Beijing – October 27, 2008
– Moka, LLC, the world's leading supplier of network-based
mobile translation and language learning services,
announced today that Sichuan Mobile Communication
Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile
Communications Corporation (NYSE:CHL), China's largest
telecommunications service provider, has reached a
definitive agreement with Moka LLC to launch Moka's
mobile translation and language learning products
in the Sichuan Province of China. With over 26 million
mobile subscribers, Sichuan Mobile is one of the larger
subsidiaries of China Mobile.
Today, translation and communications
between Chinese and English became more efficient,
easy and portable with the launch of a Chinese to
English translation and language learning technology
designed specifically for cell phones. Moka, the company
behind this unique mobile product, today announced
its language translation technology intended to help
consumers strengthen their communication skills and
overcome language barriers.
With over 310 million people learning
English in China today and 70% of Chinese students
attending at least one extra-curricular English class,
English fluency has become one of the major objectives
of Chinese students and professionals. This combined
with the 125 million foreign tourists expected to
visit China this year has created a significant demand
for accessible language learning and Chinese-English
communication technologies. Moka's new mobile language
translation and learning service is useful for Chinese
speakers with all levels of English-speaking ability
– from advanced speakers who need to look up a word,
phrase or sentence, to beginners, who can use the
language lessons to reinforce what they are learning.
English speakers also benefit from the service by
being able to better communicate with their Chinese
friends or business associates.
Moka's mobile translation service operates
in two modes: self-translation and mobile-to-mobile
translation. In self-translation mode, anyone with
a China Mobile phone can send a Chinese or English
text message and receive it back immediately translated
into the other language. Mobile-to-mobile translation
operates in a similar way. For example, a user can
send a text message in Chinese to another user's cell
phone, and the recipient will receive the message
in English. When he or she replies, the message will
be translated back into Chinese. Moka also serves
as a mobile language teacher helping users learn English
on the go through an innovative language-learning
program called Moka Fun. Moka Fun was designed for
China Mobile's MZone subscribers. Moka Fun uses humor
and entertaining content to make learning English
fun and enjoyable on a mobile phone.
Breaking Down Language Barriers
Moka is currently available through
all major U.S carriers including Verizon, T-Mobile,
AT&T and Sprint, as well China Mobile subscribers
in the Sichuan province. This means that US travelers
visiting the Sichuan region no longer have to worry
about overcoming the language gap. Whether living
in China or visiting from abroad, English speakers
can for the first time communicate freely without
the need for a human translator.
"When over 310 million people of
all ages in China learning English today, Moka provides
a unique on the go learning and communication tool
that has never been available before. Moka's partnership
with China Mobile combines the most advanced mobile
language translation service with the marketing power
of the world's largest wireless carrier to help people
in China learn languages in a completely new way.
Moka and China Mobile are poised to transform English
learning behavior and multilingual communications
by providing an easy, fun, and cool way of learning
and communicating", said Eric Fang, President
of Moka China.
"We are very happy to cooperate
with Moka in providing a mobile translation and language
learning product for our Sichuan Province customers",
a Sichuan Mobile senior management source said.
Michael Donahue, CEO and Co-founder
of Moka, continues: "China Mobile is one of the
largest mobile operators in the world today, and we
are excited to be in a position to support their growth.
Our vision is to provide simple and easy mobile translation
solutions that bring people together by eliminating
the language barriers that exist today."
About Moka, LLC
Headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida
and Beijing, China, Moka is a privately held company
that is removing language barriers by providing the
most accurate and accessible real-time language translation
service available in the world today. Moka provides
a universal translator that allows users to chat instantaneously
with friends or business associates in different languages
using text messaging on their cell phones (SMS) or
Skype. Moka also enables language learning on the
go with real-time contextual language study via a
mobile phone or the web. Moka uses the most advanced
translation technology available, which is able to
adapt to text-messaging slang terms and usage in order
to provide the most accurate translation possible.
Moka's translation technology currently offers three
language selections, English, Spanish and Chinese,
focusing on the areas of the world where the biggest
language gaps exist. Visit http://www.moka.com
to find more information about Moka's mobile and online
language translation and language learning products.
About China Mobile
China Mobile Communication Corporation
(China Mobile) was officially established on April
20th, 2000 and is directly under the central government.
It is a key state-owned enterprise based on the mobile
business that split from the former China Telecom
as a result of the reform and restructuring of China's
communications industry. China Mobile has wholly-owned
subsidiaries in 10 provinces (autonomous regions and
municipalities directly under the central government)
in China and went public on the Hong Kong and New
York Stock Exchanges ( NYSE:CHL).
For PR inquiries in China please contact
Vivian Fang at +86.138.0110.4796
For PR inquiries in the US please contact
Diego Winegardner at +1.203.987.5806
