NTOP did OK!!
Late day STRM news...likely to move AH and AM...
biz.yahoo.com
StarMedia Unveils Comprehensive Location-Based Service Capabilities For Wireless Carriers in Latin America
Telemig Premiers StarMedia's Proprietary Wireless Solution in Brazil
NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- StarMedia Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: STRM - news; starmedia.com), the leading integrated Internet media and solutions company for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences worldwide, today announced the launch of a comprehensive location-based service, with Telemig Celular as the first carrier partner. The location-based service (LBS) enables wireless carriers to offer their customers location-relevant information that they request directly from their wireless devices in real time. The LBS solution combines StarMedia's proprietary wireless technology, Wireless Internet Server (WIS) with its rich content, and is integrated into the carrier's current infrastructure to deliver the service to wireless users. This new offering together with StarMedia's existing wireless solutions, offers carriers value-added and differentiating services that encourage customer loyalty, cell phone usage, and ultimately increase revenues.
Beginning next week, Telemig's customers subscribed to this service will be able to request location-relevant content, such as the location of the nearest movie premiere, by selecting predetermined keywords (ex. GUIA CINE VISTOS). The LBS module interacts with content from StarMedia's guides to collect the desired information and deliver it to the customer. StarMedia's guides provide current information on movies, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, theatre, exhibitions, hotels, and more.
StarMedia's LBS, a service that enables users to send information requests directly from their wireless devices, is an illustration of the ``Pull Model'' utilizing Mobile Originated Short Message Services (MO-SMS). This announcement illustrates the value proposition of the ``Pull model,'' which has been successfully implemented in some European and Asian markets, and is in early stages of adaptation in Latin America.
As StarMedia's existing wireless technology, the LBS technology is created to be compatible with existing carrier infrastructure, so that it can be easily integrated and deployed in the most efficient way. This integration of services and technology benefits both the carrier and its customers in that it allows the carrier to market the service as part of its existing suite of offerings, while offering customers innovative new services seamlessly incorporated into the carrier's billing system.
``The launch of the location-based service in Brazil demonstrates StarMedia's commitment to continue providing our clients with the latest and most comprehensive wireless solutions allowing them to improve their offering and maximize their revenue streams,'' said Enrique Narciso, CEO, StarMedia Network. ``As an integrated Internet media and solutions company StarMedia is uniquely positioned to offer carriers the total package, including the technology and content, for wireless Internet applications such as LBS,'' said Narciso.
``Through the ongoing partnership with StarMedia, Telemig has pioneered the wireless Internet industry in Brazil, offering our customers the most comprehensive services available,'' said Ricardo Grau, Marketing Director for Telemig. ``We are very pleased to build on this partnership, and to offer our customers the latest wireless Internet services,'' said Grau.
Tremendous growth is predicted for wireless penetration in Latin America.
Jupiter Research estimates the number of wireless subscribers in the
region to climb 28% per year from 65 million in 2000 to 221 million in
2005.
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