Firethorn Introduces New Capabilities to Enhance Mobile Banking and Payments

- Advanced Solution Provides New Marketing, Customer Retention and Revenue Opportunities -

ATLANTA, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Leading mobile commerce enabler Firethorn Holdings, LLC, a Qualcomm company (Nasdaq: QCOM), today announced the introduction of its mobile application upgrade which will enable Firethorn to transition its financial institution and wireless operator relationships from banking to broader mobile commerce functionality.

Expanded functionality will include the everyday convenience of mobile banking activities, such as balance inquiries, funds transfers and bill pay, as well as features that provide new marketing opportunities for financial institutions, operators and consumers. Financial institutions also will have the ability to tailor the account information displayed on the customer's mobile device for each type of account. By customizing what customers can access, banks and credit unions are able drive users to the most pertinent account information.

"Firethorn's solution shines a light on what consumers, financial institutions, wireless operators and, eventually, merchants can expect from mobile commerce in the future," said Tripp Rackley, chief executive officer, Firethorn. "The latest upgrade of our solution is one of many advances Firethorn plans to make as we anticipate the maturing market's needs for more advanced payment capabilities."

Marketing Features

In response to customer preferences, Firethorn has created three dynamic new service features designed to give new marketing opportunities to Firethorn financial institutions, wireless operators and other providers:

* Offers Feature - provides the ability to extend targeted promotions to users regarding products or services. Consumers benefit from access to new promotions and special services that might help them save money on a new car loan or gain preferred paths to new products and services.

* Rewards Feature - coupled with institution rewards programs, it allows consumers to track their loyalty points for their financial institution accounts and, in the future, for their merchant relationships.

* Customization Feature - allows providers to customize their services as programs evolve by adding desirable new functions in designated areas throughout the application.

These three key enhancements give providers the ability to customize their user interfaces with their own unique look and feel, as well as generate incremental revenue through these enriched services. Additionally, Firethorn developed and applied backwards compatibility to the platform. As a result, financial institutions do not need to change their back-end processes to launch this new application version. Institutions and their customers are automatically live with the new platform and enjoy a seamless upgrade process.

Facts and Stats

According to research commissioned by Firethorn, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in enhanced mobile commerce capabilities. Among other things, the study found:

    -- 62 percent of respondents would be likely to use their mobile device to
       obtain bank account balance information.
    -- 28 percent would like to track loyalty accounts on their phone.
    -- 32 percent want to receive coupons and 23 percent want to receive
       product information on their mobile device.

Firethorn's upgraded solution is designed to stimulate the consumer's appetite for increased capabilities in future mobile commerce activities. The enhanced features are geared toward the consumer's desire for emerging mobile technology that will complement and ease their on-the-go lifestyle.

About Firethorn

Firethorn, a Qualcomm company (Nasdaq: QCOM), is a mobile commerce enabler chosen by some of the nation's leading financial institutions and wireless operators. The Firethorn mobile wallet is a single, secure, certified application embedded on select wireless handsets. It enables financial institutions to deliver branded services to consumers via the mobile device; wireless operators to deliver consumer-convenient, mass-market applications to subscribers; and mobile device users to access and add multiple financial relationships with one password. For more information on Firethorn, visit http://www.firethornmobile.com.

Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Firethorn is a trademark of Firethorn Holdings, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

     Qualcomm Contacts:
     Kelly Buday, Firethorn Holdings, LLC
     Phone:  1-678-507-2555
     Email:  kbuday@qualcomm.com

     Emily Kilpatrick, Corporate Communications
     Phone:  1-858-845-5959
     Email:  corpcomm@qualcomm.com

     John Gilbert, Investor Relations
     Phone:  1-858-658-4813
     Email:  ir@qualcomm.com

SOURCE Qualcomm

Released November 14, 2008