Marking the first in a series of strides towards developing Africa`s wireless computing infrastructure, HP has brought a comprehensive mobile IT strategy and a host of wireless services and solutions to market.
The news, announced at an international press conference recently, reinforces just how strongly HP`s spotlight has been focused on Africa since the company set up a dedicated regional operation around 18 months ago.
Gilbert Farina, the general manager for Africa at HP, says estimates peg Africa`s general Internet-using population at approximately 4 million people - a figure that`s growing at around 40% per annum. "Estimates of the number of mobile Internet users in Africa - those accessing the Net from laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellphones and the like - are hard to come by," he notes.
"However, international research house, IDC, says that at present there are around 150 million mobile Net users worldwide. The company also says there are about 1 billion cellphones in use today. Taking both facts together, IDC predicts that global mobile e-commerce will be worth more than $25 billion by 2004."
This is clearly a rapidly expanding and dynamic market - especially in Africa, where mobility plays a special role due to the challenges associated with operating fixed line telecommunications networks on some parts of the continent.
It`s because of this potential that HP is throwing its weight behind its mobile strategy and solutions. At the heart of the strategy is `Mesa`, HP`s mobile e-services architecture. Mesa is a framework that brings mobile software developers in contact with service providers, enterprises and end-users.
"Mesa articulates our view of the mobile business space. It shows how users, operators and developers can work closely together. And it demonstrates how intelligent connected devices, mobile e-services and wireless devices interoperate; this, of course, is at the core of our intersection business strategy."
From a deliverable standpoint, HP has introduced a series of bundled solutions.
First up is one developed in conjunction with Oracle and Nokia - the `mobile enterprise solution suite`. It combines the Nokia Activ Server mobile software with Oracle9iAS Wireless development tools and HP`s always-on Internet infrastructure solutions. And it gives companies of all sizes the tools they need to develop services for their mobile employees or customers.
Another solution, developed with German solutions provider, AnnyWay, offers SMS- and WAP-based data services to the corporate market from a single `Mobility Box`. "The HP AnnyWay Mobility Box acts as a single point of connectivity between a company`s messaging [or other] systems and numerous mobile telephony networks," explains Farina.
"Using XML interfaces and standard Internet protocols, the Mobility Box allows employees to access their e-mail via SMS or WAP, respond to messages or update their calendars and tasks, all from a mobile device."
HP also demonstrated the developments made with its in-house wireless technologies, all of which are expected to benefit businesses across Africa.
"The future of mobility is not about the Internet in your pocket, technology for technology`s sake or the headache of operating an expensive and complex IT infrastructure," says Farina. "It`s really about context-specific e-services being delivered proactively to users on the go; technology that transforms the consumer lifestyle and business process experience; and flexible services that can be developed and deployed quickly by companies of all sizes."
To discover more about HP`s strategy for mobility, follow the links at www.hp.com/country/aa/eng/welcome.htm.
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