British Telecommunications and Microsoft Collaborate on Wireless Internet Access

Strategic Insights -

British Telecommunications plc (BT) and Microsoft Corp. are teaming up to trial wireless Internet access in Europe. The three-month trial will involve around 1,000 mobile phone users across Europe, allowing them to access their company's local-area networks (LAN) from their mobile phones. If successful, the trial will lead to a joint venture to market mobile multimedia-enabled phones and services in Europe. BT and Microsoft plan to bring their respective Exchange Server technology and Windows CE operating system to the trial.

Key Takeaways:

  • The trial will involve 1,000 mobile phone users across Europe, with staff from four companies - the BBC, Credit Suisse First Boston, KPMG, and Nortel Networks - participating in the trial.
  • The trial will last for three months, with the goal of allowing staff to access their company's LAN from their mobile phones, including email, calendar information, and personal-information manager (PIM)-style data.
  • Microsoft will contribute Exchange Server technology, while a stripped-down version of Windows CE will be used in the phone handsets, produced by Sagem and Samsung.
  • BT's Cellnet operation will handle handset subscriptions and bill charges to the companies, with a license fee payable to Microsoft.
  • The European aspect of the GSM trial is being conducted in partnership with Telenor Mobil in Norway.
  • The back office system has been built using Exchange, Windows NT Server, and Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) technology.
  • Sohail Qadri, BT's director of mobility, has stated that internal trials within BT and Telenor Mobil have already been carried out.
  • The trial is a beta test for the commercial service due to launch next spring.
  • The project aims to offer major business customers the ability to use computing and Internet-based business applications while on the move.
  • Qadri highlighted the strong demand for wireless Internet access from both multinational and medium-sized enterprises.

Statistics:

  • 1,000 mobile phone users will participate in the trial across Europe.
  • The trial will last for three months.
  • Four companies - the BBC, Credit Suisse First Boston, KPMG, and Nortel Networks - will participate in the trial.
  • 100% of the participating companies will have the opportunity to access their company's LAN from their mobile phones during the trial.

Sources:

  • [Sagem]
  • [Samsung]
  • Microsoft Corp. [http://www.microsoft.com]
  • British Telecommunications plc [http://www.bt.com]
  • Newsbytes.com [http://www.newsbytes.com]
  • Telenor Mobil
  • KPMG
  • BBC
  • Credit Suisse First Boston
  • Nortel Networks