Softbank 705N mobile phone is the first NEC phone to include Red Bend's vCurrent Mobile software that provides the most effective wireless firmware update solution, allowing mobile phone manufacturers and operators to securely update or repair a mobile phone's firmware over-the-air (FOTA) whenever their customers need it.

FOTA technology has become an essential component of customer service, as well as a very important feature on mobile phones and at least 230 handset models that have been released between 2003 and 2006 include FOTA support. More than half of the mobile phones are expected to be FOTA-enabled by 2008.

"We're proud to work with NEC, one of the most innovative manufacturers worldwide, to enable efficient and reliable mobile software updates for their millions of consumers by installing Red Bend's FOTA software in their industry-leading 3G handset models," said Kazuhiro Abe, President of Red Bend Software Japan KK.

Many other mobile phone manufacturers such as LG Electronics, BenQ Mobile, Sony Ericsson and Sharp also use Red Bend's over-the-air firmware mobile client software for a more quicker and more reliable firmware update for over 45 million mobile phones used by consumers all around the world. Red Bend's vCurrent mobile software is already embedded in over 40 mobile phone models.

"The eagerness with which the giants of the mobile phone industry are adopting vCurrent Mobile testifies to the unrivaled quality and performance of Red Bend's mobile software management solutions, and our growing leadership in the Japan and Asia Pacific markets," added Abe. "Red Bend is enhancing its local operations and services with an eye on even greater expansion of usage in Japan and the region."