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Openbit and Dangaard Telecom Accelerate Symbian OS™ Smartphone Functionality
Openbit Ltd, the global leading services provider of super distribution, digital rights management, and on-device payment solutions for Symbian OS™ applications; and Dangaard Telecom A/S, Europe's largest distributor of mobile phones and original accessories for mobile phones, announce that together they have achieved remarkable sales figures through content preinstallations. Altogether 40% of end users who buy a Symbian OS phone buy at least one Symbian OS application or game found directly from the phone's preinstalled content menu.
As a result of the co-operation between Openbit and Dangaard Telecom, Symbian OS smartphone users are offered easy and quick access to extra applications that have been installed in advance to their handsets by Dangaard Telecom. The smartphone user pays only for those applications that s/he decides to use. The users' smartphone experience is enhanced, as they can avoid the hassle of discovering and downloading additional software from remote locations. Moreover, thanks to a variety of on-device payment methods the user needs to pay only for the software s/he actually decides to use.
Unique end user generates purchases worth an average of 11 euros
The solution provides good news for mobile operators. In cooperation with one European operator, Openbit and Dangaard Telecom tracked for a period of 6 months a selected end user sample, and the results were excellent. A buying penetration of the sample was very promising: four out of ten end users bought at least one periodic licence and about 10% bought licenses over 10 times. On average, each end user generated sales approximately of 11 euros, which meant a significant increase in ARPU for the operator since all payments were done using premium SMS. Openbit and Dangaard expect that the results of preinstalled premium software with optional payments can be even higher, because the initial trial was done essentially without any marketing input.
"For Dangaard Telecom, it's all about adding extra value to our cooperation partners. We are therefore very pleased to be able to offer content pre-installations in cooperation with Openbit. By pre-installing additional applications and games on Symbian OS Smartphones, we not only add extra value for the operators, in the form of profits from premium SMS, but also for the retailers, who will have "enriched" products on their shelves. At the same time, we admit that this gives Dangaard Telecom a competitive advantage on Symbian OS Smartphones that still gain more and more footing in the manufacturers' assortment. All in all, this is a concept that adds value to all in the value chain" says Ole Mikkelsen, Business Developer in Dangaard Telecom A/S.
“We believe that installing add-on software in advance onto the memory cards of the phones is a very efficient way to boost the demand for Symbian OS smartphones and the services provided by mobile operators. The first deliveries have clearly demonstrated that pre-installed software contributes to positive end-user experiences, and end-users are able to reap out more value from owning Symbian OS smartphone. We are proud to collaborate with Dangaard Telecom on this, and together to provide added value to mobile operators and retailers,” says Jouni H. Leinonen, COO, Openbit Ltd.
About Openbit.
Openbit Ltd is the global leading services provider of super distribution, digital rights management, and on-device payment solutions for Symbian OS™ applications. Openbit solutions enable legal copying of software, copy protection of applications, and versatile on-device payment methods for Symbian OS™ smartphones. Openbit is located in Finland. Openbit offerings are deployed on worldwide basis by content providers, mobile phone manufacturers and distributors, and network operators.
About Dangaard Telecom.
Dangaard Telecom has its headquarters in Padborg and is Europe's largest distributor of mobile phones and original accessories for mobile phones. Through new services, the company has developed the traditional distributor role and is today the preferred Value Adding Distributor for a number of Europe's largest manufacturers of mobile phones, teleoperators and retail chains. Dangaard Telecom has about 1400 employees in 15 countries and in the 2003-04 financial year, the company achieved revenues of €1,314 million.
About Symbian Signed
Symbian Signed is the industry-endorsed application signing program that promotes best practise in Symbian OS content and application development. The program tests applications against industry-agreed criteria in support of network operator and mobile manufacturer requirements. Symbian Signed is designed to satisfy mobile developers' needs and ensures a thriving, open market for trusted mobile applications by providing a single, low-cost and unified certification program. The program also delivers developer authentication and anti-tamper security for Symbian OS applications.
About Symbian Signed certified content
Openbit recently announced it is offering “Symbian signing” services to software developers and distributors as an official Symbian Signed self-certifier. Openbit will test third party applications and sign them with Openbit's own ACS Publisher ID prior to requesting a signing with the Symbian certificate. Based on the co-operation Openbit will certify all the content delivered to Dangaard Telecom. Certification guarantees end users that the content is tested based on the accurate criteria by Symbian and is high quality.
About Symbian Ltd
Symbian is a software licensing company that develops and licenses Symbian OS, the global open industry standard operating system for advanced, data-enabled mobile phones.
Symbian licenses Symbian OS to the world's leading handset manufacturers. The following Symbian OS licensees have Symbian OS-based mobile phones in production and / or in development: Arima, BenQ, Fujitsu for NTT DoCoMo FOMA, LG, Lenovo, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Sendo, Sharp, Siemens, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. In 2004, over 14 million Symbian OS-based mobile phones were sold worldwide and more than 25 million have been sold to date.
Symbian has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom with offices in the United States, Europe, Israel, Australia and Asia (Bangalore, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo).
For further information about Symbian please see www.symbian.com or email press@symbian.com.
For more information, please contact:
Openbit Ltd. Jouni H. Leinonen Chief Operating Officer jouni.leinonen@openbit.com Mob. +358 40 759 3613 Tel. +358 3 212 2893 Fax. +358 9 678 613 www.openbit.com
Openbit Ltd. Antti Seppälä Marketing Manager Antti.seppala@openbit.com Mob. +358 50 4060545 Tel. +358 3 212 2893 Fax. +358 9 678 613 www.openbit.com
Dangaard Telecom A/S Ole Mikkelsen Manager New Business Development Partner Phone direct: +45 7330 3067 Mobile phone: +45 2181 1500 Fax: +45 7330 3269 Mail: omi@dangaard.com www: www.dangaard.com