IFS and Nokia Collaborate on WAP Technology
18 August 1999
IFS and Nokia Collaborate on WAP Technology
TUCSON, Ariz.--Aug. 18, 1999--IFS has signed an agreement with Nokia to collaborate on the development and marketing of WAP applications.Initially, IFS will develop components for mobile service and maintenance operations. Nokia will deliver WAP components and know-how to IFS.
WAP, Wireless Application Protocol, is an Internet-like standard protocol for mobile applications. Most of the major players within the telecom and IT industries, including Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and Microsoft, have agreed on a common standard. WAP-enabled telephones are basically mobile telephones with a larger display to enable more information to be presented.
Via WAP telephones, functions such as stock exchange information, news, bank services and travel services, can be reached. By adding a WAP interface to its ERP systems, IFS can offer complete access to these from mobile phones. Users are likely to include field sales personnel and service technicians.
"IFS is one of the leading suppliers of Service Management solutions, with customers such as SAS, BPA Service, Skanska Installation, Dalkia and several others. Therefore we are confident of a strong demand for this new service," commented Bengt Nilsson, president of IFS.
"WAP provides our customers with completely new possibilities for a relatively small investment. Naturally, more sophisticated mobile phones will be required, but the rest of the infrastructure is already in place. Our task of developing the WAP connection is relatively limited. We estimate that our first customers will go live this year.
"This is a good example of how we can successively extend the use of a company's ERP system by increasing access to it. As far as I know, we are the first to offer WAP connections to ERP systems, and our collaboration with Nokia and their business partner Nocom is very valuable.
"Thanks to our base in the Nordic region, which has the greatest number of mobile phone users in the world, we have gained an advantage on our competitors," continued Nilsson.
"IFS is one of the most forward-thinking ERP vendors. The company holds a leading position within service and maintenance, which we believe is one of the most interesting areas for using the WAP technology," commented David Schmertz, director of sales at Nokia.
"We are one of the driving forces behind WAP so it is important for us to have strong suppliers who support and use our technology," concluded Schmertz.
IFS will market the WAP interface as a standard component in IFS Applications(TM). Functionality offered in the first version includes:
| -- | Search for and presentation of service orders and work orders |
| -- | Search for and presentation of information related to service orders, e.g. information about the customer, contracts, fault reports from the customer, etc. |
| -- | Reservation and ordering of spare parts |
| -- | Reporting of work done |
Via IFS/Event Server, the system will also be proactive, enabling an alarm, for example, to be routed directly to the service staff on duty.
About Nokia
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. Nokia is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks including related services. It also supplies multimedia terminals and computer displays. In 1998, net sales totaled EUR 13.3 billion (USD 15.7 billion).
Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 51,000 people.
About Nocom AB
Nocom AB is the leading value-added distributor of web-enabled software products and services in Scandinavia. It offers leading Internet software, as well as integration and consulting services connected to the products, to help organizations improve the effectivness of their online businesses and increase the return on their web investments.
Nocom is based in Uppsala, Sweden, and is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. (www.nocom.se)
About IFS and IFS Applications
Industrial & Financial Systems, IFS AB, develops and supplies IFS Applications(TM), which is a complete Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for business processes in medium- to large-sized companies. It covers manufacturing, distribution, financials, maintenance management, resource management, engineering and front office.
The IFS business concept is to increase the freedom of action and competitiveness of companies by offering standardized business systems based on leading technologies.
IFS Applications is one of the first business systems in the market developed entirely using a component-based architecture, which means that it can be readily adapted to the needs of individual customers. This comprehensive, web-enabled solution ties front and back offices together, creating a true backbone for e-commerce.
IFS is the world's fastest-growing company in the ERP and maintenance software market. The company has 2,500 employees and its products are sold in 34 countries around the world. Some of the more than 1,600 major customers include Volvo, NEC, Akzo Nobel, Caterpillar, Saab, Nikon, Kimball, AlliedSignal, Ericsson, International Paper, Sundstrand Corp. and Rover Group.
Note to Editors: IFS Applications is a trademark of IFS Industrial and Financial Systems. All other referenced company or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.