Voting by Mobile Devices Could Be Available in United States by 2012, VeriSign Says

2009 will be a breakout year for carriers and social networking destinations to finally work together to meet user needs, while addressing the issues and concerns that have held back the growth of mobile social networking to this point. With the integration of user-friendly interfaces into smartphones, and a focus on breaking down the siloed environment between social networking sites, users will finally have opportunities for ubiquitous interaction with all of their favorite social networking destinations. In addition, social networking will utilize the unique nature of the mobile environment to provide real-time relevance to the messages shared between the user and their social network.

5. $5 million will be raised for charities through the mobile channel

More than $5 million will be raised in 2009 through mobile charitable giving, according to VeriSign and the Mobile Giving Foundation. This underlines the trend of consumers' increasing preference for microdonations, which enables them to continue to contribute to worthy causes despite the current tough economic climate. The microdonation model also appeals to the Generation Y and "Millennial" age groups, who are the most likely adopters of new, innovative ways to do things. In addition, the first year of mobile giving, 2008, outpaced the first year of online donations, with charities primarily soliciting one-time donations from the public. In 2009, these charitable organizations will increasingly utilize the mobile channel to establish an ongoing relationship with their donors by providing them with an additional opt-in option to sign up for organization news and events through SMS alerts. In addition, personalized, integrated marketing will continue to help increase mobile donation numbers and overall response percentages.

VeriSign's Messaging and Mobile Media Division delivers messages on behalf of carriers and content providers around the world. VeriSign's combined mobile messaging networks (P2P and A2P) connect to more than 700 carriers in more than 200 countries and reach more than 3 billion wireless subscribers -- a network that generates billions of dollars in revenue for its customers.