Bytemobile Inc., a supplier of carrier-based data optimization technologies, and mobile phone software specialist Access Co. Ltd. are collaborating to “dramatically improve the web browsing experience for mobile devices.” The effort will involve integrating Bytemobile's mobile operator-based “embedded browser optimization” (EBO) technology with Access's NetFront embedded browser, the companies say.

Bytemobile's EBO consists of embedding a function within Web browsers on mobile devices, which then communicate with Bytemobile's carrier-based “Optimization Services Nodes” (OSNs). According to the company, the benefits of this approach include:

• Reduced download data size, resulting in faster downloads of Web content
• Transparent simplicity for subscribers; no need to download a client or plug-in
• Streamlined operations; no need to separately deploy client optimization software or add to network infrastructure

The companies claim their combined technologies “will allow for faster full Internet page downloads on smartphones and feature phones, and transparently improve download performance by up to 4x over existing technologies on most wireless networks.”

Claimed speed-up resulting from OSN Monaco Edition
(Source: Bytemobile)
Access says its NetFront browser provides “fast, rich, and intuitive full-Internet browsing,” while also representing a rich content rendering platform for embedded devices. The company adds that NetFront implements “SmartFit Rendering” for efficient use of the small screens on mobile devices, and that it also offers embedded AJAX support. Supported device software platforms are include Linux, Microsoft Windows CE and Windows Mobile, Symbian Series 60 and UIQ, VxWorks, and others.

The companies plan to engage in joint marketing and sales efforts to promote the combination of EBO-enabled Access NetFront browsers along with Bytemobile's OSN Monaco Edition. The companies have not stated a planned completion date for their collaboration.

Bytemobile earlier collaborated with Opera Software, whose Opera Mini browser was first released in January 2006. At the time, Bytemobile claimed a 3x speedup for the combination of Opera Mini and OSN Monaco.

Bytemobile says its customer base includes more than 75 wireless carriers in over 45 countries. Access, meanwhile, claims its NetFront Browser to be in use on more than 1,100 different PDA and smartphone models, and to be approaching 400 million total device deployments.

Further details on Bytemobile's EBO and OSN and Access's NetFront browser are available on the Bytemobile and Access websites.

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