Utrecht, September 15, 1999. CMG's WAP Service Broker product includes support of legacy (pre-WAP) phones. This capability enables operators to leverage WAP content and services to all subscribers in a mobile network. Mobile users can access WAP services by entering simple command strings on the handset.

The WAP Service Broker legacy handset support creates a win-win-win situation for users, operators and content providers. Legacy users can now enjoy new services while using their existing handsets. In doing so, they develop a taste for WAP at no additional cost. Operators can protect their investments in ongoing handset programs and create significant additional value added services revenue streams in the customer base. In the process, they actively develop the market for the new generation of WAP information services. Content providers benefit because the short- and medium-term market demand for the new content and services improves dramatically.

'Legacy handset support addresses a major concern of our customers', explains Peter Maathuis, Managing Director of CMG Telecommunications. 'Even though we are just at the beginning of WAP deployment in the market, it is becoming more and more clear that providers of mobile content and services will devote their development resources to WAP. This leaves mobile operators with a major concern: how can we offer new innovative and differentiating services to users who have no immediate plans to obtain a WAP handset? Even in aggressive WAP growth scenarios for mature mobile telecommunications markets, legacy handsets keep to outnumber WAP handsets in the coming 2-4 years'.

The WAP Service Broker accesses the applicable WAP service and sends the response text to the mobile. CMG's Short Message Service is used as a bearer. The WAP Service Broker supports a web-based configuration tool that allows operators to select appropriate WAP services and to configure the rules for defining the command syntax, the URL compilation rules and the WML extraction rules. Thus, operators can create new services for legacy users based on WAP without having to change a single line of code.

'CMG does not believe in generic and automatic content conversion of whatever kind. We do believe in manually configured conversion of individual hand-picked services', states Product Manager Wim Wedershoven. 'Modern content is built to create a high quality user experience on a specific device or range of devices. We have not yet seen a generic content converter that can preserve that user experience over a conversion'.

Background Information

CMG has been an active member of the WAP Forum since 1998. The company is one of the few suppliers of cellular information systems having such a comprehensive solution - possibly the only supplier. The key products that make up CMG's offer to the mobile communications industries are: short message service centres, cell broadcast systems, mobile e-mail systems and the WAP Service Broker. CMG has supplied over 100 systems to 60 mobile operators in over fifty countries and the company is the undisputed market leader in messaging and gateway solutions.

CMG PLC is a public company founded in 1964 operates internationally from its bases in the UK, Ireland, the United States of America, China, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium, implementing and supporting applications for clients around the world. Shares are traded on the Amsterdam and London stock exchanges.

For more information please contact:
Anke Hendriksma
Tel: +31 (0) 30 23 39 300
Fax: + 31 (0) 30 23 39 490
Email: [email protected]