Synchronica (AIM: SYNC) has won another order for its flagship mobile synchronisation product Mobile Gateway, securing the sixth deal in Africa and the 13th operator contract in 2009.
The operator, which is the fourth member of the same Pan African and Middle Eastern Group to select the push mail solution, will pay US$176,000 for an initial 50,000 user license and offer the service to its six million subscribers. The technology requires no additional software client to be downloaded to the handset and enables push email for handsets ranging from high-end smartphones to low-cost entry level devices.
“Our sixth purchase order in this region demonstrates the attractiveness of our products for operators in emerging markets. By enabling operators to address the entire spectrum of handsets, our products allow them to attract new customers and introduce data services to the mass-market,” said Chief Executive of Synchronica Carsten Brinkschuttle.
According to a report from UK-based telecommunications publisher Blycroft Publishing, Africa’s mobile phone market grew by 25% in 2008 with 74 million new subscribers to take the total number to 370 million people. The trend is expected to continue with the mobile phone penetration expected to rise from the current 37% to more than 60% in 2012.
The company announced its fifth contract won in Africa in mid-November, prompting broker FinnCap to issue a research note on the company titled “Momentum in Africa,” which highlighted the market’s growth prospects. The broker said the key message sent by the deal was that Synchronica and its channel partners were well positioned to benefit from the growth in this territory where the number of subscribers, networks and handset grew at a fast pace.
Shares in Synchronica added 4% on the news to reach 3 pence.