Sybase 365 Continues Rapid Expansion into Africa

Sybase 365, a subsidiary of Sybase, Inc. (NYSE: SY), the global leader in mobile messaging interoperability and the delivery of mobile content, today announced further growth within the African mobile market, consolidating its position as the number one provider of international SMS across the continent.

Sybase 365 continues to grow its Person-to-Person messaging business by signing group agreements with the largest mobile operators in the region. These include the 14 Celtel International operators in Africa, enabling their more than 25 million subscribers to send and receive SMS text messages from most countries around the world. Group agreements have also recently been signed with major conglomerates based in Africa and with other new customers including Globacom Nigeria, Mattel Mauritania, Telma Madagascar and Rwandatel Rwanda. Sybase 365 is now connected to 97 of the 117 mobile operators in the region, and globally to more than 700 operators.

Through these operator partnerships more than 180 million subscribers across Africa will now have access to international SMS connectivity with the rest of the world, a figure that has increased from about 100 million at the same time last year. The number of mobile operators now working with Sybase 365 helps address a long-standing challenge for many African operators, namely the ability to support SMS inter-working with other global networks, where two-way bi-lateral roaming agreements for the exchange of messaging are not in place.

Sybase 365 now globally processes over 8 billion messages per month and the increase in its activity in Africa is evidenced by a 65% year-on-year growth in messages terminated into African operators.

“Working with these operators illustrates our commitment to the rapidly growing African market. Such agreements also contribute to extending Sybase 365’s global reach,” said Howard Stevens, vice president of Sybase 365, EMEA. “Earlier this year, we appointed a country manager based in Johannesburg, to further service the Africa region.”
For more information, visit Sybase 365 at the GSM 3G AfricaCom Show (21-22 November, 2007) in Cape Town, South Africa, Stand B17.