STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 05, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Vodafone Sweden, WM-data and Microsoft are today launching a new corporate service specially tailored to our modern mobile business life. The service will enable users, regardless of location, to access their company's internal messaging systems -- such as e-mail, calendars, and contact details -- via their mobile phones or other mobile terminals. The service can also be expanded to provide mobile access to the entire content of the company's intranet.
Besides collaborating on the development of the solution itself, the three parties will also be jointly marketing the concept.
"We have a lot of faith in this service. Much of the work performed at a company today is done, or could just as easily be done, outside the actual workplace. Our service will allow employees genuine independence in terms of time and space and enable them to perform their tasks in a simpler and more efficient way," says Anders Sjoholm, Commercial Director for Corporate and Telematics at Vodafone in Sweden.
Since employees will be directly connected to their company's internal systems, the information they receive will always be up to date. With the latest information, employees will have better control over their working day, which ultimately allows companies to enhance efficiency and service levels while increasing their employees' freedom at work.
As part of the collaboration on this mobile service, Microsoft is providing the software that makes Outlook mobile, while Vodafone in Sweden is providing mobile access for both GSM-data and GPRS-data. WM- data is responsible for the implementation that makes this service offering possible and is also providing the solution that will make companies' intranets accessible from mobile phones.
"This type of service is in line with current demands in the corporate world, where the focus is on the companies' internal information and databases and the ability to capitalise on existing systems by making them mobile. New terminals and the strong relationships enjoyed by Vodafone in Sweden will ensure a sharp increase in demand in the market. The use of this technology will become a matter of course for companies in their efforts to reach the best possible productivity levels and competitiveness," said Bengt-Ake Claesson at WM-data.
"Our joint offering shows that our efforts to make information accessible regardless of time, place and equipment are about to be realised. Mobility isn't just in the pipeline, it's already with us here and now. The fact that our new mobile services are based on companies' internal information and databases, shows that mobility is becoming an integral part of everything we do," said Staffan Lindo, who is in charge of the Network Services Provider group at Microsoft.
For more information, please contact: Anders Sjoholm, Commercial Director, Corporate and Telematics Vodafone Sweden Tel.: +46 708 33 10 22 e-mail: anders.sjoholm@vodafone.se
Vodafone Group is the world's largest mobile network and is represented in 28 countries on 5 continents. It has more than 225 million mobile telecoms users. Our services enhance the efficiency of companies' operations and make it simpler and more fun for people to communicate. Vodafone is represented in Sweden by Europolitan Holdings AB and its subsidiaries, Vodafone Sverige AB and Vodafone Stores AB. Europolitan Holdings AB is listed on Attract 40 on the Stockholm Stock Exchange's O list. The majority shareholder is Vodafone Group Plc, which owns 71 per cent of the shares, while private shareholders, investment companies and pension funds own the remaining 29 per cent. Read more at www.vodafone.se and www.vodafone.com.
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