Bango PLC
26 September 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BANGO PLC
Agreement with Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Set out below is the text of an announcement jointly issued today by Bango and
Sun Microsystems, Inc. in advance of CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2005,
which is being held this week in San Francisco, California:
Sun Microsystems and Bango Simplify Delivery of Java-based Games
and other Mobile Content on Java.com
Millions of Mobile Phone Users Worldwide Can Now Try, and Buy Java-based Games
on Java.com
SAN FRANCISCO, CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & ENTERTAINMENT 2005 -- September 26, 2005 --
Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) and Bango (AIM: BGO), a leading mobile
content enabler, today announced an agreement to deliver mobile Java(tm)
technology-based games and applications to millions of mobile phone users on
more than 250 operator networks worldwide. The new service from java.com and
Bango provides a streamlined user experience and simplifies the payment process
to make locating and downloading mobile Java technology-based content easier for
users and network providers.
Now more than 14 million monthly java.com visitors easily can access exciting
Java technology-based titles on any mobile network with easy billing powered by
Bango. Customers can either charge their mobile downloads to their phone bill,
PayPal account or credit card. The Bango Service also enables content providers
to market, sell, and deliver their Java-based mobile content to users all over
the world through Bango's 'browse and buy' capability.
'We're delighted to be working with Sun to deliver mobile applications based on
the industry standard Java environment,' said Anil Malhotra, Bango vice
president of strategy alliance. 'Java powers over 700 million mobile devices and
is a core technology for content providers who deploy applications to end users
through Bango. This relationship will give many more Java developers a
go-to-market opportunity and mobile phone users a destination web portal for
browsing and buying the best mobile Java content.'
'Java.com has become the destination for Java-based games, applications and
music for PCs and mobile devices,' said Mark Herring, director of Java Brand and
Community Marketing, Sun Microsystems. 'By bringing Bango's browse and buy
capability to java.com we are making it easier for more than 14 million monthly
visitors to get the games and content they love.'
For the first time, java.com visitors can 'try before they buy' and easily
obtain mobile versions of the Java games they love. With Bango technology, it is
simple to get a java.com game delivered to a mobile phone. Bango's Web Trigger
provides the vital link between the java.com website and the java.com users
mobile, by simply entering their mobile phone number into a web form on
java.com. A WAP Push message is sent to their mobile and opens up the mobile
site automatically. From their phone, they can easily browse and buy their
favorite game. The Bango platform seamlessly collects micro-payments for the
purchases.
About java.com
Hot games, cool apps - java.com is the ultimate destination for Java technology
based content. With more than 14 million unique visitors each month, java.com
continues to provide direct access to exciting and entertaining Java
technology-based games, ring tones, and software.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
A singular vision -- 'The Network Is The Computer'(tm) -- guides Sun in the
development of technologies that power the world's most important markets. Sun's
philosophy of sharing innovation and building communities is at the forefront of
the next wave of computing: the Participation Age. Sun can be found in more than
100 countries and on the Web at sun.com. Subscribe to Sun newswire at http://
sun.com/news.
About Bango
Bango (AIM: BGO) has developed and deployed an open, global, infrastructure
platform that enables content providers to market, sell and deliver their
products and services directly to mobile phone users on all mobile networks
using the mobile Internet. This 'direct-to-consumer' approach operates alongside
the carrier's mobile content portals. Leading carriers including Cingular,
Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and O2 work with Bango to accelerate the growth of
their direct-to-consumer business.
The Bango platform has given mobile phone subscribers around the world greater
access to third-party content. Leading content brands are now adopting the Bango
service to engage with all of their existing and potential mobile customers
directly - irrespective of the carrier. For further information, go to
www.bango.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Terri Molini
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
+1 (408) 404-4976
terri.molini@sun.com
Sarah Keefe
Bango
+44 7786 932016
sarah@bango.com or
Laurie Riedman
Riedman Communications
+1 (585) 396-3100
laurie@riedmancomm.com
Archie Berens
ICIS Limited
+44 20 7651 8688 / +44 7802 442486
archie@icisnet.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange