Oracle puts customers first, creates wireless customer advisory board

Oracle Corp, the world`s largest enterprise software company, today announced the formation of the wireless Customer Advisory Board (CAB) as part of the company`s continuing commitment to deliver the most advanced wireless products available while ensuring customer success in mobile application development, deployment and management.

The wireless CAB`s founding members - Citigroup, Siemens Business Services, Telef'onica M'oviles Espa~na and Telia Mobile - are benefiting from the ability to provide direct feedback on product direction and development of the wireless features of Oracle9i Application Server.

The Customer Advisory Board provides customers that are using Oracle`s wireless software with a formal communication channel to solicit Oracle`s product development team for enhancements and new features. In addition, members are provided with advance access to documentation and training, participation in beta programs and a direct relationship with Oracle product development and product management.

Citigroup provides a comprehensive set of online products and payment services to its customers, spanning banking, brokerage, credit cards and other services supporting over 19 million online accounts worldwide. One of Citigroup`s primary goals is to provide a comprehensive suite of consumer financial products and services, accessible anywhere, on any device, at any time, in a secure and private manner.

"In the Asia Pacific region, we have recently rolled out a suite of wireless services using Oracle`s technology," said Scott Andersen, vice-president at Citigroup`s Corporate Technology Office. "The wireless CAB gives Citigroup the opportunity to influence product direction based on our specific needs so that we can continue to provide the best wireless services to our customers."

Siemens Business Services, headquartered in Germany, is currently rolling out a mobile employee portal for their own employees that use the mobile e-mail and Personal Information Manager services included with Oracle9i Application Server.

"To sell mobile business solutions successfully to our customers, our own employees need to be familiar with using them - we sell what we use," said Dr Volkmar Pflug, global business manager for the Mobile Business of Siemens Business Services. "As a member of the wireless CAB, we seek to provide strategic input to the development of innovative wireless technology that will ultimately benefit our customers."

Telef'onica M'oviles in Spain is using Oracle9i Application Server to provide wireless services to more than three million users of their `e-moci'on` platform.

"In the constantly changing mobile industry, it`s important for Telef'onica M'oviles Espa~na to have the ability to offer customers the latest wireless support and services," said Jos'e Mar'ia Soler, manager for Technological Alliances of Telef'onica M'oviles Espa~na.

"Participating in the wireless CAB helps us keep up-to-date on the most current mobile technology while playing a key role in the development of new mobile products and services."

Telia Mobile AB, the leading Nordic mobile operator, is currently using Oracle9i Application Server for the company`s common Nordic wireless portal platform. Telia Mobile has cooperated with Oracle for more than five years and is pleased to be part of Oracle`s wireless CAB.

Oracle9i Application Server is the only complete software for deploying applications that can be accessed via Web, wireless and voice interfaces. The wireless and voice capabilities in Oracle 9i Application Server offer personalisation, location, messaging, and content management features that can form a powerful infrastructure for delivering, deploying and managing any type of content or application to any device.