Nextel Mobilizes the Internet With a Suite of Applications for Businesses
- Announces Alliances With Aether Systems, Amazon.com,
eDispatch.com, IBM and MicroStrategy -
RESTON, Va., Feb. 23 /CNW/ -- Nextel Communications (Nasdaq: NXTL)
today announced alliances with Aether Systems, Amazon.com, eDispatch.com
Wireless Data Inc., IBM and MicroStrategy to offer wireless Internet
applications unique for businesses through Nextel Online(SM).
Nextel Online is designed to extend the power of the Internet to Nextel
customers anytime and anywhere on the Nextel National Network through a suite
of integrated Internet tools that mobilize the Internet for businesses.
Nextel Online will enable customers to securely access applications, services,
and content provided by Nextel and third party developers through a single
point of entry providing an invaluable tool that offers increased control over
time, information and business. Nextel Online will be accessed via two
mechanisms: (1) integration of the Internet with Nextel's new "plus" series
phones -- the i1000plus(TM), i700plus(TM), and i500plus(TM), and (2) business-
to-business sales and service on an expanded nextel.com web site. Nextel
Online service will be commercially available beginning in 2Q 2000.
"We are pleased to establish these alliances that will foster unique
business applications for our Nextel Online services and we'll continue to
seek partnerships and alliances that bring similar types of services to our
customers," said Tom Kelly, executive vice president marketing & strategic
planning, Nextel Communications. "Nextel Online services will enable users to
transact business wherever they are on the Nextel National Network allowing
them to receive critical business information and act upon it quickly."
In the alliance with Aether Systems, a leading provider of wireless data
services and systems, Nextel and Aether plan to jointly develop and market
applications for enterprise customers in a variety of industries including
financial services, transportation and mobile workforce automation. These
applications will be designed to allow Nextel customers to gain access to
time-sensitive data and complete customer care through Aether's Enterprise
Wireless Data Center in two distinct and powerful ways: First, applications
will be available through WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) -enabled Nextel
phones; Second, Nextel customers will be able to access wireless data by using
a variety of mobile computing devices including those that operate on the Palm
and Windows CE platforms, simply by connecting a cable between the device and
their Nextel phone. Specific applications will be announced in the near
future.
Under the agreement with Amazon.com, Nextel customers will have access to
the world's largest online store via their Nextel phone. Features such as
personal recommendations, product reviews, and secure 1-Click shopping will
enable customers to find and discover anything they might want to buy online
using Amazon.com's award-winning e-commerce site.
The agreement with eDispatch.com Wireless Data Inc. will allow Nextel
customers, specifically those in field service, transportation and
construction segments, to extend communication from the Internet out to the
mobile worker in the field, increasing productivity with cost-effective
communications. eDispatch enables field workers to receive, acknowledge and
close out work orders. The dispatcher also can receive job status and job
completion information -- all in near real-time from the field. In addition,
the dispatcher can generate management reports with this application for up-
to-the-minute, accurate analysis of the company's performance in the field.
IBM and Nextel will jointly sell and market solutions to enterprise
customers to wirelessly enable Nextel customers to use hand-held devices, such
as Palm Pilots, IBM WorkPads and Windows CE 2.0-based devices to transfer
information directly to corporate systems over the Nextel Online Dial-up
Service. This application will allow Nextel customers to: remotely synchronize
e-mail, calendar, contacts and tasks between specific handheld devices, Lotus
Notes and Microsoft Exchange servers; perform 2-way relational database
synchronization via handheld devices; and perform 2-way file transfer via
handheld devices.
MicroStrategy and Nextel entered into an alliance to jointly develop a
series of intelligent wireless applications that will be delivered via the
Nextel National Network. The new applications, developed through Strategy.com,
a wholly-owned subsidiary of MicroStrategy, will provide businesses and
consumers with a set of intelligent services that will enable them to receive
timely information and act on it. For example, the companies will develop new
services that will allow Nextel users to do things like be alerted to a change
in stock price, review details on why the stock price changed, and have the
option to act on that information from Nextel Internet-ready phones.
Additionally, in May 1999, Nextel also announced an alliance with
Microsoft Corporation that will enable Nextel customers to access a customized
set of Internet services offered through a co-branded version of the MSN(TM)
portal that will include access to e-mail, address book contacts and other
Internet-based content. The service is expected to be available on Nextel
Internet-ready phones beginning in 2Q 2000.
Demonstrations of these unique applications will be provided in the Aether
Systems (Booth #2465), Phone.com (Booth #6423), IBM (Booth #6723) Microsoft
(Booth #2765), and MicroStrategy (Booth #3759) booths at CTIA's Wireless 2000
show in New Orleans next week.
Nextel Communications Inc., headquartered in Reston, Va. is a leading
provider of fully integrated wireless communications and has built the largest
guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the United States that covers
thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners
Inc. currently serve 94 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The Nextel National
Network offers a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital
cellular, text/numeric paging and Nextel Direct Connect(R) -- a digital
two-way radio feature. In addition, through Nextel International Inc., Nextel
has wireless operations and investments in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil,
the Philippines, Peru, Japan and Shanghai, China. Please visit our web page
at nextel.com .
Nextel, the Nextel logo, Nextel Online and Nextel Direct Connect are
trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc.
All other trademarks are property of respective companies.
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