Vodafone UK and Microsoft® today announce the launch of Vodafone OfficeLive delivering Outlook® Services powered by Microsoft Mobile Software, the first service in the world to offer corporate customers managed access to Microsoft Outlook and Exchange, using Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server (MMIS). The new service will provide corporate customers with secure and fast access to Personal Information Management systems, anytime, any place and from a multitude of mobile devices, including PDAs. The service will be offered to Vodafone's corporate customers in the UK towards the end of July 2001.
Vodafone UK will be introducing a new range of value-added managed services developed for business customers by leading software and application developers, under the banner, Vodafone OfficeLive. The first service to be launched under the new banner is Vodafone OfficeLive delivering Outlook Services.
Incorporating the newly launched Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server from Microsoft, Vodafone OfficeLive delivering Outlook Services will provide corporate customers with access to their Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server and Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 for secure access to their Personal Information Management systems, such as corporate email, calendar, contact and task information.
"Information and communication flows are at the heart of all modern businesses and it is therefore crucial to have the ability to access and interact with information anytime, anyplace, anywhere," said Amit Pau, Managing Director at Vodafone Multimedia, a division of Vodafone UK Limited. "This new service provides fast mobile access to Microsoft-based applications previously only available on the desktop - a service our customers have been waiting for. We believe that Vodafone OfficeLive is key for businesses that want to reduce costs, improve communications practice and increase employee efficiency."
"Vodafone UK and Microsoft have delivered what we set out to achieve through the joint development project announced last September," commented Juha Christensen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mobility Group, Microsoft Corp. He continued: "Through partnering with Vodafone we're delivering a platform that enables enterprises to implement secure wireless access to their corporate intranets."
Vodafone UK has been working with Microsoft to develop and deliver a solution that includes both the Vodafone Managed Service and Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server. Vodafone OfficeLive delivering Outlook Services is made up of a number of key elements to provide the customer with a complete managed solution:
- The Vodafone Managed Service provides access to Vodafone's Gateway ensuring complete end-to-end security for WAP calls, caller line identity to assist with user identification and a range of Management Information Statistics on service usage/performance. This service is further enhanced through the use of SMS Notification for alerts on emails and calendar changes, allowing the end user to remain up-to-date.
- Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server provides support for existing back-office environments and has been designed to be bearer independent, ensuring future-proofing for new technologies such as GPRS and 3G.
In addition, Vodafone UK will be offering a variety of optional extras, such as:-
- Dynamic Front Page. This service enables corporate organisations to personalise the front page on mobile devices, providing easy access to business services.
- MMIS Enterprise Edition licenses.
- Systems integration for installation, charged at a daily rate.
The key benefit of Vodafone OfficeLive, for any corporate organisation, is the unique ability to provide a "one-stop shop" solution, providing every aspect of remote access from installation though to network support.
Corporate customers will benefit from increased business efficiency, mobile communication cost savings and additional security. Providing mobile WAP access to existing PC-based applications will enable corporate customers to make the most of their existing investments of Microsoft applications and mobile communications. The service offers Management Information Statistics such as call duration, access and URL page views on a per user basis, allowing for easy monitoring of the usage of the service.
Corporate employees will find the new service simple to use as it incorporates the Microsoft features they already use in a mobile environment. The user experience is further enhanced as employees do not have to spend valuable time setting up their laptop or worry about synchronisation, they can access Microsoft applications via their WAP phone in just a matter of seconds. Employees will be able to respond to client queries faster, more efficiently and make full use of traditional "dead time" spent on trains or waiting for meetings.
Access to Vodafone OfficeLive is made via a URL (WAP site address), which is entered into the WAP device as a bookmark. Alternatively, to further simplify the service, Vodafone UK will be introducing an option to include the Vodafone Dynamic Front Page, so that every time an employee starts a WAP session the device will, by default, be presented with links to their corporate WAP systems. This element of the service is beneficial in that the user is instantly connected to their corporate system, eliminating time spent "surfing" for the correct WAP site and therefore helping to reduce costs.
Vodafone OfficeLive delivering Outlook Services will be available to corporate customers from Vodafone UK and through its approved systems integrators ICL, HP and KPMG Consulting.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Vodafone OfficeLive Security
Vodafone OfficeLive, uses Vodafone's WAP Gateway, which further encrypts thesignal sent to the mobile device using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Wireless Transport Layer Security (WLTS). It is the combination of secure connection over the Internet using SSL, together with WTLS on the air interface that ensures complete end to end security for corporate customers.
About Microsoft Information Server
Mobile Information Server is a new mobile applications server product that extends the reach of Microsoft .NET applications, enterprise data and intranet content into the realm of the mobile user. Mobile Information Server brings the power of the corporate intranet to the latest generation of mobile devices so users can securely access their e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks or any intranet line-of-business application in real time, wherever they happen to be.
Detailed information on Mobile Information Server can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/servers/miserver/.
About Vodafone UK
Vodafone is the UK's most popular mobile network operator, with more than 12.3 million customers. Vodafone UK is part of the Vodafone Group, which has interests in 29 countries, covering five continents, and more than 83 million 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 anytime, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, Windows, and Mobile Information Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For further information contact:
For Vodafone information contact:
Janine Young or Corinne Norris
Vodafone Group Press Office
Tel: 07000 500100
Email: press.office@vodafone.com
For press only:
For Microsoft information (Europe only) contact:
Miller/Shandwick Technologies
Tel: (+44) 207 240 8666
Matt Warder: mwarder@miller.shandwick.com
Kevin Bossi: kbossi@miller.shandwick.com