News Item
SA firm to head fight on truancy
Adelaide Advertiser, March 17, 2007 by Alexandra Treadrea
ADELAIDE SMS applications company, MGM Wireless, will target truancy in the U.S., having signed a distribution deal with California-based education software specialists, VIP Tone.
MGM, which produces systems that allow schools to notify parents of their child's absence, via mobile telephone messaging, opened an office in California's Silicon Valley this year.
Executive chairman Mark Fortunatow said the deal meant the companies would co-brand and distribute attendance improvement products and services to schools in Australia and the U.S.
"This is a significant step forward for MGM Wireless and will provide an instant channel to market for MGM's suite of leading edge products," he said.
"In the U.S., attendance issues are far more serious than they are in Australia. Our internal reports and data collected, jointly with schools, suggest there is an initial 100 per cent improvement (by using the system)."
He said, however, the product alone was not a solution to truancy.
"The ongoing effectiveness of the system is linked to the ability of the school principal and leadership to manage their attendance issues," he said.
He said without the deal with VIP Tone it would be very difficult to crack the U.S. market. "It would be impossible for any company like ours to have a meaningful presence across the country in a reasonable period of time," he said.
"Our strategy is very much partnering with organisations that have existing relationships. This alliance represents that."
Founded in 2000, VIP Tone's new range of attendance data capture and roll marking products have just been accredited by the Department of Education and Children's Services in South Australia.
The department has recommended use of the systems in the state's 600 public schools. MGM will promote them nationally. VIP Tone, in turn, has licensed MGM's messageyou system.
Mr Fortunatow said while MGM products initially would be used in California, the company hoped to form alliances across the U.S.
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