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HSL Takes Leap Forward in UK SMS Message Delivery.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 18th July 2005

HSL (Hay Systems Ltd), a leading reputable provider of reliable SMS gateway services, today announced the acquisition of key mobile messaging SS7 infrastructure to further their strategy of direct SS7 interconnects with the UK mobile networks for the delivery of SMS messages. The mobile messaging industry as a whole continues to grow dramatically, and May 2005 saw a new record of over 2.63 billion SMS messages sent in the UK according to the Mobile Data Association (MDA), demonstrating the increasing importance of SMS as a communications tool.

This new infrastructure allows HSL to have their own SS7 signalling network in the UK dedicated to SMS messaging, and is the only such dedicated network within the UK. As part of a continuing strategy to provide high quality and innovative mobile messaging services to enterprises and wireless service providers, HSL aim to be the first company in the UK to provide a real alternative to using a mobile network's own SMSCs (Short Message Service Centres) for the delivery of SMS to and from UK mobile telephones. As a result, HSL will be more directly connected to the UK mobile networks for the purpose of SMS than any other organisation in the world.

HSL's strategy of direct connection to the UK mobile networks provides an alternative to the mechanism presently in place whereby all SMS messages being sent to UK mobile telephones must be sent via an SMSC of a mobile network. It could be argued that this restrictive access in a presently unregulated SMS market has been detrimental to innovation, quality and pricing.

This investment in signalling infrastructure by HSL involved Performance Technologies who were selected to provide their SEGway™ SS7 Signalling Transfer Points (STPs), and signalling hardware from a third party that is used as part of HSL's own SMSC platforms. The additional infrastructure builds upon HSL's existing network infrastructure dedicated to the delivery of SMS between SMS messaging applications and mobile telephones. The addition of direct SS7 interconnects with the UK mobile networks will increase HSL's own capacity to over 1 billion SMS per month, and this strategy is expected to deliver a major objective in 2005.

As a dedicated provider of SMS messaging services, HSL place a strong emphasis on the quality of their network operation, integrity and monitoring. Staff and systems are focused on maintaining the highest industry standards in SMS delivery and supporting infrastructure. Mark Hay, Managing and Technical Director of HSL is quoted as saying: "The addition of direct SS7 interconnects with UK mobile networks to our existing technical infrastructure means that we will be positioned to compete directly with mobile networks in SMS delivery, providing a higher level of quality in application-to-mobile messaging and creating the opportunity for competition in mobile-to-mobile SMS delivery in the future."

HSL place a strong emphasis on the quality of traffic passing through their systems, and ensure that all clients are fully aware of the company's recommendations and industry guidelines with regards to "spam" SMS prevention. HSL also actively monitor traffic to ensure compliance with these standards and operate a swift but sensible reaction to transgression. Traffic being sent over the direct interconnects with UK mobile networks will be subject to such compliance.

Additional information regarding HSL and their mobile messaging solutions can be found at http://www.hslsms.com.

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HSL Takes Leap Forward in UK SMS Message Delivery