Messaging Experts Unveil Webphone Solution to Help Carriers Protect Voice and Text Revenues

Openmind Networks announce first customer for their new network application Portico.


Dublin, Ireland - Openmind Networks, the mobile industry’s messaging experts, today announce the general availability of ‘Portico’, a web phone solution that is uniquely designed for wireless carriers, stemming the loss of revenue caused by over-the-top telephony applications such as Skype and Google Voice. The launch is marked with the world’s first deployment with a European Carrier.
With Portico, wireless carriers can offer their subscribers the convenience of making and receiving voice calls and texts from the desktop, using their existing cell phone number. Portico extends service provision to new devices, it is accessible from any Internet browser - offering the benefit of service in network areas with low or no coverage or congested cells. Embracing the mass adoption of VoIP by key demographic segments, this unique service is positioned as a carrier branded richer alternative, reducing the migration of subscribers to Skype and Google voice, particularly evident when users are roaming.
In recent times, wireless carriers have seen their voice and text revenue growth stalled by web-based telephony applications from these dominant Internet players. Portico is a new service that helps to reduce churn and reverse the decline of call and text revenues. Further, Portico offers additional revenues derived from service subscription fees and advertising via its idle screen advertising feature.
Portico offers carriers the opportunity to become more relevant to both Consumer and Enterprise segments, in combining the ubiquity of the cell phone with the comfort of PC-bound telephony, presenting voice and data seamlessly to the end-user.
Portico offers parallel ringing on the web interface and the wireless device, transparent SMS synchronisation at network level, operator portal single log-on, access to emergency numbers, SMS subscriber provisioning, and notification of subscribers’ web phone log-on. Installed on the network but managing all data in the Cloud, Portico is a hosted managed solution.
According to Alex Duncan, CEO, Openmind Networks, “Portico is a prime example of our mission to support wireless carriers in their efforts to stem the outflow of revenues towards Internet applications such as Google Voice and Skype. Based on our extensive intellectual capability in messaging technologies, Portico will deliver more profits to operators thanks to churn reduction and lower investments. We are also excited to confirm that we have deployed our first Portico system with a European carrier, a world’s first carrier branded-webphone solution that incorporates voice and text complemented by features such as parallel ringing and message synchronisation.

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About Openmind Networks:
Openmind Networks are the wireless industry’s messaging experts, having developed and deployed innovative messaging infrastructure products in over 30 sites. Openmind is staffed by business and technical experts who have worked in the wireless messaging industry for the past 20 years, having pioneered the development of leading messaging products that are deployed all over the world today. The company’s core product, Traffic Control, which is based on its Mixed Media Core, offers carriers a real alternative to traditional SMSC’s, while also offering a clear migration path to IM and SIP-based messaging. Openmind has extended its portfolio into new internet messaging and voice products such as Portico, the next-generation webphone designed exclusively with carriers in mind. Check out www.openmindnetworks.com and http://twitter.com/Openmind_Ntwks

Contact Information

Cathal Fitzpatrick

VP Product Management

Openmind Networks

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