IBM, Nokia join to open the mobile enterprise

The next generation of Nokia Communicator 9500 is complimented with IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access Client, WebSphere Everyplace Connection Manager Client, WebSphere Micro Environment, IBM Tivoli and Lotus Sametime Instant Messaging Client: software tools based on the open Symbian operating system that support total access communications for mobile workers and that
integrate to a wide range of enterprise class computing platforms.

'This new generation of Communicators uses the power of open standards software to support easy integration into enterprise applications, building powerful capabilities for users to access information held on corporate networks or the Internet and support total integration with a huge variety of open and secure systems,' said Samer Shaar, General Manager of IBM Middle East, Egypt and Pakistan.

The new Nokia Communicator will support access to enterprise computer systems, allowing business users to build applications and services for staff on the move, as well as opening up access to a wide range of capabilities provided by network operators and third party content and applications developers.

'This is a deeply important move. Today, the GSM mobile applications market has grown up to support total mobility for businesses, the GSM mobile market is now able to offer a standards-based platform for information management on the move and the GSM mobile market can now support interfacing with enterprise information systems based on open standards,' said Eddie Maalouf, General Manager, Nokia MENA, Nokia Mobile Phones.

The move has been welcomed by the region's leading mobile operators, including the members of the Middle East's regional VAS Alliance, which brings together the advanced mobile services capabilities of Wataniya Telecom, Jordan's Mobilecom, Bahrain's Batelco, Qatar's Q-Tel and Oman's Nawras Telcom.

'You now have the potential to create truly pervasive solutions for Middle East companies, the ability to integrate solutions that link enterprise networks in totally new mobile applications. We see enormous benefit in this first move in an important new direction towards integrating the power of today's open standard enterprise platforms with the mobility and power of GSM networks,' said Ian Dench, chief marketing officer of Bahrain's leading telecommunications operator Batelco.

Wataniya also welcomed the move as a major contributor to building business capabilities based on convergent technologies. The company has recently announced the Kuwait-based Wireless World, the Middle East's first applications development centre, designed to further the integration of convergent technologies based on the mobile GSM platform. 'We are excited by the potential of integrating enterprise-class software into products such as Nokia's Communicator. We're working to drive the adoption of mobile applications that extend business capabilities and this announcement is totally in line with that vision for the future of our converging markets,' said Andrei Torriani, chief product development and technology officer, Wataniya Telecom. 'We look forward to working on building on these types of open systems-based applications for mobile business users.'

'We are excited by this move, without a doubt. It is an important step forwards as we build new capabilities for businesses in our region based on mobile solutions,' said Mickael Ghossein, CEO of Jordan's MobileCom. 'The fact that this announcement opens up the enterprise market to mobile solutions is an important one.'

'We were delighted to support the regional VAS alliance, because we believe that we have a tremendous amount to gain from building the adoption of advanced mobile services, including mobile business applications. This move is consistent with that aim and we look forward to seeing more announcements of this type that use the converging power of information technology and mobile networks,' said Ross Cormack, CEO of Oman's new GSM operator which intends to commence service in early 2005.

Together, Nokia and IBM have developed the extremely comprehensive Java ™ environment for the enterprise mobility including J2ME MIDP 2.0 and CDC Personal Profile 1.0 and several other mobile and wireless Java APIs. IBM WebSphere Micro Environment for the Symbian OS will provide a J2ME Personal Profile runtime environment in the new Nokia 9500 Communicator to enable middleware integration and the extension of enterprise services to the mobile space. Developers will be able to use a desktop Java Development Kit, which is compatible with the Java environment in the Nokia Communicator.

This will enable them to extend their existing Java-based applications to the device by using the skills and resources they already have.

IBM is also tuning its WebSphere Studio Device Developer software tools to create an environment tailored for efficient development and optimization of enterprise applications that will run on the Nokia Communicators. In addition, IBM Tivoli mobile device solutions allow enterprise customers to extend the same system management software used to manage desktops, laptops and servers to mobile devices on demand through the Tivoli Provisioning Manager and Tivoli Configuration Manager products. This improves the efficiency of managing the business as mobile devices will be able to receive configuration setting and software application downloads on the fly, without relying on a hard-wired connection to a server or desktop.