Mobile Commerce? Will it Fly in the U.S. and Europe?; Zona Research Forecasts Japanese Mcommerce Revenues will Exceed U.S. by 60%

Business Wire, May 17, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2001

Zona Research announces the release of "Buy on the Fly: Is Mobile Commerce on Track to Reach the Promised Land?" This Zona Market Report evaluates the mcommerce opportunity and assesses whether mcommerce is simply a case of media hype or is in fact a multi-billion dollar business.

As NTT DoCoMo's overwhelming success with its i-Mode service in Japan fuels U.S. and European activity, wireless developers and application providers are still waiting for mobile commerce to gain consumer and commercial acceptance. Amidst this possible commercial windfall, wireless carriers and device manufacturers are struggling with fierce competition and the numerous standards necessary for mcommerce to become a commercial success.

"Buy on the Fly: Is Mobile Commerce on Track to Reach the Promised Land?" provides perspective on "where" mobile commerce is headed and who might profit, during the early days of its evolution. In addition this Zona Market Report offers an assessment of mobile commerce standards, technologies, acceptance factors, services, sector revenues, and answers the following questions among others:

-- What will be the top selling mcommerce services over the next few years?

-- What are the potential revenues to be derived from mcommerce?

-- What is the preferred mode of payment for mcommerce purchases?

-- Will the U.S. be able to reach profits like the $3 billion DoCoMo has
generated in the Japanese market?

-- Are the numbers carriers provide accurate for sizing the U.S. market?

"Mcommerce in North America has its own unique character that businesses eyeing i-Mode's success would do well to heed," states Susan Billheimer, industry analyst, Zona Research. "If the Japanese are gorging themselves on mobile Internet access, Europeans are conservatively absorbing somewhat less appetizing WAP offerings and sticking to their SMS snacks while Americans are still waiting for the cooks to agree on what the mcommerce dish will be. How businesses address key issues will determine how quickly and profitably mcommerce takes off, and whether it will become a multi-billion dollar industry outside of the Japanese market."

"Buy on the Fly: Is Mobile Commerce on Track to Reach the Promised Land?" is a Zona Market Report priced at $895/single user, $1395 for a multi-user edition, and $1895 for enterprise wide distribution. It is available now and can be purchased by contacting Zona toll free at 877/999-ZONA (9662) or by visiting our Web site at http://zonaresearch.com or visiting our distribution partners at the following Web sites:

www.thestandard.com www.marketresearch.com www.informationweek.com www.techtarget.com www.redherring.com www.tfn.com www.mindbranch.com www.internet.com www.gii.co.jp

About Zona Research

Zona Research provides fact-based forward-looking analysis about leading Internet technology and its market impact. Focusing on Internet technologies, market opportunities and trends, and the new dynamics of the burgeoning electronic economy, Zona's highly regarded team of technology analysts and business consultants provide astute interpretations of industry events and insightful recommendations on Web-oriented marketing and business strategies. Zona Research offers information and analysis on the Internet via membership services, reports as well as custom consulting.