Airwide Solutions, which provides next-generation mobile messaging infrastructure and applications, has entered into an agreement with American Telecommunication Holdings S.A. (ATI). Under the terms of the agreement, ATI, a supplier and integrator of systems and value-added platforms and proprietary solutions for telcos, will resell Airwide products throughout Latin America. With Airwides innovative tiered architecture, ATI is able to provide Latin American carriers with the most flexible and cost-effective foundation for mobile messaging solutions, the company says.
Pyramid Research estimates that the mobile data market in Latin America will grow faster than the global average. While the global mobile data market expects to double between 2005 and 2010 from $93 billion to $187 billion, in contrast, the Latin American mobile data market is expected to grow from $3.4 billion in 2005 to $10.7 billion in 2010, more than tripling in size.  This increase in demand for mobile messaging services directly translates to a greater need for more efficient infrastructure, Airwide notes. Airwide and ATI say they will work together to meet this demand with innovative mobile messaging solutions that are designed to meet the demands of today and the future.
Operators in Latin America are faced with the same challenges as those around the world the need to cut costs while increasing ARPU and rolling out new mobile messaging products and services while preserving network investment, says Jorge Gana, Vice President of Strategic Alliances for ATI.  Airwides tiered infrastructure approach is the right one for this region because it helps operators capitalize on their messaging growth potential, without disrupting the existing network, and so leverage their existing investment.
While Latin America has reached almost a 50% penetration rate, carriers are also now aiming to gain more revenues from their clients by deploying value added services. Airwide says its componentized mobile messaging infrastructure and applications enable the fast and easy rollout of new revenue-generating applications like downloadable ringtones, games, graphics, entertainment and information. Together, Airwide and ATI are focused on helping operators in the region to enhance average revenue per customer, retain current subscribers and drive down the costs of customer acquisition.   
In seeking a partner for this burgeoning region, Airwide found that ATI has an unrivalled combination of regional reach and specific knowledge of mobile messaging infrastructure, says Airwide CMO, Jay Seaton. ATIs extensive presence in some of the biggest markets in Latin America including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Chile, and their extensive knowledge of mobile messaging infrastructure, made them the ideal partner for Airwide.