Stockholm, Sweden 19, June, 2000 — Today Microsoft demonstrated its commitment to its mobile Internet partners when it announced the opening of its first Mobility Solutions Center in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the heart of the Nordic
“Wireless Valley,”
the Mobility Solutions Center will act as a focus for Microsoft’s partnerships through the mobile data value chain including operators, mobile device manufacturers, developers, content and service providers.
Microsoft’s Mobility Solutions Center will integrate Microsoft’s expertise across a broad range of products and services and utilise the company’s key mobility assets, including Mobile Explorer, Windows for Smart Cards, Pocket PC, Internet Cellular Smart Access (ICSA) e-mail server, Corporate Access technology, Exchange 2000, SQL Server, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and MSN™
Mobile Services. The Mobility Solutions Center will offer partners a unique business environment to work together with Microsoft to enable and deliver custom applications and services for corporate and consumer customers.
Microsoft’s software products and services offer operators and their partners the benefits of using industry-standard technologies to deploy advanced mobile data services, including Microsoft Outlook functionality and mobile e-commerce applications, on today’s networks as well as on the higher-bandwidth networks to come. Independent research and consulting company Ovum predicts that if the market fulfils its promise, the end user spend on mobile e-commerce services will rise to more than $200 billion in 2005.
Hjalmar Winbladh, formerly CEO of Microsoft acquisition Sendit, has been appointed general manager of the Mobility Solutions Center. Richard Lindh, former director of marketing at Microsoft EMEA headquarters has been appointed senior director of marketing EMEA and global partner strategy director. Jonas Persson has been appointed sales manager of the Mobility Solutions Center. These functions report directly to Paul Gross, senior vice president, Collaboration and Mobility Group and together they will be responsible for driving and developing Microsoft’s partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as globally.
“Microsoft is committed to investing in the mobile Internet market with partners to deliver any time, any place access to information. Microsoft recognises the value of its partnerships and is confident that the Mobility Solutions Center will enable it to develop and enhance these relationships to their full potential,”
said Hjalmar Winbladh, general manager, Mobility Solutions Center.
Microsoft further enhanced its offering to partners today by announcing that version 3.5 of Internet Cellular Smart Access (ICSA), the company’s platform for delivering mobile Internet services, is available on June 30, 2000. The platform will enable operators to retain and increase their mobile subscriber base by offering tailored, easy to use, value-added mobile Internet services, with Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) microbrowser access to email, allowing their subscribers to stay connected any time, any place, on any device. ICSA 3.5 will enable network operators to target new mass-user segments, increase system usage through consolidation of multiple accounts and reduce cost of operations.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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