Both companies are collaborating on a European trial of new corporate mobile intranet products and services, with commercial deployments planned for Spring 2001.
Trial users will be able to use familiar Microsoft Outlook functionality to send and receive e-mail from a range of mobile devices, as well as access, in real-time, their Microsoft Exchange-based calendar, contacts, personalised internet content and on-line information services.
"This partnership unites Vodafone's leading position as the world's largest mobile telecommunications company, with Microsoft's global expertise in software application development," said Peter Bamford, Chief Executive, Vodafone UK. "Bringing additional functionality to mobile devices further enhances Vodafone's capabilities in the corporate market, as more workforces conduct their business away from the traditional office."