NeoMedia & Gavitec To Attend CeBIT 2008

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated transactions for mobile devices, and Gavitec AG - mobile digit, the leading provider of mobile ticketing technologies and marketing solutions, are participating in CeBIT 2008 in Hannover Germany from March 4th - March 9th. NeoMedia and Gavitec will be exhibiting in the Marketing Solutions Area - Hall 4 - booth F58.

CeBIT is the world's largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. The key target groups are users from industry, the wholesale/retail sector, skilled trades, banks, the services sector, government agencies, science and all users passionate about technology. CeBIT offers an international platform for comparing notes on current industry trends, networking, and product presentations.

Consumers everywhere desire the ability to obtain product information and prices quickly and easily – wherever and whenever the need arises. This desire is made possible via scan commerce. With a simple click on a data-enabled camera phone, product data can be accessed from the internet in seconds via a 2D code.

In order to make the scan commerce experience consistent and compelling for consumers everywhere, NeoMedia is collaborating with recognized leaders in telecommunication infrastructure management to create a worldwide infrastructure for the processing of optically initiated transactions - called the Optical Messaging Interchange. This interchange would provide the mass reach required by Brands and Advertisers to invest in the technology, while enabling operators to leverage their investments in networks and subscribers. By embracing open standards, full interoperability, and by being barcode symbology agnostic, NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. wants to provide a global infrastructure to insure that all transactions requested by end users “work” as intended, all parties are compensated correctly, and that the technology achieves mass adoption globally. In doing so, NeoMedia enables a seamless, secure, and reliable platform for mobile commerce using barcodes and mobile devices. NeoMedia’s mission is to offer new ways to make mobile internet transactions effortless and more accessible while enhancing customer value and convenience.

Scan commerce has a great deal of potential. The mobile phone is arguably the most personal technology we use in our everyday life. The ability for consumers to turn their camera phone from a communications device into a content acquisition device is powerful. Savvy mobile marketers will leverage this opportunity by delivering relevant and valuable information and content via 2D codes – coupons, tickets, price comparisons, online ordering, special services, etc.

To help make the promise of mobile marketing a reality, NeoMedia also offers Gavitec hardware scanners that are capable of reading 2D barcodes from a cell phone display. For example, instead of purchasing tickets at the box office, movie-goers can obtain tickets through a cash-free Web-based transaction, or from special call centers, and receive an electronic ticket as an SMS on their mobile phones. Tickets, displayed graphically in form of a 2D barcode on the phone, are read by Gavitec scanners at the entrance to the cinema, letting guests in without having to wait at the box office. To gain access, ticket holders simply place the display of their cell phone against the reading lens of the Gavitec scanner. The system compares the electronic ticket with an existing database, where it is verified by GPRS in seconds.

This system dramatically expands the number of people able to use mobile barcodes for ticketing and commerce to any phone that is SMS capable. Currently only 20%-30% of users are able to use mobile bar codes for redemption of tickets and coupons verses nearly 100% of current mobile users with the Gavitec system from NeoMedia. The Gavitec scanners are available as desktop solutions for innovative marketing campaigns and as installation modules for third party providers.