Chinese mobile phone users to browse the Web with “KongZhong Opera”

Chinese mobile phone users to browse the Web with “KongZhong Opera”

KongZhong Corporation (Nasdaq: KONG), one of China’s leading wireless content and media providers, today announced a strategic partner agreement with Opera Software ASA, the only company in the world that puts the Web on any device. The two companies will introduce a “KongZhong Opera” browser solution for Chinese mobile phone users.

Under the agreement, Opera will develop a customized “KongZhong Opera” browser with Kong.net as the default home page. “KongZhong Opera” is a free download that enables mobile phone users to browse both traditional Internet sites and WAP sites with their cell phones. KongZhong and Opera expect to generate advertising revenues, search-related revenues and other revenues from “KongZhong Opera”.

Mr. Nick Yang, KongZhong’s President, said, “As the developer of the very popular Opera browser, Opera has a large amount of users from PCs, cell phones, pocket PCs and even certain types of game consoles. On the other hand, Kong.net, operated by KongZhong, is one of the leading wireless Internet portals in China. This strategic partnership offers mobile phone users the best products of the two companies. We expect that great distribution of “KongZhong Opera” browser will bring increased traffic to Kong.net, strengthen our brand awareness and enhance our leadership position in wireless Internet industry.”

“China is a very important market for Opera and to approach it correctly we need a strong partner,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. “KongZhong is an ideal match for us because we share two important characteristics: a desire to give the users what they want and the ability to deliver useful, yet powerful innovation into the hands of consumers. Together, we can create the mobile Web experience for millions of Chinese mobile phone users.”
About KongZhong

KongZhong Corporation is one of China’s leading providers of wireless value-added services and a wireless media company providing news, content and mobile advertising services through its wireless Internet sites. The Company delivers wireless value-added services to consumers in China through multiple technology platforms including wireless application protocol (WAP), multimedia messaging service (MMS), JAVATM, short messaging service (SMS), interactive voice response (IVR), and color ring-back tone (CRBT). The Company also operates two wireless Internet sites, Kong.net and Ko.cn, which enable users to access media, entertainment and community content directly from their mobile phones.
About Opera Software ASA

Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera’s cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com.
Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the launching of Mobile Messenger 3.0, KongZhong sponsorship of the Mobile Messenger 3.0 news channel and mobile games channel, and the prospects for, and benefits of, cooperation between KongZhong Corporation and MSN China. Although such statements are based on our own information and information from other sources we believe to be reliable, you should not place undue reliance on them. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual market trends and our results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward looking statements for a variety of reasons. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competitive pressure in China’s wireless value added services, wireless Internet and mobile advertising markets and the effect of such pressure on prices; changes in technology, consumer demand and usage preferences in these markets; the state of and any change in our relationship with China’s telecommunications operators; our dependence on the networks and billing systems of the telecommunications operators for our performance; changes in the regulations or policies of the Ministry of Information Industry or other relevant government authorities or the telecommunications operators; and changes in political, economic, legal and social conditions in China, including the Chinese government’s policies with respect to economic growth, foreign exchange, foreign investment and entry by foreign companies into China’s telecommunications market. For additional discussion of these risks and uncertainties and other factors, please see the documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this press release.