Hong Kong carrier taps Critical Path for mobile email

By Giselle Abramovich

March 27, 2008

Nokia and Hutchison promote Memova via print ads

U.S. messaging software and service provider Critical Path Inc. said Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd. has deployed Memova Mobile, Critical Path’s consumer mobile email service.

Memova is designed for the mass market and is being marketed by 3 Hong Kong. The new Memova-powered service adds a new dimension to Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong’s existing mobile email.

“Hutchison’s strategy here is to offer a data service that could appeal to its wider consumer base,” said Nikki Gore, spokeswoman for Critical Path, San Francisco. “The Memova mobile email service lets consumers without smartphones or high-end phones have a user-friendly email service. They are trying to serve the general population."

Hutchison is one of the leading wireless carriers in Hong Kong, a city with one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the world.

Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong chose Critical Path ’ s mobile push email as a way to address the mobile email needs of consumers, potential customers and SME subscribers.

Critical Path’s Memova works on most mobile phones and doesn't require users to download or install client software.

Additionally, the Memova offers a managed inbox, delivering email messages only from approved sources. This is designed to eliminate mobile spam.

Memova is said to work well with Nokia phones. For this reason, Nokia and Hutchison teamed up and have been promoting the new email service via print advertising.

Equally important, mobile email from Memova is said to work with almost any standards-based email service.

“Hong Kong is a very much mature and competitive mobile market,” Ms. Gore said. “Hutchison is trying to keep its existing customers and trying to attract those of its competitors.

“The email service is very consumer-friendly as it has very little setup on the consumer end,” she said. “There’s no gymnastics on the handset, no installation, no download, and that is appealing to consumers who don’t need a rich functionality."