INWI and Gemalto Make Mobile Instant Messaging Available to All in Morocco

INWI and Gemalto Make Mobile Instant Messaging Available to All in Morocco

First Microsoft-certified UICC application enables mobile chatting through any handset

17^th March 2011 – Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces that INWI has rolled out LinqUs SIMessenger, the mobile instant messaging solution that enables users to keep in touch with their community while on the go. INWI is the dynamic new mobile operator in Morocco that has recorded strong growth since its inception in February 2010, signing up close to 4 million subscribers in one year. Gemalto’s LinqUs SIMessenger is the world’s first Microsoft-certified UICC-based application, enabling mobile chatting through any handset.

LinqUs SIMessenger offers an intuitive menu that allows subscribers – using any type of basic or smart handsets – to access their Windows Live Messenger environment with an experience similar to what they get when accessing it from a PC. Its user-friendly interface enables quick and easy navigation, so that users retrieve the messaging service they are familiar with while on the move. It requires no service education, thus guaranteeing high usage.

INWI’s rollout of LinqUs SIMessenger has met with huge success – the operator has already surpassed the 250,000 milestone for passes sold every month since commercial launch in February 2010. As a result INWI has been able to enhance its brand image as an innovative player thanks to this compelling service.

“Building on the growing usage of social networking in Morocco, INWI is answering a strong market demand with LinqUs SIMessenger,” commented Frédéric Debord, CEO of INWI. “Gemalto’s operated services have enabled us to reduce time to market, sign up a significant number of new subscribers, and received very positive feedback. Our customers do appreciate being able to chat from their mobile phone in a very simple way, regardless of their handset model.”

“As a new mobile operator growing in the Moroccan market, INWI aims to differentiate. Gemalto is committed to supporting INWI in offering value-added services to all of its customers, regardless of their handsets,” added Jean-François Schreiber, senior vice president, Software and Services with Gemalto. “INWI is first in Morocco to launch the LinqUs SIMessenger – the only solution that works on 100% of handsets – creating new revenue flow and contributing to customer loyalty for them.”

Additional information on INWI

INWI is the first and only wireless operator in Morocco to offer pay per second calling. Value added services, including mobile instant messaging, account for 12% of INWI’s 2010 revenue. Based on these achievements, INWI won the Morocco Awards 2010 prize for the best service offering. The Morocco Awards recognize the most competitive Moroccan companies.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with revenues of €1.9 billion in 2010, and over 10 thousand employees operating out of 87 offices and 13 Research & Development centers in 45 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. The freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work—anytime, anywhere—has become an integral part of what people want and expect, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure.

Gemalto delivers on the growing demands of billions of people worldwide for mobile connectivity, identity and data protection, credit card safety, health and transportation services, eGovernment services and national security. We do this by providing solutions that leverage Gemalto’s secure software and services for governments, wireless operators, banks and enterprises to help them achieve their goals, enabled by a wide range of secure personal devices.  Gemalto is the world leader for electronic passports and identify cards, smart banking cards, two-factor authentication smart tokens for online protection, Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) and Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICC) in mobile phones.  Moreover Gemalto delivers on emerging applications related to the ‘Internet of things’ by supplying wireless modules and Machine Identification Modules (MIM) for Machine-to-Machine communication.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the Company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com, blog.gemalto.com, or follow @gemalto on Twitter.

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