SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- After a brief testing period, wireless technologies pioneer SMS.ac, Inc. today heralded the official release of smsPeople(tm), a technology showcase where consumers from around the world leverage SMS.ac's reach of over 400 wireless networks to send text and data messages. Users are able to search for and instantly connect with people in the world's first true wireless "anytime, anywhere" community (www.sms.ac/people).
During the first four hours of the smsPeople launch, more than 100,000 members from the global SMS.ac community had already used this totally wireless technology to communicate instantly via text messaging. Yesterday, SMS.ac announced that in the first weeks since the launch of its web site, more than 1.75 million users already registered to use the wireless messaging services offered at www.sms.ac.
Accessible through nearly any wireless device, smsPeople enables consumers to instantly locate and send SMS (short message service) communications to millions of mobile phones. In addition to sending messages to friends and family, SMS.ac members are able to locate and communicate with new friends by utilizing the smsPeople search function. This search technology bridges multiple technology standards and wireless operator boundaries and locates matches based on criteria such as age, location, gender and a variety of social interests.
For instance, a 21-year old female skiing enthusiast from London who will be traveling to the U.S. can readily locate a female skiing partner her own age who also enjoys going to nightclubs and watching comedy movies, simply by using the smsPeople search indicators. Utilizing smsPeople search functions, users can also find males or females to communicate with in San Diego that are around the age of 30, like the television show "Friends," and listen to alternative music. Try the smsPeople friend-finder yourself by visiting www.sms.ac/people.
"Our users provide us with a tremendous amount of personal data, because they recognize that communication is what drives this unique community," said Michael Pousti, chairman and chief executive officer of SMS.ac. "Despite what is widely reported regarding online offerings, content is not king -- and never has been. Communication is king. I invite everyone to explore the offerings at www.sms.ac to see what the excitement is all about."
The allure of wireless data is that for the first time, consumers are no longer tethered to their network PCs and yet they can receive important communications -- where and when they want them. Just as the Sony Walkman freed consumers from being bound to home hi-fi systems, and mobile phones unchained the world from reliance on fixed (wired) phones, wireless data is now serving to liberate consumers from reliance on the terrestrial, Internet-enabled PC.
SMS.ac technologies such as smsPeople come with built-in global usership that is especially appealing to wireless network operators. The technologies can be easily and transparently integrated into their existing infrastructures. Pousti says that smsPeople, like other SMS.ac offerings, can be effectively monetized and can help operators retain customer bases, while increasing revenues per user (ARPUs).
"The viral nature of 'community' promotes the sending of more and more messages," added Pousti. "That, in and of itself, is attractive to operators who charge customers for SMS use. As a result of this technology, consumers for the first time can now send SMS messages to not just people they know, but to people they would like to know, materially increasing the demand for messaging. And the relationships that are generated within the community work as a differentiator and retention mechanism for operators."
The benefits to wireless operators are additional subscribers in addition to increased differentiation, retention and revenues. To learn more about SMS.ac and to discover how this brandable technology can be easily integrated into your wireless network, visit www.sms.ac or contact bizdev@sms.ac.
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About SMS.ac
Through its core technologies, SMS.ac enables network operators, technology standards, consumers and application/content developers to interact worldwide. SMS.ac's MMSbox(tm) technologies unify GSM, CDMA, TDMA, the Internet and next-generation standards for the first time. The result is interaction not previously possible amongst a critical mass of developers, consumers and businesses -- igniting the widespread adoption and use of wireless data for network operators.
SMS.ac drives revenues through technology licensing, subscriptions, sponsorships and shared revenue opportunities. SMS.ac's consumer site (www.sms.ac) is an example of the brandable web interfaces to MMSbox(tm) technologies available for licensing. The community of wireless enthusiasts at SMS.ac represents one of the fastest growing consumer properties on the Internet. SMS.ac and MMSbox are trademarks of SMS.ac, Incorporated. Other trademarks or service marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. To view the SMS.ac corporate web site, visit www.sms.ac/corporate.