Publication : Starbiz, The Star
Format : Hardcopy
Title : FSBM eyes 1.5 million users for UNOS system
Date : 14 May 2008
 
 
FSBM eyes 1.5 million users for UNOS system
 
PETALING JAYA: FSBM Holdings Bhd is targeting 1.5 million users by year-end for its UNOS mobile phone software, which enables users to slash their roaming charges.
 
The UNOS system charges 79 sen to send and receive calls in China, versus RM3.63 for inbound and RM9.90 outbound international charges for a Malaysia-registered mobile phone.
 
Multimedia and communications group chief executive officer Michael Ta said “UNOS is not a browser,” but technically a type of mobile push delivery software.
 
The software, which was launched last week, has attracted about 35,000 users worldwide and is averaging growth of 8% a day.
 
The software also turns the phone into a push e-mail device similar to RIM’s Blackberry. 
 
However, Ta said, it would be cheaper to make local calls on the existing services ors offered by mobile service providers.
 
“We are not looking to take away business from mobile operators but rather creating a platform that will improve data service usage while at the same time, giving value to the customer,” he said.
 
Ta expects a frequent overseas traveler of the service to incur charges of RM50 to RM80 a month.
Key features of the service include S-Mail – an SMS and email hybrid that enables user
to end and receive SMS and e- mails at a lower cost; Voice –
voice-out, voice-in, buddy call (call transferring), hotel connect, conference calling;
Favourites – interactive links and Compression, whereby data is compressed by up to 70% before being forwarded to
the mobile phone, thereby saving on data charges.
 
With the new service, the group expects annual growth of 20% in the communications business, which contributes RM10 mil to RM12 mil annually to group revenue.
 
Ta envisages the bulk of that growth to come from China, where the company is
planning to launch UNOS by the beginning of June.
 
FSBM is also setting up research and development centres in China which would allow
the company to enter the market as well as raise its competitiveness.
 
FSBM’s UNOS division also provides mobile integration solutions to corporation.
 
Ta said the solutions business was expected to eventually make up 50% of revenue.
 

The UNOS division is already in talks with more than 20 enterprises in Malaysia, including financial institutions and 10 enterprises in Australia, for the solutions services.