Bridgewater Comments on FCC Consultation on Mobile Bill Shock

45 day period opens discussion on how to protect consumer rights on mobile usage

OTTAWA, May 12 /CNW/ - Bridgewater Systems (TSX: BWC), the mobile personalization company, today commented on the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) initiative on preventing mobile bill shock - the experience of getting an unexpectedly high mobile phone bill.

News

    
       -   The FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) has
           launched an initiative on "bill shock," calling for input on
           technical methods to alert consumers about potential high charges,
           increase cost transparency, and provide usage controls. The
           industry has 45 days to prepare comment.

       -   Bridgewater has a comprehensive policy-based bill shock solution
           available for service providers today. The solution includes: the
           myPolicy(TM) client application for mobile devices; the myPolicy
           Broker that communicates requests and retrieves the appropriate
           information for the subscriber; and the Bridgewater(R) Policy
           Controller (PCRF) which applies real-time network, application and
           subscriber rules such as updating usage information, providing
           subscriber context, and enforcing limits.

       -   It gives subscribers control over their mobile experience
           including:

           -  My Usage: Tracking real-time data, SMS and applications usage,
              as well as voice and roaming charges anytime, anywhere.

           -  My Limits: Setting personalized limits, notifications,
              parental, and roaming controls to manage mobile usage and
              prevent bill shock.

           -  My Offers: Receiving special offers in real time such as day
              passes for new applications, roaming passes for subscribers who
              are traveling, bandwidth top-ups, or free SMS with mobile
              advertising.

       -   In the Europe Union, the Commission has implemented a two-phase
           strategy to end mobile data bill shock, requiring service
           providers to implement a roaming 'cut-off' of (euro)50 per month
           on an opt-in basis. On July 1st, 2010 service providers will be
           required to implement this limit for all users roaming in EU
           countries, whether consumers are opted in or not.
    

Quotes

David Sharpley, Senior Vice President, Bridgewater Systems

"Bridgewater's innovative policy-based bill shock solution deployed in live networks today helps service providers comply with EU data roaming regulations today, and addresses the mobile usage transparency issues raised by the FCC. By giving consumers and businesses greater control over their mobile data usage and the ability to set personalized limit, notifications and special offers, service providers can improve the customer experience and prevent bill shock."

Tags/Keywords

Bridgewater Systems, FCC, Mobile Bill Shock, PCRF, myPolicy

Links

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-298028A1.pdf

http://www.bridgewatersystems.com/Prevent-Mobile-Bill-Shock.aspx.

http://www.bridgewatersystems.com/policy/

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 portfolio 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 150 leading service providers including America Movil, Bell Canada, Clearwire, Cox, 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, myPolicy, 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, [email protected], [phone]; Ed Barker, Bridgewater Systems, [email protected], [phone]