New wireless alliance formed

Ten leading high-tech companies, including Intel, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and
Siemens, announced the formation of the Mobile Data Initiative Next Generation,
an alliance that will aim to develop standards to make it easier to get Web
access from wireless devices.

The MDI-NG follows the 1996 initiative by the same name, which was formed in
1996, started to examine cell phone systems. The new group will focus on
standards for security, reliability and ease of use for a range of handheld
gadgets.

Other members of the group include BT Cellnet, France Telecom SA, Fujitsu
Siemens Computers, Motorola, Siemens Mobile, Sonera Oyj and Toshiba. The new
group will address standards that will control how different devices access cell
phone systems and focus on other technologies like wireless local area networks.

In an unrelated move, Microsoft and Ericsson launched a joint venture to
provide e-mail and Internet services for mobile phones. The new company,
Ericsson Microsoft Mobile Venture AB, is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. It
is 70 percent-owner Ericsson is also based in Sweden.

The firm’s service will tie a cell phone to corporate e-mail accounts and
computer networks, giving users access to their work from nearly anywhere.