TESTING SMS APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY

...New product capability on back of co-operative marketing agreement eases SMS application testing...

SMS is a vital area of growth for all mobile operators and now typically accounts for 10% of revenue and up to 20% of margins as media companies try to build compelling new SMS applications. But the challenge of SMS applications has always been that of testing and monitoring the service level associated with message delivery.

Argogroup, the leader in testing software for wireless data services, and Xwireless, a service business offering leading edge SMS technology solutions, have entered into a co-operative marketing agreement to exploit their complimentary SMS capabilities.

Xwireless offers services for sending and receiving SMS messages over Internet Protocols to and from a virtual mobile telephone number. Argogroup will be providing an interface between Monitor Master, the leading testing tool for wireless data services, and Xwireless such that Monitor Master customers can test advanced SMS applications over the Internet. This functionality will strengthen Monitor Masters existing SMS testing capability in that messages will be sent directly to an SMSC, which will allow quick and easy load and stress testing of SMS applications.

Monitor Master is the leading wireless applications testing tool on the market and is unique in its ability to deal with all of the different forms of wireless content simultaneously. Monitor Master is able to support interactive content such as WAP/WML, SMS, EMS and MMS. As a result of this capability, customers are able to test the newest wireless applications that combine multi-mode technologies to make up a more compelling experience. Xwireless services will further enhance Monitor Masters testing of messaging services.

Existing customers of Monitor Master, such as Vizzavi, Telstra and Swisscom will now have the ability to ensure that the highest quality messaging services are delivered to their mobile customers.

Our ability to deliver cost effective SMS messages over the Internet is a capability that more companies should try to exploit as they enter the world of SMS media projects," said Nigel Harte, CEO of Xwireless, by partnering with Argogroup, more and more people will be exposed to this technology and begin to appreciate the real business and cost benefits."

The SMSC capability that will now be an option to our Monitor Master customers will be a great enhancement to our testing tool," said Paul Nerger, VP Marketing, Argogroup, We have already talked to many of our existing customers about such capabilities and they are very excited about how much easier their lives will become and the savings that they will achieve."

Argogroup is also announcing that support for Xwireless SMS service will be available with the first customer ship of Monitor Master version 5.15 on 15 August 2002.