Getting Africa online: Opera demos the power of Web technology at Africa Com 2009

Opera Software is in Cape Town for the annual Africa Com, from November 11-12, 2009. Setting up camp in booth B9, Opera will demo the very Web technology that has served as a key driver of Internet growth throughout the African continent.

Opera’s world-leading Web browser for mobile phones, Opera Mini, has made significant impact on the African market, resulting in exponential growth in Web usage month-on-month. While PC penetration remains lower than the global average through the continent, Opera Mini is helping the mobile phone-toting nation use the Web to communicate with the world.

“We have succeeded in making the Web a part of more Africans daily lives, but we still have a lot of work to do,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. “An event such as Africa Com is important to Opera, as Africa has enormous growth potential. Our vision is to spread the Web, ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can get online. Our monthly usage numbers show that we are making a difference in Africa, and I look forward to a day when all of Africa is online.”

Opera will be showcasing its Opera Mini 5 beta browser on several handsets at Africa Com. This recently released beta takes mobile browsing to the next level by adding familiar desktop features such as Speed Dial and tabbed browsing, plus a new look and feel. Opera will also demo its Opera Turbo technology, designed to improved browsing speed and smoothness through server-side compression of pages. Opera Turbo can be tested on the ASUS Eee PC during Africa Com.

Get more information on Opera in Africa by reading Opera’s monthly State of the Mobile Web report at www.opera.com/smw/.

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/.