Prevent Mobile ‘Bill Shock’ With Bridgewater’s Smart Caps

OTTAWA, Canada - Increase Subscriber Satisfaction and Comply With Proposed EU Data Roaming Regulations

Bridgewater Systems (TSX: BWC), the mobile personalization company, today announced that mobile operators can prevent ‘bill shock,’ comply with proposed European Union (EU) mobile data roaming regulations, and deliver personalized services with the Bridgewater(R) Policy Controller with Smart Caps(TM).

News - Bill shock occurs when a subscriber inadvertently runs up high mobile data bills while travelling or downloading applications. The EU has proposed new regulations that cap mobile data roaming fees to alleviate bill shock. By as early as March 1, 2010, subscribers may be able to opt for a maximum personal data roaming limit and be warned when they reach 80% of that limit. If subscribers have not opted for a limit, a set limit would be imposed automatically. - Mobile operators can comply with proposed EU regulations and deliver personalized services using the Bridgewater Policy Controller with Smart Caps. Smart Caps are precise policy controls that adjust usage levels based on real-time factors such as the subscriber’s data consumption during a mobile data session, roaming status, and level of network congestion. - This enables operators to: - Improve satisfaction and reduce churn by proactively notifying subscribers when they are near their data roaming charge or usage limit to prevent bill shock. Operators can also provide real-time choices like service extensions or data usage boosts to drive incremental revenues. - Deliver personalized services including applications on demand, promoting new applications with a day pass or a trial period with no usage limit, multiple flat-rate tiers, and special event based offers. - Empower subscribers to set their own policies by providing self-service portals that allow them to set data roaming thresholds and notifications, and implement these changes in real-time. - The Bridgewater Policy Controller is a PCRF-compliant policy control function that provides real-time network, application, and subscriber policies that allow operators to offer personalized services, lower operational costs, and generate incremental revenues.

Quotes

David Vorhaus, Senior Analyst, Yankee Group

“As mobile operators are tasked with ensuring tight control of subscriber activity and delivering highly personalized services to each subscriber, a dedicated policy management and control solution is a must. Not only does this enable compliance with the EU’s proposed regulations around roaming limits, but it can spur revenue growth through the introduction of new services, bandwidth boosts, applications on demand and other value-adds.”

David Sharpley, Senior Vice President, Bridgewater Systems

“Subscribers want real-time control over their mobile experience including service plans, billing, and applications. The market leading Bridgewater Policy Controller with Smart Caps provides a unique approach to preventing ‘bill shock’ and enabling mobile operators to offer personalized services that improve the subscriber’s mobile data experience, generate new revenues, and reduce churn.”

Tags / Keywords Bridgewater Systems, Smart Caps, bill shock, EU Mobile Data Roaming, Policy Controller, PCRF, UMTS, GSM, Fair Usage, Yankee Group

Links

www.bridgewatersystems.com/eu-data-roaming.aspx

www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/058-51302-068-03-11-909-20090309IPR51301-09-03-2009-2009-false/default_en.htm

www.bridgewatersystems.com/Policy-Controller.aspx

www.bridgewatersystems.com/Assets/Downloads/Whitepapers/Policy_Control_Smart_Caps.pdf

About Bridgewater Systems

Bridgewater Systems, the mobile personalization company, enables service providers to efficiently manage and profit from mobile data services, content and commerce. The company’s market leading mobile personalization suite provides a real-time, unified view of subscribers including entitlements, devices, networks, billing profiles, preferences and context. Anchored by Bridgewater’s Subscriber Data Broker(TM), the portfolio of carrier-grade and standards-based products includes the Bridgewater(R) Service Controller (AAA), the Bridgewater(R) Policy Controller (PCRF) and the Bridgewater(R) Home Subscriber Server (HSS). More than 120 leading service providers including America Movil, Bell Canada, Clearwire, Hutchison Telecom, Iusacell, Scartel, SmarTone-Vodafone, Sprint, Tata Teleservices, Tatung, Telmex, Telstra, and Verizon Wireless use Bridgewater’s solutions to rapidly deliver innovative mobile services to over 150 million subscribers. For more information, visit us at www.bridgewatersystems.com.

Bridgewater, Bridgewater Systems, the Bridgewater Systems logo, WideSpan, Smart Caps, and Subscriber Data Broker are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bridgewater Systems Corporation. All other company, product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

For further information: Joanne Steinberg, Bridgewater Systems, joanne.steinberg@bridgewatersystems.com, +1-613-591-9104 extension 2032; Sam Harrisingh, MS&L EMEA, sam.harrisingh@mslworldwide.com, Tel: +44(0)20-7878-3137

Source: Bridgewater Systems

For further information: Joanne Steinberg, Bridgewater Systems, joanne.steinberg at bridgewatersystems.com, +1-613-591-9104 extension 2032; Sam Harrisingh, MS&L EMEA, sam.harrisingh at mslworldwide.com, Tel: +44(0)20-7878-3137