Macrokiosk進軍大中華市場

MACROKIOSK Deepens Market Presence in China, HK, Macau & Taiwan

Kuala Lumpur, March 6, 2008: Mobile messaging technology enabler Macro Kiosk Berhad has deepened and widened its reach and presence in the lucrative China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan markets through a deal with IGM, an established leading mobile value-added services group.

In the RM3.55 million deal sealed after months of negotiations, MACROKIOSK acquired two IGM companies with extended links in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and took over a commercial agreement with a Macau mobile operator.

The share sale agreement with IGM Asia Holdings Ltd saw MACROKIOSK buying the entire issued share capital of IGM Mobile China Ltd and of IGM Mobile Guangzhou Ltd.

MACROKIOSK also took over a commercial agreement between IGM Asia Pacific Ltd and Macau mobile operator, Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM).

“This strategic acquisition immediately strengthens our links to mobile operators in the four markets and deepens our market presence,” said Kenny Goh, Chief Executive Officer of Macro Kiosk Berhad at a media briefing.

“We are talking about the immense potential of these markets with China having 547 million mobile users, 11 million in Hong Kong and another 24 million in Taiwan,” he said.

IGM group provides premium mobile community-based communications, entertainment and multimedia services to mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile phone users in the form of technology platforms and value-added applications and content. They have headquarters in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China.

The acquisitions were funded entirely by internally-generated funds.

Goh said the IGM Mobile China Ltd acquisition would extend MACROKIOSK’s reach to Taiwan, which has ceased granting short codes. Thus, MACROKIOSK would have unparalleled connectivity and working rights with all the mobile operators in Taiwan.

He also said this synergistic development would strengthen MACROKIOSK’s links in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan with the following key mobile operators.

Country/Area
Mobile Operator
China
China Mobile, China Unicom

Hong Kong
CSL, New World Mobility, PCCW, Smartone, People, Hutchison Telecom
Macau
Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM)

Taiwan
Asia Pacific Broadband Wireless, Far East Tone, Taiwan Mobile, Chung Hwa Telecom, VIBO


“With IGM Mobile Guangzhou Ltd, MACROKIOSK now has connectivity and presence in five provinces, namely, Beijing, Hebei, Sichuan, Hunan and Guangdong.”

He noted that businesses in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan were showing increasing interest in leveraging on SMS technology as part of their business communications as well as to monetise their mobile services. MACROKIOSK was responding to this growing market demand.

Goh also mentioned in time to come, MACROKIOSK intends to launch services across China’s 22 provinces, thus allowing content providers unlimited access to China’s mobile users.

“Furthermore, to demonstrate our commitment to the North Asia market, we’ve invested over RM10 million in North Asia operations, encompassing China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Truly, MACROKIOSK is here for the long haul,” added Goh.

IGM Asia Holdings Ltd Chairman Philip Wong said the IGM Group was indeed happy with the excellent partnership forged with MACROKIOSK. “We have chosen MACROKIOSK because we find the leaders and management to be very much aligned and in line with the vision that we at IGM hold dearly.”

In a video message to the Malaysian media, Wong said: “Like us, the MACROKIOSK leadership, has a dream of connecting and powering the mobile community of Asia and beyond.

“My co-founders and I are confident that under MACROKIOSK, the two IGM companies will achieve greater heights. Having done our research, we know that MACROKIOSK already works with the largest and hottest brand names in the market,” he said.

Macro Kiosk Berhad, the SMS gateway to Asia, provides mobile messaging solutions across all leading industries. It also has offices in Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Through its locally-developed etracker, MacroKiosk has links with 364 telcos in over 115 countries worldwide.