NeuStar and Globe Bring Yahoo! Messenger to Mobile Subscribers in the Philippines

(Business News & Technology News, 17 Sep 2008)

NeuStar Inc. has partnered with Globe, one of the leading mobile network operators in the Philippines, to provide mobile instant messaging (IM) services to Globe's subscribers. NeuStar powers Globe's UNLICHAT service, which features Yahoo! Messenger, the top online IM in the Philippines.

Using NeuStar's leading IM services, its Mobile Messaging Gateway (MMG) and a host of Clients for different handsets, Globe subscribers are able to instantly access Yahoo! Messenger from their handsets wherever they are. In addition, they get to enjoy most of the functionality they have come to expect with PC-based instant messaging on the mobile phone.

"Through UNLICHAT, we will be able to provide our subscribers with a rich messaging experience—one which allows them to stay connected to the popular Yahoo! Messenger while on-the-go," says Minette B. Navarrete, Head of Multimedia Business Group at Globe.

"Texting in an emerging market like the Philippines is a way of life for the young generation," says XJ Wang, Vice President of APAC research at Yankee Group. "Enabling mobile users to 'chat' with friends on the Internet via mobile devices from anywhere will definitely attract young people and help Globe to drive more IM traffic and related revenue. We believe that the historical popularity of SMS texting will lend to significant mobile IM growth in the future as smart phones become more affordable in emerging markets, since mobile IM has even better feature functionality than SMS."

"Globe is an extremely high-profile operator in a country where messaging is a cultural phenomenon, and we are delighted to partner with Globe and help them grow new services. The combination of Globe's desire to drive new messaging solutions and the hunger amongst Globe customers for mobile instant messaging makes this a very unique opportunity, and we expect mobile IM to be a huge success for Globe," says Allen Scott, General Manager of NeuStar Next Generation Messaging (NGM).

Click here for more information on NeuStar

Click here for more information on Globe Telecom