LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., May 3, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Bitfone Corporation (www.bitfone.com), the company that pioneered over-the-air (OTA) firmware update technology for mobile phones, today announced that LG Electronics has licensed Bitfone's mProve(tm) solution, which will enable LG to update the entire firmware image on mobile handsets over the air, with complete security and fault-tolerance.
According to LG Electronics, OTA software update is an important new feature in their phones which will enable convenient service for their customers. LG will use mProve to deliver the latest software to their mobile phones without the need for special cables or in-store service assistance.
"Bitfone's mProve offers excellent performance and is easy to integrate. Bitfone has a clear understanding of operator requirements for OTA device management, which makes Bitfone a good partner for commercial deployment," said a LG representative.
"We are honored to be selected by LG, one of the leading mobile phone makers in the world, as the solution provider for their OTA firmware update initiative," said Gene Wang, chairman and CEO, Bitfone. "By making software updates for mobile phones fast, safe and easy, mProve supports LG's commitment to enhancing the mobile experience for their customers and will reinforce their world-class premium brand."
The commercial launch of mProve on LG handsets is scheduled for the second half of 2004. mProve has already been commercially deployed in the NTT DoCoMo network in Japan and in the SK Telecom network in Korea. With this announcement, mProve becomes the only OTA firmware update solution to be selected by three of the top six handset manufacturers in the world, reinforcing Bitfone's leadership position in the market.
About LG Electronics
LG Electronics, Inc. (Korea Stock Exchange: 6657.KS) was established in 1958 as the pioneer in the Korean consumer electronics market. The company is a major global force in electronics and information and communications products with more than 64,000 employees working in 76 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. With annual total revenues of more than US $16.9 billion (non-consolidated), LG Electronics comprises three main business companies: Digital Display & Media, Digital Appliance, Telecommunication Equipment & Handset.
The LG Telecommunication Equipment & Handset Company provides total solutions ranging from wired and wireless handsets to telecommunication equipment. The company is a leader in the innovation and development of cutting -edge technologies in next-generation wireless telecommunications and is steadily expanding its global market share in 3G (WCDMA / cdma2000) wireless systems.
LG Electronics' goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives better than ever. For more information, please visit www.lge.com.
About Bitfone
Bitfone Corporation provides innovative software solutions for mobile device management. Bitfone's mProve is the wireless industry's leading technology that updates a mobile phone's core embedded software over the air, in a secure and fault-tolerant manner. mProve delivers significant cost savings in the areas of customer service and warranty, provides insurance against software-related device recalls, and accelerates adoption of wireless services. Bitfone is a global company headquartered in Laguna Niguel, California, with offices in China, Finland, Japan and Korea. Bitfone's investors include Nokia Venture Partners, Prism Venture Partners, St. Paul Venture Capital, 3i, Nexit Ventures, Motorola, Inc., Orange Ventures, KTB Ventures, CIR Ventures and Flextronics. For more information, please visit www.bitfone.com.