
and 1 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 06:36AM 03/07/08 : Synchronica Receives Innovation Award 2008
Note: Synchronica plc, international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, has been honored with an innovation award for its outstanding products. The Initiative Mittelstand Innovation Award is extremely competitive, and Synchronica's products were selected from 1600 entrants. The award was presented on March 6th at the CeBIT fair.
http://www.synchronica.com/news/080307-synchronica-receives-innovation-award-2008.shtml tags: mobile backup
· initiative mittelstand
· synchronization solution
· email to sms functionality
· cebit
and 3 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 09:48AM 02/27/08 : Synchronica Brings 2008 funding to $7.5 Million to Capitalize on Mobile Email Opportunities in Emerging Markets
Note: Synchronica plc, an international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, has raised an additional USD 3.9 million to further fund its push into emerging markets with its mobile email and backup solutions. Mobile Gateway enables operators to offer push email on mass market handsets for both consumer and business users, while Mobile Backup offers a backup and restore service for the personal information stored on devices.
http://www.synchronica.com/news/080227-synchronica-brings-2008-funding-to-usd-7-5-million-to-capitalize-on-mobile-email-opportunities.shtml tags: emerging markets
· mobile backup
· blackberry
· operator
· synchronization solutions
and 4 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 08:05AM 02/13/08 : Synchronica Signs Global Distribution Deal with Brightstar for Mobile Gateway
Note: Synchronica plc, the mobile email and synchronization company, is pleased to announce a worldwide agreement with Brightstar Corp., a global leader in distribution and supply chain solutions for the mobile industry, for the distribution of its award-winning mobile push email and synchronization technology Mobile Gateway.
http://www.synchronica.com/news/080213-synchronica-signs-global-distribution-deal-with-brightstar-for-mobile-gateway.shtml tags: synchronization
· emerging markets
· wireless market
· synchronica
· brightstar
and 2 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 07:11AM 02/11/08 : Synchronica Mobile Gateway 3.5 Brings Mobile Email to Any Phone
Note: Synchronica plc, international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, has announced that the latest version of its ground-breaking mobile email middleware Mobile Gateway 3.5 now incorporates an email-to-SMS gateway expanding support for push email to more than 3 billion phones including the most basic handsets on the market.
http://www.synchronica.com/news/080211-synchronica-mobile-gateway-3-5-brings-mobile-email-to-any-phone.shtml tags: software
· synchronization
· emerging markets
· microsoft exchange
· email to sms
and 4 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 02:29PM 01/31/08 : The Year of Mobile Email and Backup and Restore for the Masses
Note: 2008 will be the year when mobile email and backup and restore for mobile devices take off, in particular in emerging markets. We will see massive growth in mobile email in the consumer space due to the successful adoption of industry standards such as IMAP (LEMONADE) and SyncML, bringing high-value services to low-cost devices. Additionally, as many users now use their phone as the only repository for storing contact information, we will see an increase in operators offering consumers backup and restore services to insure their social networks when devices are lost, stolen, or upgraded.
tags: backup and restore
· sms
· push email
· imap idle
· middleware
and 2 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 08:52AM 01/16/08 : Synchronica Raises $3.6 (£1.9) Million in Funding Through Placement of Shares
Note: Synchronica plc (AIM: SYNC.LN), an international provider of mobile email and synchronization solutions, has raised USD 3.624 (GBP 1.857) million in funds through a placing of new ordinary shares with Lanstead Capital L.P. The proceeds will be used for continued development and accelerated commercialization of Synchronica's award-winning Mobile Gateway product that will add growth in its core mobile email business. The move strengthens Synchronica's position at a time when growth in mass market mobile email services is set to explode, and consumer demand for over-the-air (OTA) backup and restore service is increasing.
tags: software
· synchronization
· backup and restore
· push email
· mobile industry
and 4 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 08:53AM 11/05/07 : Synchronica Acquires IMAP Specialist GoodServer
Note: Synchronica plc, a leading international vendor of mobile synchronization and device management software, today announced that it has acquired essentially all assets of the U.S. mobile email specialist GoodServer. GoodServer's technology is a key component of Synchronica's Mobile Gateway and underpins the mobile email products of a number of players in the telecoms market. The acquisition will give Synchronica sole rights to GoodServer's intellectual property (IP) and existing license contracts.
tags: software
· goodserver
· push email
· imap4
· nokia intellisync
and 7 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 05:55AM 09/02/07 : Synchronization - Mobile Device Management - Push Email
Note: Synchronica plc, international provider of mobile synchronization and device management solutions, launches Mobile Manager Backup & Restore 1.3 today. The software - part of Synchronica Mobile Manager Suite - enables mobile operators and application service providers (ASP) to generate additional, subscription-based revenue streams from consumers who want to know that the data stored on their mobile phones can be returned to them immediately in the event of their phones being lost or stolen.
tags: mobile phone
· software
· syncml
· application service providers
· mobile operators
and 4 more. groups: in Telecom
Posted by schendera, at 06:20AM 08/29/07 : Synchronization - Mobile Device Management - Push Email
Note: Synchronica plc, international provider of mobile synchronization and device management solutions, is offering users of mass market feature phones and smartphones from the likes of Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung a free trial of its Mobile Gateway 3.0 mobile synchronization software. Available immediately, the trial allows users of any mobile phone that supports the industry standard IMAP and SyncML protocols – which means most phones - to use Mobile Gateway free of charge to send and receive corporate and personal email. tags: dubai
· free trial
· middle east
· mobile email
· nokia
and 6 more. groups: in Telecom