Airwide Solutions Enables Operator Compliance With Indian Government's National Security Mandate

World's Leading Equipment Identity Register (EIR) Offers Viable Solution to Help Operators Meet Government Directive Within Three-Month Timeframe

GSMA Mobile Asia Congress -- Airwide® Solutions, the leading provider of next-generation mobile messaging and mobile internet infrastructure, applications and solutions, today announced that the company's AirGuard EIR solution is immediately available to help operators meet the Indian government's recently issued directive for installation of Equipment Identity Register (EIR) technology well within the mandated three-month timeframe.

In the interest of national security, the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) branch of the Indian government recently issued a directive that telecom companies must block calls made from handsets which do not have valid and traceable equipment identity numbers. To do so, mobile operators have three months to set up and activate EIRs which contain a database of all valid mobile equipment on the network, inventoried by their International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI) number. Using an EIR, mobile operators are able to track and log all valid equipment and block handsets with invalid or missing IMEIs from operating on the network.

AirGuard EIR from Airwide Solutions is the world's leading EIR system, and helps more than 50 operators worldwide control the increasing threat of fraudulent and untraceable mobile phone activity. AirGuard EIR is unique in the industry because it layers the value-added benefit of enhanced anti-fraud capabilities with effective handset anti-theft which enables operators to prevent stolen or fraudulent handsets from working on their network within seconds of detection. The combination of AirGuard EIR's track record as the de facto standard for EIR technology and its certification and integration with all leading network vendors, along with Airwide's extensive industry expertise and global channel partnerships, makes this an ideal solution for Indian operators grappling with how to meet this mandate in an aggressive timeframe.

"There is a reason that AirGuard EIR is the world's leading Equipment Identity Register, and our experience in some of the most demanding operator environments will be invaluable in helping operators in India quickly comply with the Indian DOT's mandate," said Mark Thong, Regional Vice President for Airwide Solutions. "Airwide has well over a decade's worth of experience with EIR technology and long term relationships with global channel partners -- together we can streamline the process of helping operators get up and running in compliance with government specifications quickly and seamlessly."

Due to their untraceable nature, phones that are missing or have invalid IMEI's are often used in criminal activities that could threaten national security and place subscribers at risk. AirGuard EIR has been used successfully worldwide to comply with government requirements for the implementation of EIR technology, and to battle handset theft and fraud on operator networks. In many regions, government bodies also test the efficiency and performance of installed EIRs, measuring how quickly and accurately they can detect, log and block stolen or fraudulent handsets from the network.

In addition to offering compliance with India's DOT mandate, AirGuard EIR has the added benefit of helping operators to deal with the issues of handset theft and mobile fraud. According to the Communications Fraud Control Association, fraud losses range from $54.4 billion to $60 billion a year, and this cost is in addition to the negative impact fraud can have on the use of new services and the intangible cost of damage to the mobile operator's brand. By allowing operators to bar phones that are associated with mobile fraud and by detecting SIM and handset cloning, AirGuard EIR can be a powerful tool for operators in fighting fraud potentially threatening activities using an operator's network.

About Airwide Solutions

Airwide Solutions is the leading provider of next-generation mobile messaging and wireless internet infrastructure, applications and solutions. Its products help more than 140 wireless operators worldwide drive mobile messaging usage and revenues and enable them to leverage multiple delivery channels and next-generation infrastructure in new and more powerful ways. With a history of industry firsts -- including the first text message ever sent, the introduction of the first SMS router, the first A2P MMS push gateway and mobile service control which enables mobile context, personalization and profiling -- the company continues to pioneer new technologies. Airwide's open, tiered Fusion architecture offers mobile operators advanced revenue options, a practical pathway to Mobile Messaging 2.0 and a foundation to bridge mobile messaging and the mobile internet.

Airwide Solutions operates globally with offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, India, the Middle East and Africa. For more information about Airwide Solutions, please visit www.airwidesolutions.com.