Microsoft & co flesh out mobility vision

Microsoft has teamed up with systems integrators across Europe in an attempt to make using mobile devices based on its PocketPC and Smartphone operating systems easier for businesses.

In addition to three global partners for its Mobile Workplace initiative - Accenture, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and HP Consulting - Microsoft now works with several European systems integrators: Computacenter and Fujitsu Services (for the UK), BizzDev and Econocom (France), ExpandIT (Denmark), Winlinx (Germany) and WM Data (Sweden).

The Mobile Workplace initiative came about because the software giant realised enterprises need processes for rolling out portable devices to workers, covering areas such as network and data security, access and ease of use.

Marv Whitson, global solutions manager for the Microsoft mobility team at Cap Gemini E&Y, said: "Many customers have toyed with mobility and don't quite know how to get it to fit [with the rest of the enterprise]. We will be evangelising Microsoft because there really is no comparison when it comes to enterprise-ready devices today."

His team will be concentrating on Microsoft-based handhelds but other parts of Cap Gemini E&Y, like units at other SIs, will accommodate devices such as Palms and Symbian-based smartphones.

Peter Wissinger, Microsoft marketing manager, Enterprise Mobility EMEA, said there will now be a joint effort with each SI, with budgets depending on each partner.

Messaging is leading the way as the top application to go mobile, with healthcare, utilities and manufacturing companies mobilising line-of-business software.

One user, described as an early "poster child" by Whitson, is truck manufacturer BT Industries, which has removed paper-based processes using a mobile version of SAP applications for 1,200 staff.