Openwave Systems Inc. announced a joint collaboration with Japanese Internet start-up, Zero Start Communications Co. Ltd, to launch a new mobile Mini-Blog service branded “chopi” in Japan. Openwave’s carrier-grade, standards-based converged communications platform, will serve as the messaging engine powering Zero Start’s chopi Mini-Blog service.

Zero Start’s chopi Mini-Blog service enables users to join communities, view other user’s comments, and communicate with friends, family members and others via their mobile device. The chopi Mini-Blog service also offers consumers closed community portal pages along with search engine and private messaging.

“As the mobile Internet continues to become more sophisticated, consumers are demanding a deeper level of personalization and more dynamic ways to communicate,” said Hari Haran, senior vice president of worldwide field operations, Openwave Systems. “We’re thrilled to see our industry-proven converged communications platform take new directions, driving innovative mobile Web 2.0 communication options to Japanese consumers.”

“In Japan, mini-blogs are among the latest trends in mobile communications,” said Shinichi Ijichi, Zero Start’s senior executive managing director. “The chopi service targets avid mobile users who eat, sleep and breathe the mobile lifestyle and want to establish casual communication with others. We are honored to align ourselves with an innovative and well-proven mobile messaging company like Openwave to collaborate in creating our new service, and look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship.”

Openwave’s converged communications platform enables new messaging services to meet the evolving messaging demands of today’s users, across mobile and broadband. It is designed to enable monetization of advanced messaging services on any device.

Through the Extensions technology, communication service providers have the ability to “plug in” value-added and best-of-breed processing software such as anti-virus, anti-spam, message reformatting, indexing or lawful mail interceptions (CALEA) efficiently and cost effectively.

Openwave’s messaging solutions are optimized to work with Openwave Rich Mail, an AJAX-based Web interface that offers a superior innovative end-user experience including integrated messaging, intelligent single-click access to content, address book, mobile access and real-time notifications, as well as targeted advertising and merchandising.

Openwave offers a complete portfolio of converged communications products and services including mobile messaging, voice, real-time call control, and integrated PC-based applications, supported by its industry leading converged communications platform.