IBM Wins at IDEA

MUMBAI -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced an agreement with IDEA Cellular to provide a Service Delivery Platform (SDP) to enable the service provider to deliver innovative messaging and WAP-based content services to its 50 million+ subscriber base over 2G and 3G wireless networks in India. IBM’s SDP will help IDEA integrate content and applications across all of its service lines to deliver a consistently high-quality user experience and bring new services to the marketplace much more quickly.

This seven-year contract will deliver the following SDP services to IDEA in addition to the overall operations and management of the SDP:

IBM’s SDP is a recognized global telecom platform built on IBM's Service Provider Delivery Environment (SPDE) framework, the industry's most mature flexible framework for launching innovative value added services. IBM’s industry frameworks, designed around software modules that match specific industry needs, enable faster business solution deployment with lower project cost risk, expanded choice through a validated ecosystem of partners, and accelerated adoption of business IT standards.

“IDEA has been a pioneer in introducing unique and interesting mobile value added services for subscribers across India.” said Prakash Paranjape, Chief Information Officer for IDEA Cellular. “With our rapidly growing subscriber base, IBM’s SDP will pave the way for us to sustain our unique approach by further enhancing our proximity with subscribers, and more importantly provide impetus to innovative initiatives targeted at our valued customers.”

IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM)