"Developers are key to the mobile ecosystem and we've made it a strategic priority to provide them with more opportunities to reach our customers with new and innovative applications," said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.  "Our goal with Open Call is to encourage developers to use their creativity and technical talent to help our customers do more with their devices."    

The Open Call contest is open to any developer who wishes to present new and exciting applications that may ultimately find their way into the handsets of AT&T's wireless customers.  At Open Call, developers briefly present their applications to judges, who then decide if an individual application merits further consideration.

The deadline for submissions is midnight Pacific Time on March 1, 2010. Developers can enter only one contest category at http://attopencall.com.  An AT&T representative will contact presenters in early March to schedule the Open Call meetings. Those invited to present will have five minutes to pitch their applications to a panel of judges in private meeting rooms, with time for Q&A afterwards. Content and applications can be presented on a working handset or simulator, if needed.

In January 2010 at the AT&T Developer Summit, AT&T announced a major initiative to expand the universe of mobile applications beyond smartphones to more mobile phones, beginning with Quick Messaging Devices, using a new software developer's kit (SDK) featuring Brew Mobile Platform.  Developers can access the SDK at http://developer.att.com/sdk.  In addition, AT&T is the first carrier to offer all major operating systems, including a lineup of five Android-based smartphones in the first half of the year.  The "Open Call - Apps For All!" Contest gives developers the opportunity to go-to-market with AT&T and be among the first applications on the new handsets.