OSLO and STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb. 14, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Birdstep Technology today announced the inclusion of the Birdstep SmartRoaming Client on the upcoming Sony Ericsson P990 smartphone. A "try and buy" version of this client will ship on the Memory Stick of the phone.As an end-user and enterprise offering, Birdstep recently introduced "SmartRoaming", a hosted roaming service to provide mobility across cellular and WLAN networks independent of the operator or subscription - accessible via the Birdstep SmartRoaming client. The SmartRoaming service will now also support the Sony Ericsson P990 smartphone, allowing users of these smartphones to enjoy seamless mobility across network boundaries.
"The SmartRoaming concept is very appealing since it makes sensible use of both the cellular and WLAN features of the P990. SmartRoaming enables all applications to continue running without application downtime when moving between UMTS and WLAN. The user does not need to know what network is available, how to connect or worry about security risks. It will be possible to seamlessly access corporate networks, receive e-mails in real-time and much more, comfortably knowing that the best access technology available is used at all times," said Henrik Voigt, Head of Enterprise Solutions at Sony Ericsson.
"The development of the SmartRoaming client on the UIQ 3 platform was very smooth and permitted us to meet the deadlines. We were very pleased with the efficiency of the platform and especially with the large touch screen of the P990 smartphone. Our development team utilized the strengths of the user interface to create a more enjoyable user experience of our solution. The availability of many applications for this device helped us with testing our solution for a multitude of relevant scenarios," said Haakon Bryhni, CTO of Birdstep Technology.
SmartRoaming can easily be activated by the end-user. It is offered as a "try and buy" version together with the P990, so users can experience it for 4 weeks free-of-charge before they subscribe to the service. A direct link to the Sony Ericsson Application Shop will allow the user to purchase an extension of the subscription directly from the phone. Please visit www.smartroaming.com for more information.
The Birdstep SmartRoaming Client The Birdstep SmartRoaming Client supports secure and continuous connectivity between Wireless LAN (also known as guest zones or hotspots) and GSM/GPRS/UMTS/CDMA networks. This market leading client allows users to seamlessly connect and re-connect across different types of infrastructures without application downtime, security degradation or user intervention. The client also mobilizes security components based on SSL VPN solutions as well as thin clients solutions such as Citrix without interruption. The solution also interoperates with authentication methods commercially available in the market. The client gives complete hassle-free mobility without requiring the user to do anything but continue working as normal.
About Birdstep Technology
Birdstep Technology ASA is a public company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE) under ticker 'BIRD' with head quarters in Oslo, Norway in addition to offices in Stockholm, Sweden and Seattle, USA, as well as offices in Frankfurt, Cambridge (UK), San Francisco, Sao Paolo and Shanghai. In December 2004 Birdstep acquired 100% of the shares in Alice Systems, now Birdstep AB in Sweden. The acquisition makes Birdstep a complete provider of connectivity and mobility solutions for PC, Pocket PC and Smartphone devices that enable operators to improve their customer experience as they move between available networks, e.g. fixed, cellular and wireless connections. The company today employs around 70 people dedicated to development of advanced connectivity and seamless mobility solutions, as well as small footprint, high performance database technologies. Birdstep's global customers and partners include 3Com, Cisco, Alcatel, Ericsson, Nokia, Nortel Networks, HP, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Sony Ericsson and more than 30 mobile network operators worldwide including T-Mobile Group, Vodafone Group, Orange, TIM, Sprint, Telenor and TeliaSonera. Birdstep offers "SmartRoaming", a hosted roaming service to provide mobility across networks independent of the operator or subscription. For more information on Birdstep Technology, please visit www.birdstep.com
For more info contact:
Petri Markkanen, CEO, Birdstep Technology, email: pema@birdstep.com Walter Huhn, VP Partner Sales, Birdstep Technology ASA email: wahu@birdstep.com Stefano Holguin, VP Marketing, Birdstep Technology ASA email: stho@birdstep.com, Phone: +47 24134700
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