NetBox Blue has a mobile security division, Leopard Labs.

The company was "Highly Recommended" in the Secrets of Australian ICT Innovation awards for its patented filtering technology for the mobile market.

The Leopard Labs solution Protect offers a reliable, flexible and cost effective way to filter unwanted and inappropriate internet content on mobiles.

It is unique because the solution sits on the handset, avoiding the need for a costly server-side solution.

Protect enables us to provide NetBox-like policies to mobile fleets as well as network based PCs.

The technology is a response to the dramatic rise in business mobility, an exponential rise in data use on mobiles and a corresponding rise in the security and productivity risks of mobile phones.

More than 2.4 billion people around the world own a mobile phone. A quarter of them use their phones to browse the internet.

The launch of 3G and DVB_H in Australia means that the mobile platform is one of the fastest growing channels for content distribution. And according to Frost and Sullivan the total market is forecast to top AU$1 billion by 2009.

This surge in internet access over mobiles presents a new challenge for business managers, as employees use their phones to stream sport, music and other non-work related material.

It also presents a grave danger to young mobile users who are exposed to bullying, pornography and predators over the internet.

A Korean teenager recently committed suicide because he ran up a $US 4,000 bill viewing porn on his mobile phone.

The tragic incident highlights the importance of internet content filtering.

A federal government review found that a server-side content filtering system would cost carriers $45 million to set up and $33 million to run.

The Leopard Lab’s solution costs carriers nothing up front. It will be sold to users for a nominal licence fee and an ongoing maintenance charge.