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Mobile World Congress to be a showcase for Triangle's PocketGear, Tekelec

Mobile World Congress opens Monday

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DURHAM, N.C. — If there is a technology sector that is somewhat immune from the tech downturn, it’s the world of mobile communications. And two Triangle-based firms will be getting a lot of attention this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

PocketGear, the startup led by serial entrepreneur Jud Bowman, will be unveiling two new “apps stores” for smartphone mobile applications.

Tekelec, meanwhile, will be launching at least one new product that is designed to build its worldwide network management business. Tekelec also is a big player in messaging, such as text services. Also on Monday, Tekelec said T-Mobile of Germany had picked Tekelec for mobile phone number portability (i.e. transfers) services.

Other N.C. companies to exhibit at the event include RTP-based Harris Stratex Networks, which focuses on network infrastructure, and Triad-based chip maker RFMD.

A crowd of 50,000 people is expected to jam Barcelona for the show.

Sunday night on show eve, Bowman disclosed that his Durham-based firm will be launching its App Store for Symbian. PocketGear earlier announced plans to reveal its Windows Mobile store. The two launches follow PocketGear’s entry into the apps world for Palm and for Android-Google.

Symbian is an open, industry-standard operating system for data-enabled mobile phones.

Tekelec, which last week reported a strong year for growth and profits in 2008, and PocketGear are both cashing in on the world’s collective move to mobile communications. The increasing availability of high-speed multimedia, or 3G, networks and faster devices enable people to work on the road, communicate with friends and family and watch mobile TV than ever before.

Just last week, telephone company Embarq reported a 10 percent drop in traditional landline customers. As money gets tight, people focus on the most essential expenditures, and the reliability of mobile devices makes them logical alternative to home phones. Of course, Internet calling helps, too, but just how many people do you know who have one number – the mobile one.

Businesses are shifting to mobile as well, with Apple’s iPhone and its host of applications enabling executives and staff to do more work than ever on the road. As more and more companies look to cut costs, mobile broadband is an enticing alternative.

Bowman’s niche is smartphones – the increasing number of devices that deliver much more than games and videos. The Symbian store already supports more than 60 Symbian-equipped devices and has more than 3,000 apps as well as games, according to Bowman.

The Skinny

WRAL Local Tech Wire Publisher and Editor Rick Smith dishes out tidbits from the local technology sector. Read more articles…