Sigmaroc. Regulatory News (SRC)

23 Oct 2006 07:00

Messaging International Plc23 October 2006 Messaging International Plc / Market: AIM / Epic: MES / Sector: Technology 23 October 2006 Messaging International Plc ("Messaging International" or "the Company") Trading Update Messaging International plc, the AIM traded provider of innovative messagingservices, is pleased to provide an update on its recent trading performance. TheCompany has completed a number of deals and is in active discussions with globaltelecom operators and enterprises with the intention of securing additionalsales and licensing agreements to increase the market uptake of MessagingInternationals product portfolio. Highlights include: • An agreement was signed to supply the Company's Text to Landline solution to Californian based telecoms operator, Boost Mobile(R). The service will enable Boost customers to send text messages, which are then converted to automated voice messages and delivered to any landline phone in the USA and Canada. The recipient can then send a voice or selected text message reply, which the original sender can retrieve through a text message alert. Boost Mobile customers will pay standard text message rates per outgoing message, and Messaging International will receive a percentage of the revenues generated. Boost is a lifestyle-based telecommunications brand focused on offering premium Pay-As-You-Go wireless phones and services to the youth market. It is among the fastest growing wireless services in the U.S. and has more than 3.6 million customers. • Two new solutions have been launched - PC to Multi-Media Services and PC to Text (MMS/SMS). New contracts for the services have already been signed with leading mobile operators in Israel (circa 2 million users) and Thailand (circa 20 million users) and there has been considerable interest from various other large telecom operators, which have requested proposals. • A partnership agreement has been signed with Syniverse Technologies (NYSE:SVR), a leading provider of mission-critical technology services to wireless telecommunications companies worldwide. This strategic agreement includes the appointment of Syniverse as a non-exclusive worldwide marketing representative to promote the Company's products. • A number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 North American operators are currently piloting the Company's proprietary Text to Landline solution, which converts text messages sent to a landline phone into automated voice messages. These are in addition to Sprint PCS, Nextel, Virgin Mobile and another Tier 1 operator, all of which launched this product in 2006. The Company has seen a steady monthly rise in the number of messages flowing through the platform - in January 2006 the Company processed 1.4 million messages and in August 2006 the number had risen to 2.2 million. • Licensing deals continue to expand with Isracard, the largest credit card provider in Israel and with Bank Leumi, the second largest bank in Israel, to enhance their messaging platforms. • Relationships have been established with various world leading messaging vendors, highlighting the growing awareness in the market for the Company's products. • Additionally, Messaging International is actively looking at opportunities to further develop the business and enhance its product offering to current and potential new customers through complementary acquisitions. With the benefit of the net proceeds received on its IPO, the Company enjoyed aperiod of growth during 2005 and 2006. The Company is now examining a range ofsuitable fundraising options available given its current stage of development.In the interim, the Company has obtained a banking credit facility of $250k,which was guaranteed by its Chairman. Messaging International CEO, Guy Levit, said: "We are committed to building ourinternational presence and continue to make strong progress in advancingagreements with major global wireless operators and enterprises. Despite thelong sales cycle to telecom carriers and their slow service launching process,we draw confidence from the growing recurring revenues derived from our healthycustomer base, the healthy pipeline of new business prospects and the growingawareness and demand for PC to SMS/MMS services, the Company's core products. ." * * ENDS * * Contacts: Guy Levit Messaging International Plc Tel: + 972 3 9225252 Isabel Crossley St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7242 4477 Notes Messaging International Plc Messaging International Plc joined AIM in August 2005 with the objective ofbecoming a leading provider in the rapidly growing multimedia messaging market.Its 100% owned subsidiary, TeleMessage Ltd (www.telemessage.com), providescross-platform media messaging management systems and applications. These aredesigned to enable PC, browser, mobile phone and wireline telephone users tosend, receive and manage voice messages, email, text (SMS), IM and MMS acrossvarious media platforms. It supports multiple languages, text to speechconversion, e-mail notification, unlimited SMS length, and direct reply to SMScapabilities, all illustrating the uniqueness of the service. The Company has anumber of contracts with major blue chip companies including Rogers Wireless,the largest wireless provider in Canada. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange