TOKYO, February 7 /PRNewswire/ --

ACCESS CO., LTD., a global provider of advanced software technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets, today announced that worldwide deployments of its NetFront(TM) products, notably NetFront(TM) Browser for mobile handsets and information appliances, surpassed 500 million at the end of January, 2008.

NetFront Browser, an Internet browser offering high performance in environments with constrained memory and CPU resources, such as mobile phones and embedded devices, has a proven record of installation in handsets from mobile operators and major device manufacturers throughout the world. NetFront Browser has also been installed in numerous other Internet devices, including digital TVs, set-top boxes and automobile telematics systems.

ACCESS has recently introduced NetFront(TM) Browser Widgets, a comprehensive mobile widget framework that builds upon NetFront Browser technology to support the creation and use of dynamic Web applications based on open standard technologies, and that offers end-users rapid access to frequently viewed or personalized web content such as news, weather reports, stock prices and sports scores.

ACCESS has also used the success of NetFront(TM) Browser DTV Profile One-seg Edition (formerly Wireless Edition), a browser that supports the "One-Seg" (ISDB-T) digital terrestrial broadcasting service in Japan, to develop in collaboration with France's EXPWAY the NetFront(TM) Browser DTV Profile DVB-H Edition, a mobile TV solution compliant with the DVB-H standard that is generating growing interest in global markets.

Total deployed products exceeded the 100-million mark in October 2003, at which point the worldwide installation rate for NetFront products began to gain significant momentum. The 200-million mark was reached two years later in September 2005; 300 million deployments 15 months later in November 2006; 400 million nine months later in August 2007; and 500 million, after a mere five months, in January 2008. New deployments averaged 13 million per month between November 2006 and August 2007, since when the average has risen more than 50% to a monthly average of 20 million. The number of device models in which NetFront products have been deployed has reached 1,349, and NetFront technologies are expected to be installed in a variety of new devices in the months to come.

"To date, ACCESS has assisted mobile operators and handset manufacturers to implement new services by developing up-to-date products that anticipate changing markets and trends," said Toru Arakawa, CEO, president and co-founder of ACCESS. "Based on our extensive track record and cutting-edge technologies, ACCESS looks forward to leading the way toward a 'ubiquitous Internet society' where myriad Internet devices can be networked to provide a full range of digital lifestyle options."

Figures for total NetFront product installations and device models are as follows:

Date Total Installations Models October 31, 2003 108,380,000 267 September 30, 2005 214,030,000 721 November 30, 2006 316,000,000 1,017 August 31, 2007 440,240,000 1,233 January 31, 2008 544,500,000 1,349

(C) 2008 ACCESS CO., LTD. All rights reserved.

ACCESS, NetFront, Garnet and ACCESS Linux Platform are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACCESS CO., LTD. in the United States, Japan and other countries.

The registered trademark Linux(R) is used pursuant to a sublicense from LMI, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a world-wide basis.

Palm OS is a trademark owned by Palm Trademark Holding Company and is licensed exclusively to ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc.

All other trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.

Web site: http://www.access-company.com

Japan, Mariko Hanaoka, +81-(3)-5259-3685, prinfo@access.co.jp, or U.S., Pam Miracle, +1-408-400-1543, pam.miracle@access-company.com, or Europe, Laurence Clavere, +33-(0)-6-72-38-05-38, Laurence.clavere@access-company.com, or China, Delia Liu, +86-(10)-6439-6167, delia.liu@accesschina.com.cn, all of ACCESS CO., LTD.