23 October, 2007
By Chris Talbot

In an effort to accelerate business smartphone adoption at a larger scale, Microsoft has unveiled its first dedicated mobile device management server and a strategic business alliance to complement the Windows Mobile operating system and help businesses take advantage of mobile solutions for their employees.
"People expect to be able to do more and more with their mobile phone," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, in his keynote address to the Cellular Technology Industry Association (CTIA) of America in San Francisco. "We're building on our expertise across servers, operating systems and services to deliver Windows Mobile experiences that bridge the things people want to do at work and at home."

Responding to customer needs beyond mobile e-mail and calendaring, Microsoft introduced the Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, a new mobile-dedicated server product that helps companies manage Windows Mobile phones similar to Windows-based laptops and PCs. With Mobile Device Manager, companies can deliver new applications to phones over the air as well as connect people via Mobile VPN with security-enhanced access to critical data such as expense reports or customer information.

Additionally, Microsoft announced a strategic alliance with Enterprise Mobile, a new mobile enterprise service company that will build, deploy and manage custom-made solutions that will work with a variety of mobile operators and phone manufacturers. The alliance is meant to help more businesses purchase and manage mobile phone deployments, Microsoft announced.

Microsoft, AT&T and Samsung also unveiled the Blackjack II, marking more than 30 Windows Mobile phones that have been announced this year. Available later this year exclusively through AT&T for $149.99 (U.S.), the Blackjack II is a new Windows Mobile 6 phone featuring GPS that will be updateable to support Mobile Device Manager. The AT&T Tilt and other Windows Mobile 6 smart devices to be introduced by AT&T later this year also will support Mobile Device Manager.

Also at the show, AT&T announced support for Mobile Device Manager for business customers next year. Sprint announced it will enhance its portfolio of Windows Mobile phones in 2008 so as to also support Mobile Device Manager.

Additionally, new phones or updates to support Mobile Device Manager are expected to be available beginning the second quarter of 2008 from HP, HTC, i-mate, Intermec, Motorola, Palm Inc. and Samsung. Service partners Avanade, CSC, EDS, Getronics, HP and TCS have announced support for Mobile Device Manager.

"For AT&T, success in the mobile space means making powerful solutions available to business through which they can mobilize their workforces, and the Windows Mobile platform delivers service offerings that provide our customers with a robust and differentiated experience," said Kent Mathy, president of the Business Markets Group at AT&T, in a statement. "By supporting Mobile Device Manager on several levels, including by making our entire Windows Mobile 6 portfolio updateable to Mobile Device Manager and ensuring that those smart devices are compatible with AT&T's network and other wireless data services, we are building upon our long and successful alliance with Microsoft to provide businesses with a compelling mobile solution."

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