GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE) via NewsEdge
Corporation -- IBM and Nokia today announced a global partnership that will accelerate the
growth of the wireless Internet. The companies will work together to develop enterprise
WAP solutions to enable customers to immediately begin extending e-business beyond the PC
to a variety of mobile devices.
Under the terms of the agreement, IBM will market and distribute the Nokia WAP Server
software on its PC servers and license Nokia core WAP technology for integration with
other IBM server platforms. WAP is a global standard that allows mobile devices to connect
to the Internet.
"If you want to be able to use a mobile phone instead of your PC to access
information and services on the Internet, WAP is the key ingredient that will make this
possible," said Mark Bregman, general manager of IBM's Pervasive Computing Division.
"Combining Nokia's leadership in the wireless space with our expertise in the
enterprise, IBM will be able to quickly provide an expanded range of compelling data
offerings for the mobile Internet."
"Imagine having the Internet in your pocket - which is incredibly empowering for
businesses," said Pertti Lounamaa, vice president, Nokia Wireless Software Solutions.
"No longer must people be tethered to a PC to access the Internet. With a WAP enabled
mobile device, people will have a simpler, easier and more flexible way to access the
Internet," he added.
The partnership between Nokia and IBM further confirms that WAP has become the de-facto
world standard for wireless information and services. As a truly global, open standard,
WAP will ensure that the Mobile Information Society becomes a reality.
The Nokia WAP Server software will be available on IBM's NetFinity servers running
Microsoft Corporation's Windows NT(R) operating system in 4Q99. In addition, IBM will
combine Nokia WAP technology with its Pervasive Computing middleware. These offerings
include new technologies IBM is developing for wireless applications such as Trancoding
Services (software that takes web data and "translates" it), DB/2 Everywhere,
SecureWay Wireless software and MQ Series Everywhere, as well as existing offerings such
as WebSphere, Tivoli, and IBM Enterprise Connections. Integration into one solution by IBM
Global Services, these offerings will allow IBM customers to quickly and easily extend
e-business beyond PC's and the Internet to a variety of mobile devices.