LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Aug. 24, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Bitfone Corporation (www.bitfone.com), the pioneer and patent holder of firmware over-the-air (FOTA) update technology for mobile phones, today announced that Ningbo Bird (BIRD), the largest mobile phone maker in China and eighth largest in the world, has selected Bitfone to provide device management technology for their mobile handsets.
BIRD is embedding device management agents from Bitfone into their devices in order to gain a better understanding of the device lifecycle after market. Bitfone's SmartCare agent will provide an auto-registration function that will allow BIRD to manage channel sales and regional market penetration by immediately getting the status of a device upon activation. Bitfone's mProve client will provide FOTA update capability when firmware upgrades are available, and Bitfone's MVA client will enable standards-based configuration, diagnostics and software management using the OMA-DM protocol.
"Device management is important to BIRD because it directly impacts our high-value brand," said Zhangxuan Zhang, General Manager of BIRD R&D Center. "Bitfone's technology will enable us to provide excellent after-sale customer service, helping BIRD to retain high customer loyalty and strong brand recognition."
Bitfone is working closely with several leading Chinese manufacturers, such as TCL, CECW, BIRD and UTStarcom, to deploy FOTA and other device management solutions. Bitfone also recently announced expanded device deployments worldwide with LGE and Motorola.
"We are thrilled that BIRD has chosen Bitfone as their device management supplier," said Frank Fu, vice president of Bitfone Asia-Pacific. "BIRD is a remarkable success story in the handset market, and a powerful testament to the skill and determination of the Chinese engineering and manufacturing teams that are helping them to become a global brand. We look forward to supporting BIRD with the best device management software in the industry."
About BIRD
BIRD is China's largest manufacturer of mobile phones and the No.1 mobile phone brand in China. Over 10 years ago, in our hometown of Fenghua, BIRD entered the pager market and by 1997 had become China's largest pager manufacturer. In 1999 we moved into mobile phone manufacturing. BIRD is now expanding into global markets through BIRD International, established in 2003 and headquartered in Hong Kong. Today we are driven by a bold approach to development, research and innovation, and our products are sold aggressively around the world. Our talented, well-trained and highly motivated employees are our most valuable asset and they work in close partnership with some of the world's leading technology companies. Together we have made BIRD a leader in the global mobile phone industry.
About Bitfone Corporation
Bitfone Corporation is the pioneer and patent holder of firmware over-the-air (FOTA) upgrade technology for mobile phones, used by the largest device and chipset manufacturers in the world, including Motorola, LGE, Sony Ericsson, BIRD, QUALCOMM, TCL and UTStarcom. Bitfone's mProve, MVP and SmartCare solutions allow wireless network operators to diagnose, service and enhance mobile devices while in the subscribers' hands. Bitfone's customers gain business agility, operational efficiency, and control over device launches and maintenance, resulting in dramatic cost savings, new revenue opportunities and increased subscriber satisfaction. Bitfone is a private company headquartered in Laguna Niguel, California, with offices in Canada, China, Japan, Korea, and the U.K. For more information, visit www.bitfone.com.