Rex von Olst, JCSE chief executive, says the competition was launched at a two-day event attended by students from Wits, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Port Elizabeth), Rhodes University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Fort Hare and the University of South Africa (Unisa) along with representatives from a number of SMEs.

The launch not only introduced the students and SMEs to the type of applications that can run on SIM and smart cards, but also gave them an overview of the wireless market, with input from both a local and international cellular network, he says.

Eric Meniere, Gemalto senior vice-president, SA, says the SIMagine competition is in its eighth year and is traditionally launched in emerging markets to help stimulate the development of Java-based SIM applications in developing countries.

The competition is a partnership between Gemalto, Samsung and Sun Microsystems and is sponsored by companies such as Maxis, Telcel, Telefonica, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM).

During the first phase of the competition, concepts of possible Java-based SIM applications which could be developed are submitted by students and SMEs. An adjudication panel then decides on the top 60 concepts and each submission is given a Java SIM tool kit to turn the concept into an application.

The applications are then presented to the adjudication panel, which chooses eight finalists to present their applications at the 3GSM World Conference. From the eight finalists, gold, silver and bronze prizes are awarded, with prize money totalling ¬60 000 (around R550 000), he says.

The closing date for the submission of concepts is October 13. The developers who make it through to the next round will receive training on the second and third of November.

If any local applicants make it through, we will either provide a training session here in SA, or will organise for them to link up to the training session in Paris via the Internet, Meniere says.

The finalists will be flown to Barcelona in February 2007 for the 3GSM World Conference, where the awards ceremony will be held.