Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland) press release

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Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation Conor Lenihan T.D., today (Tuesday 10th November 2009) congratulated Irish mobile communications companies, Altobridge and Sentry Wireless, on being selected as finalists in the prestigious GSM Association’s Mobile Innovation Grand Prix, Asia Pacific Tournament.
Minister Lenihan said, “The Mobile Asia Congress is one of the industry’s highest profile events, and for two Irish companies to be represented in the final five demonstrates the pioneering breakthroughs both have made on the global mobile technologies’ stage.”
Leading provider of mobile security solutions, Sentry Wireless, has been nominated for its anti-SMS spam solution, SpamGuard, which uses Sentry Wireless’ award-winning and patented technology to enable subscribers to identify and block SMS spam in ‘one click’ using a client on the SIM or handset. This is the only spam solution that is visible to the subscriber and demonstrates that the operator is taking proactive action against messaging abuse.
Matt Norton, Chief Executive Officer of Sentry Wireless, said, “SpamGuard addresses one of the biggest frustrations that operator’s subscriber’s experience – the inability to deal with SMS spam. It sets the standard for stopping SMS spam.”
Leading provider of cost-effective wireless solutions for mobile network operators (MNOs), Altobridge, has been nominated for its pioneering technology behind the company’s Remote Community Solution, which is aimed at MNOs in emerging markets and has been deployed successfully in commercial operations in Asia, with further deployments ongoing in Africa and Latin America. The deployments in Asia, (in Malaysia and Mongolia), have seen profitable cellular services reach small, remote communities where no viable delivery of mobile telephony services had previously been possible. The patented breakthrough technologies are set to make a powerful contribution to MNOs in other emerging markets where several trials are underway.
Mike Fitzgerald, Altobridge Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our Remote Community Solution is set to change the lives of people living and working in small communities in the remotest parts of the world. We are delighted it has been recognised in this prestigious, objective, industry awards process”
Minister Lenihan went on to say that “Building Ireland’s Smart Economy is about establishing Ireland as an innovation hub. It involves building the innovation or ‘ideas’ component of the Irish economy and developing a high-value, research-intensive, multinational community alongside thriving innovative Irish companies.
Minister Lenihan added, “Altobridge and Sentry Wireless’s progress is a positive reflection of the Government’s Smart Economy blueprint, which sets out to achieve that precise model for the software sector. I am confident that this strategy will ensure Ireland’s software industry meets these new market opportunities delivering more highly skilled, sustainable and well paid jobs in our economy.”
The two companies will present their solutions to judges, who are made up of senior industry figures drawn from large mobile operators and venture capitalists, at the Mobile Asia Congress in Hong Kong, 18-19 November. Two overall winners will win a trip to compete for the Mobile Innovation Grand Prix title, part of the GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February 2010, the most important event in the mobile industry’s calendar.