Smart, Sun tie up to export mobile commerce platform

Smart Money Holdings Corp. (SMHC) and Sun Microsystems Inc. have formed a strategic alliance to jointly promote the export of SMHC’s Mobile Commerce Platform to overseas mobile operators through Sun’s various marketing and engineering support efforts.

"SMHC’s Mobile Commerce Platform has been attracting interest in the international market and one of its applications, Smart Money, has gained wide acceptance here in the Philippines. We are pleased to forge this alliance with Sun as it will boost the marketability of our Mobile Commerce Platform offering to the overseas market," said Ian Wilson, SMCH chief executive officer.

"Just like Sun Microsystems’ technologies, Smart’s mobile solutions have been recognized locally and internationally for being innovative," said Cynthia Mamon, Sun Microsystems Phils. president and managing director.

"We are pleased to be part of the success of Smart’s mobile solutions, proving once more Sun’s reputation as a provider of rock-solid, state-of-the-art technologies that make the network. We are looking forward to extend this partnership and its success further."

SMHC was formally launched last year by Smart to handle the licensing of its fully integrated Mobile Commerce Platform to international mobile operators.

It was formed to give Smart a competitive advantage in the international market through the creation of a focused and dedicated team that will service the needs of multiple operators.

Designed to meet international mobile commerce and banking standards, the Mobile Commerce Platform is based on internationally accepted multi-layered security architecture, aside from the standard GSM security measures.

"Sun has a proven international track record in delivering technical support services. Our Mobile Commerce Platform has been running and has been tested on Sun’s systems, solid proof that we are comfortable in pursuing these joint efforts," Wilson said.

Smart’s partnership with Sun dates back to 1999 when the telecoms firm acquired hardware and software systems from the computer firm.

"To date, Smart has the largest E10000 Sun installation in the Philippines and is one of the first to utilize the new high-end workgroup server Sunfire V880s. We use them in all of our mobile commerce systems, including those deployed in our nine partner banks," said Alex Ibasco, Smart’s mobile commerce group head.

The Sun system enables Smart to process up to 100 financial transactions per second, almost twice as fast as that being used in the mobile and electronic commerce industry in the Philippines.