Benefon Licenses Microsoft Mobile Explorer to Bring WAP and HTML-Based Services and Content to Mobile Phones - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Dec 27, 1999

Microsoft Corp. and Benefon Monday announced the licensing of Microsoft Mobile Explorer (MME) for Benefon's new wireless communication products.

Microsoft Mobile Explorer, first announced on Dec. 8, is a comprehensive, open software platform designed to power Internet-enabled mobile telephones. MME enables wireless carriers to provide their customers with the choice of a broad line of applications and services on data-enabled telephones. It is a key component of Microsoft's end-to-end wireless strategy to provide mobile Internet solutions that utilize additional technologies such as Microsoft Exchange Server, the BackOffice family and MSN Mobile Services.

Benefon will first incorporate Microsoft Mobile Explorer in a unique new GSM handset, scheduled to be introduced in early February concurrently in the GSM World Congress in Cannes and in FIND exhibitions in the nine European Cities of Culture of 2000: Avignon (France), Bergen (Norway), Bologna (Italy), Brussels (Belgium), Helsinki (Finland), Krakow (Poland), Prague (Czech Republic), Reykjavik (Iceland) and Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The new product is an important milestone in Benefon's mission to provide innovative, high-performance wireless communication products with professional quality and contemporary Finnish design.

"The mobile Internet is elemental in realizing Benefon's vision of putting wireless technology to meaningful use and contributing to the quality of life of people with individual needs," said Jorma U. Nieminen, president of Benefon. "What appealed to Benefon in our choice of a technology partner for the mobile Internet was Microsoft's commitment to supporting industry standards such as HTML and WAP and promoting their convergence under XML, to the benefit of customers and service providers alike."

"Microsoft Mobile Explorer is a key step in realizing Microsoft's vision of empowering knowledge workers and consumers through great software any time, anywhere and on any device," said Kevin Dallas, group product manager of the Productivity Appliances Division at Microsoft. "We are pleased to be working closely with Benefon to bring Microsoft Mobile Explorer to the market. Benefon is a leading innovator in the wireless industry, as demonstrated by the recently introduced Benefon Esc! personal navigation phone."

Benefon will adopt MME on selected GSM products to enable wireless data services such as the Internet, e-mail, location-based services, electronic commerce and corporate data access. Microsoft Mobile Explorer includes the first dual-mode microbrowser displaying both HTML and WAP 1.1-compliant content, thus eliminating the need for operators and developers to choose between the technologies. Mobile professionals and consumers benefit by being able to access information and services based on either standard. Benefon is one of the first manufacturers to announce plans to bring products with Microsoft Mobile Explorer to the market.

Benefon is a leader in innovative wireless communication instruments, renowned for its unparalleled performance, professional quality and Finnish design. Headquartered in Salo, the wireless industry center of Finland, Benefon has designed and manufactured wireless terminals for GSM and NMT systems since 1988. Additional information about Benefon and its products is available at http://www.benefon.com/.> FIND is an initiative to encourage companies committed to excellence of quality, design and function to create new products for a simultaneous show. Thirty-three companies have started research and development projects to have products ready for display simultaneously in the nine European Cities of Culture in February 2000. Further information is available at http://www.2000.hel.fi/find/.>

COPYRIGHT 1999 EDGE Publishing

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