The first MMS application is called "M-Cards" - conVISUAL and T-Mobile launch MMS offensive

Oberhausen, Germany (ots) - Starting in July 2002, customers of T-Mobile Germany can experience a new dimension in mobile communication with M-Cards. The service, which has been implemented by conVISUAL, makes multimedia postcards on mobile phones a reality. The M-Cards are available in two versions - as "M-Cards with SMS" and as "M-Cards with MMS". With this new service, T-Mobile is offering both novelty-seeking early adopters and classical mobile phone subscribers multimedia communications fun for the first time. All M-Cards work independently of the type of mobile phone used by the sender or recipient. The new Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is characterised by animation sequences, sound, and colour. Thanks to conVISUAL and T-Mobile, all of the network operator's customers can now experience all three media in combination for the first time with "M-Cards". "M-Cards with MMS", developed by conVISUAL, enable T-Mobile customers to send multimedia greeting cards for the first time to MMS-enabled devices. The service, which is unique world-wide, offers a range of animated and sound-enhanced greeting cards in different categories such as "Congratulations" or "Holiday". The mobile card greeting is rounded out with a personalised text. The technical possibilities afforded by MMS devices can now be experienced in full for the first time. What's more: Animated M-Cards can even be received on a virtual MMS mobile phone on the Internet. The new service offers even T-Mobile customers who do not yet have an MMS-enabled device access to the world of multimedia mobile communications. Depending on the recipient's mobile phone, "M-Cards with SMS" are transmitted either as picture message or via WAP and the Web. As the service supports all messaging formats there are no longer any technical hurdles to the lively exchange of image-based greetings. The card themes can be accessed via the Internet or WAP. Alternatively, users can send an SMS to the service short number 72766 - for a holiday card, for example, containing the text "mc url1 +491711234567 Sunny greetings from Majorca from Tina!". This form of standards-independent communication is made possible by conVISUAL's Multimedia Message Broker (MMB) platform. The MMB handles the conversion of different messaging formats like, for example, Smart Messaging, Enhanced Messaging and MMS. The content of the messages is optimally tailored to the technical possibilities of the recipient's mobile phone. Torsten Juengling, Sales Director at conVISUAL explains: "We are delighted that T-Mobile has chosen to rely on us and our extensive expertise in the field of mobile communications. The M-Cards are the first product of a long-term and strategic co-operation." conVISUAL - The Home of Visual Messaging Services. conVISUAL is the first Wireless Application Service Provider focused on the realisation of Visual and Multimedia Messaging Services. Through an innovative product portfolio conVISUAL creates opportunities for network operators, service providers, ISPs and media companies to expand their businesses by leveraging the extraordinary potential of multimedia messaging services. conVISUAL's Multimedia Message Broker (MMB) is the intelligent platform for the creation, personalization, conversion and distribution of mobile multimedia messages. Using the MMB, conVISUAL operates numerous messaging applications, that are growing concurrently with the emerging multimedia facilities of mobile devices: The MMB supports all of today's common messaging standards, such as SMS, Smart Messaging, Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS), WAP Push and Openwave Download Fun, as well as upcoming GPRS and UMTS technologies such as the Multimedia Messaging Service and i-mode. Based in Oberhausen in Germany, conVISUAL employs a talented and experienced team, concentrating highest industry excellence including Ericsson, Mannesmann Mobilfunk, Nokia, Lucent Technologies and Theron Business Consulting. Pictures Pictures accompanying this press release are available for download in the picture gallery in the press area on the conVISUAL website.