Opera Software ASA : mCel and Opera bring better mobile web to Mozambique

Mozambican mobile operator mCel and Opera Software have announced a co-branded version of a Opera Mini web browser, which will soon be available to mCel subscribers. Mozambique has fewer than one million landlines, but close to nine million mobile phones. Opera Mini is already popular in Mozambique, with the number of mobile-browsing Mozambicans growing by 164% in the past year.

More importantly, according to Opera Software's State of the Mobile Web report on Africa, done in in 2012, data in the country is being consumed at an ever-increasing rate. It was up from the last year by 219%. In addition, page views increased by 230%. This is a clear indication that Mozambicans are hungry for the mobile web, along with access to information, news and social-networking sites. In fact, Opera now has more than 300 million unique browser users worldwide - and Mozambique will experience high growth now, too.

Opera Mini is a highly customizable mobile web browser that is compatible with more than 3,000 different makes of handsets, which is important in Mozambique where mostly older phones are used. The co-branded Opera Mini set to be launched by mCel will give consumers a consistent experience, look and feel relevant to country and operator. Opera Mini reduces the data delivered to any handset by up to 90%. This means web users can access the web more often, for the same price. The deal will give mCel's subscribers one-click web access via Speed Dial shortcuts and Smart Page notifications from their favorite mCel portals or news and social networking sites.

"We look forward to working with Opera to give even more people a better, faster, less expensive web experience," says Benjamim Fernandes, Marketing and Sales Director at mCel. "The compression from Opera Mini means that we can have more people surfing without increasing network congestion."

mCel has a 3G network across most of the country and approximately 4.6 million subscribers, which is just under a quarter of the entire population of Mozambique.

"We are eager to bring the best web experience to Africa, and this deal with mCel allows us to get closer to our goal," says Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software. "We have seen very strong uptake of Opera Mini in Mozambique, and we look forward to building on that success with one of the country's largest mobile networks."

The worldwide World Wide Web - any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 300 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. 'Opera', 'Opera Software', 'Opera Mini' and the 'O' logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.www.opera.com.