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Ecrio and Lucent Sign Global Partnership Aimed at Bringing Rich Instant Messaging Solutions to Mobile Operators

Cupertino, California, February 18, 2002 — Ecrio, a leading provider of mobile instant and multimedia messaging software, today announced a strategic global partnership with Lucent Technologies that will enable wireless instant messaging (IM) and mobile chat services on mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Under the terms of the agreement, Lucent will offer the Ecrio™ Rich Instant Messaging Platform (ERIMP) as part of Lucent wireless offerings to mobile operators worldwide.

In addition to providing IM and chat features, this integration of technology will enable users of wireless devices to send and receive messages with a variety of "rich" content such as digital pictures, images, documents, audio, video files and drawings, in popular formats.

The Ecrio-Lucent integrated solution includes the seamless integration of the Ecrio Rich Instant Messaging Platform with Lucent's recently announced MiLife™ Intelligent Services Gateway (ISG), which facilitates the development and delivery of enhanced voice and data services for third-generation (3G) mobile networks. These services will be demonstrated by Lucent and Ecrio at the 3GSM World Congress, February 19th~22nd, Cannes, France.

The Ecrio-Lucent partnership brings the first tightly integrated instant and multimedia messaging solution to next-generation networks. Operators can now leverage Lucent's expertise in developing and delivering state of the art wireless networking infrastructure, and Ecrio's expertise in wireless messaging technology. Within an instant messaging paradigm, subscribers of Ecrio-powered services, have the flexibility to exchange All Media™--text, digital photos, maps, drawings, video, ring-tones, logos, and documents, between PCs, PDAs, J2ME™, WAP, and SMS phones worldwide, and across all existing and evolving networks (GSM, TDMA, CDMA, GPRS, and UMTS), all conforming to 3GPP's Open Service Architecture(OSA) model.

"We are very happy to work with Lucent in accelerating the improvement and adoption of next-generation mobile networks and services," said Nagesh Challa, President & CEO of Ecrio. "Ecrio's expertise around carrier-grade messaging combined with Lucent's depth in present-day and future network technology and implementation aligns our two companies today to deliver messaging services for tomorrow."

"Our alliance with Ecrio brings rich instant messaging into our product mix, enabling our customers to immediately deploy new revenue-generating messaging solutions alongside our existing offerings," said Susan Barbier, Lucent vice president for mobile applications and services delivery. "With Ecrio's platform, operators can seek out new messaging services enhanced with the value of network intelligence such as presence, availability, and location into the user experience, and establish a foothold in the growing multimedia services market. The extensive openness of the Ecrio platform with its support of mobile and web services, as well as the integrated OSA-based standard interfaces, enables us to bring new integrated m-commerce, and location based services offerings to our customers."

About Ecrio

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Ecrio is the leading vendor of real time commerce and communications software for mobile phones. Ecrio provides interoperable and standard compliant software to mobile phone manufacturers and mobile operators. Solutions include mobile commerce applications, including NFC and MoBeam mobile barcode redemption, along with 3G communications applications such as Instant Messaging and Presence Services (IMPS), VideoShare, Voice over IP (VoIP), and Push to Talk over Cellular (PoC). Ecrio's customers include industry leaders such as ASUSTeK, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic and Visa. Visit www.ecrio.com

Ecrio and MoBeam are trademarks of Ecrio Inc. All other brands, products, and company names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

Press Contact:

Larry Loper,
Ecrio lloper@ecrio.com
+1 408 596 1500

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