SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 1, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Mobile communications executives and wireless experts from five continents gathered at Marina Village in San Diego, California last week for Global Mobile 2003, a one-of-a-kind conference dedicated to mobile communications. A conference overview is available at www.sms.ac/globalmobile.
During the two-day event, nearly 800 registered attendees helped to shape the future of the wireless industry. And while there was intense discussion over what types of mobile applications will generate the greatest revenues and further debate over which applications will be the most compelling for consumers, the clear consensus was that mobile operators must open their networks and allow third-party billing integration if the industry is to flourish.
Patrick McQuown, CEO and co-founder of Proteus, delivered a keynote address on the second day of the conference. "Global Mobile 2003 was a great venue in which to share our view on what we believe to be the prime market opportunities and what operators need to do to make the space a success," said McQuown. "I received an excellent response and validating opinions from other leading companies. Global Mobile 2003 was the type of event I look for to move my business forward."
Set right on the water, Global Mobile 2003's theme was "In Search of the Killer App." The conference featured 100 speakers, including CEOs, senior executives, industry analysts, media members and celebrities. Eight-time Grammy Award winner Herbie Hancock was among participants involved in panel discussions that focused on topics ranging from mobile marketing, next-generation handsets and mobile gaming to mobile billing, distribution of content and the latest technology breakthroughs.
"I participated in a panel that provoked some compelling dialogue and generated some very interesting feedback from the audience," said Vinit Nijhawan, CEO of Taral Networks. Nijhawan shared his perspectives on multimedia messaging (MMS) during a discussion of what consumers want in a killer application. "Throughout Global Mobile 2003, industry movers were present, talking about the topics that matter with regard to growing the wireless communication space. The conference environment was conducive to doing business and getting deals done -- and it was entertaining as well."
Curtis Wick, director of testing and technical development for LG InfoComm shared a similar sentiment. "lobal Mobile 2003 was a valuable forum for wireless professionals to share recent industry and company advances, discuss future trends and develop business contacts. This event was personally and professionally rewarding for everyone involved as speakers, panelists or attendees."
SMS.ac, Inc., a wireless communications company that is host to the world's largest mobile community, organized the conference. "The reaction from Global Mobile 2003 attendees was overwhelming,"said Michael Pousti, chairman and chief executive officer at SMS.ac, Inc. (www.sms.ac). "It is gratifying to assemble such a high caliber of companies and industry visionaries. Global Mobile 2003 was conceived as a unique opportunity for companies around the world to hash-out some of the issues facing the mobile communications industry and identify ways to change the wireless landscape. We are confident that this inaugural event has set the stage for the Global Mobile series to be `must attend' conferences, in 2004 and beyond."
The session participants throughout both days echoed a common challenge for mobile operators around the world to open billing platforms and allow integration with third-parties. The goal is to provide consumers with exceptional user experiences. As more application developers and service providers are incented through revenue-share deals with operators, mobile communications activity will accelerate and the industry will grow. "Operators win, consumers win, everyone wins, when the operators realize what is at stake and enable integration to occur on a global scale," said Pousti.
In addition to its keynotes, panels and product demonstrations, Global Mobile 2003 rocked the venue with two high-energy "Always Connected" networking parties. The event opened with a welcome party and an exciting performance by music group Lapdog (former members of the superstar band, Toad the Wet Sprocket). Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Rick Monroe and his band electrified the second evening's party and got the dance floor jumping.
"It was a pleasure to be a part of Global Mobile 2003," said Napoleon Cole, CEO of Octane Mobile. "I found the event's speakers and panelists were highly qualified and had valuable insight into the mobile market. As a sponsor, I was pleased by the positive response to Octane Mobile's mission to drive MMS adoption in the U.S. and abroad. I look forward to Global Mobile 2004."
Global Mobile 2003 thanks its Gold Sponsors: mBlox, Octane Mobile and Qualcomm. Global Mobile 2003 also thanks its product sponsors, including Apex Digital, Hansen's Sodas, Laptops Plus, PrimeZone Media Network, Samuel Adams Beer, Sierra Springs Water, Stuart Cellars Winery and United Airlines.
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About SMS.ac
SMS.ac, Inc. is a wireless communications company whose proprietary MMSbox technology enables the exchange of text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) mobile communications across any technology platform and deliverable to any enabled wireless device. A demonstration of MMSbox technology is available at www.sms.ac. With approximately 10 million registered users in 220 countries, SMS.ac is host to the largest mobile community in the world, offering connectivity to more than 400 mobile networks worldwide. Through its core MMSbox(tm) technologies, SMS.ac, Inc. enables interoperable, worldwide wireless interaction between network operators, the Internet, enterprises, consumers and application/content developers. Through its global initiatives, SMS.ac is igniting the widespread adoption and use of wireless data.
SMS.ac derives revenues through shared revenue relationships with mobile operators around the world. Revenues are also realized from mobile advertisements, technology licensing, subscriptions, sponsorships and other streams. SMS.ac's consumer site (www.sms.ac) is an example of the brandable web interfaces to MMSbox(tm) technologies available for licensing. To view the SMS.ac corporate web site, visit www.sms.ac/corporate.