AT&T Wireless to Offer Accenture’s Mobile Solutions Platform for Enterprise Customers
Mobile Platform To Provide Corporate Wireless Access To Business Applications And Data
NEW YORK, March 21, 2001 – Aimed at helping companies conduct business away from a tethered desktop environment, Accenture today announced that AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE) has signed a Letter of Intent to support a corporate wireless service based upon Accenture’s Mobile Solutions Platform. The platform is designed to help companies integrate and implement a customized mobile business portal allowing employees, customers and suppliers to retrieve corporate data wirelessly. AT&T Wireless operates one of the largest digital wireless networks in North America and Accenture is a leading global management and technology consultancy
"The emerging mobile workforce is fueling the migration of business applications and data from desktop computers and laptops to wireless devices. But, for most companies, building a mobile solution is extremely complex, requiring extensive network services, wireless data technologies and custom integration", said Tim Jury, managing partner of Accenture’s North American Communications Practice. "The Mobile Solutions Platform will help AT&T Wireless provide a fast and easy way for major companies to achieve mobile benefits for their employees, customers, and suppliers."
AT&T Wireless plans to offer two types of enterprise mobile solutions through Accenture. The first solution will be targeted toward large companies that desire to wirelessly enable key business systems running in their own data centers. This solution includes the ability to add wireless access to existing business applications, corporate email and other similar types of systems and is device independent.
The second solution will be targeted toward small and medium sized companies that desire wireless access to applications such as customer information management, sales force automation or inventory management, but do not want to host the mobile access in house. With this solution, a company will be able to access their applications and data while mobile, using a service provided by AT&T Wireless and Accenture, through various hosting companies.
Both solutions will be based on the Accenture Mobile Solutions Platform (MSP), which includes a portfolio of pre-integrated services such as security control, personalization, navigation and related tools that enable wireless access. Together, AT&T Wireless and Accenture plan to provide the network, platform, applications, and integration to get the customers up and running with their own wireless corporate portals and data applications. The Mobile Solutions Platform is currently being piloted by Accenture and a general release is expected by mid-2001.
"To become more efficient and better serve customers, our enterprise clients are seeking ways to cut the tether between employees and their desktop computers", said Don Boerema, senior vice president, strategy and business development, AT&T Wireless. "With Accenture’s Mobile Solutions Platform we will be able to fulfill the needs of our enterprise customers by providing the key infrastructure and support they’ll need to initiate their own mobile corporate portal and wireless data applications."
As part of the initiative, AT&T Wireless expects to integrate these services with its various Data Solutions Providers (DSPs), who have been logo certified through its Data Developer Program, as well with its network engineering skills and the new AT&T Wireless GPRS advanced wireless data network. Accenture plans to support AT&T enterprise customers by providing the Accenture Mobile Solution Platform technology, its extensive systems integration capabilities and benefits derived from a broad range of alliances that offer mobile devices, fulfillment services, and hosting services.
About AT&T Wireless Services
AT&T Wireless Services (NYSE: AWE) operates one of the largest digital wireless networks in North America. With more than 15 million subscribers, including partnerships and affiliates, and revenue exceeding $10 billion, AT&T Wireless is committed to being among the first to deliver the next generation of wireless products and services. Today, AT&T Wireless offers customers high-quality wireless communications services, whether mobile or fixed, voice or data, to businesses or consumers, in the U.S. and internationally. For more information, please visit http://www.attwireless.com.
About Accenture
Accenture is a $10 billion global management and technology consulting organization. The firm is reinventing itself to become the market maker, architect and builder of the new economy, bringing innovations to improve the way the world works and lives. More than 70,000 people in 46 countries deliver a wide range of specialized capabilities and solutions to clients across all industries. Under its strategy, the firm is building a network of businesses to meet the full range of client needs – consulting, technology, outsourcing, alliances and venture capital. Accenture’s home page is http://www.accenture.com.
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