LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Jan. 27, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Bitfone Corporation (www.bitfone.com) today announced that mProve(tm) has been deployed in new PDC mobile phones developed by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc. to provide over-the-air (OTA) software update capability. The OTA initiative is expected to streamline mobile phone customer service by enabling mobile operators to remotely reflash the firmware image on phones while in the users' hands. NTT DoCoMo Inc.'s mova SO505iS is the new PDC phone made by Sony Ericsson offering OTA software update capability in Japan.
"We are pleased to offer Bitfone's OTA software update capability on our mobile phone providing convenience for our users. The technology also offers fast and efficient software download capability for DoCoMo and other mobile phone operators," said Hajime Watanabe, General Manager, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Japan. "Bitfone has been working with us to bring OTA firmware update technology to the Japanese market. In this initiative, they have repeatedly demonstrated that they are responsive, flexible and committed to helping customers embrace this new technology."
"Sony Ericsson Japan is a technology innovator in the wireless market and we are proud to work with them as their OTA technology provider," said Gene Wang, chairman and CEO, Bitfone. "The commercial deployment of mova SO505iS (made by Sony Ericsson) signifies the move to a new generation of mobile phones that are more dynamic, more reliable and more user friendly, which will benefit the entire wireless value chain."
Sony Ericsson Japan and Bitfone plan to work on future phone models with extended OTA capability for the Japanese market.
About Bitfone Corporation
Bitfone Corporation provides innovative software solutions for mobile device management. Bitfone's mProve(tm) is the wireless industry's leading technology that updates a mobile phone's core embedded software over the air, in a secure and fault-tolerant manner. mProve delivers significant cost savings in the areas of customer service and warranty, provides insurance against software-related device recalls, and accelerates adoption of wireless services. Bitfone is a global company headquartered in Laguna Niguel, California, with offices in China, Finland, Japan and Korea. Bitfone's investors include Nokia Venture Partners, St. Paul Venture Capital, 3i, Nexit Ventures, Motorola, Inc., Orange Ventures, KTB Ventures and CIR Ventures. For more information, please visit www.bitfone.com.