Joint Development Project
Vodafone Group PLC
5 September 2000
VODAFONE UK AND MICROSOFT ANNOUNCE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF
CORPORATE MOBILE INTERNET SERVICES
Vodafone UK and Microsoft have today announced a joint
development project to drive the expansion of corporate
mobile intranet services and bring Microsoft Outlook
functionality to wireless mobile devices.
Both companies are collaborating on a European trial of
new corporate mobile intranet products and services, with
commercial deployments planned for Spring 2001. The
joint development project with Microsoft will enable
Vodafone to roll out these new services on a global
basis, providing worldwide uniformity and consistency of
service for its corporate customers wherever they are
based.
Trial users will be able to use familiar Microsoft
Outlook functionality to send and receive email from a
range of mobile devices, as well as access, in real-time,
their Microsoft Exchange-based calendar, contacts,
personalised Web content and online information services.
'This partnership unites Vodafone's leading position as
the world's largest mobile telecommunications company,
with Microsoft's global expertise in software application
development,' said Peter Bamford, Chief Executive,
Vodafone UK. 'Bringing additional functionality to
mobile devices further enhances Vodafone's capabilities
in the corporate market, as more workforces conduct their
business away from the traditional office.'
'This is a very exciting partnership - Microsoft is
committed to investing in relationships with leading
operators, including Vodafone, so that together we can
enable users to access customised corporate services at
any time, any place and from any device,' said Paul
Gross, senior vice president, Microsoft Mobility and
Collaboration Group.
The services will be developed based on industry
standards including GPRS, WAP, HTML and XML, giving users
unparalleled access to Web content via their mobile phone
and enabling developers to use their existing knowledge
to develop innovative mobile intranet and Internet
applications.
The joint trial will operate using Microsoft technology
including Outlook, Exchange 2000, Mobile Explorer, SQL
Server and Windows 2000. The trial will be carried out
using mobile handsets powered by Microsoft Mobile
Explorer, Microsoft's modular software platform for
mobile phones, which allows users to access a wide range
of mobile and Internet services.
Notes to editors:
About Vodafone
Vodafone is the world's largest mobile telecommunications
company, with a current market capitalisation of around
£200 billion. The Group is focused on mobile voice and
data communications, two of the fastest growing segments
in the telecommunications industry. It has a global reach
with operations in 25 countries and more than 59 million
proportionate customers worldwide.
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.
For further information please contact:
Terry Barwick, Director of Corporate Affairs
Tim Brown, Investor Relations Director
Melissa Stimpson, Senior Investor Relations Manager
Mike Caldwell, Corporate Communications Director
At Vodafone Group Plc
Telephone: +44 (0) 1635 33251
Lulu Bridges
Tavistock Communications
Telephone: + 44 (0) 20 7600 2288
Judy Garziglia
Miller/Shandwick Technologies
Tel: 0207 240 8666
emeamsmobility@miller.shandwick.com
Website: www.microsoft.com/presspass
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