At the 3GSM World Congress event, Microsoft Corp. announced new alliances with the mobile operator community to run trials on its range of enhanced data services over mobile networks beginning in spring 2001.
These trials represent a leap forward for Microsoft in bringing its mobile devices platform to market. The provision of rich data services that connect back to data stores held in operator and corporate servers is at the cornerstone of Microsoft’s mobility vision. Telstra Corp., T-Mobil and Vodafone UK are the first mobile operators to publicly announce their intention to test Microsoft(R) data services in their networks.
Investments in high-bandwidth networks such as GPRS and UMTS will allow operators to offer value-added services across their networks that will enable a new era of collaboration, information and multimedia services, said Ben Waldman, vice president of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft. It is critical to ensure that the handsets which come to market can deliver the type of advanced functionality and benefits promised to the end user. Microsoft is taking the lead by developing an intensive program to test advanced data services in its networks now, therefore substantially reducing the time to market for next-generation services.
