Waltham, MA (February 4, 2003) – Wireless technology will play an increasingly important role in this year's IT spending renewal, and by 2006 will represent an $80 billion opportunity for providers of enterprise solutions, telecommunications services, and personal wireless devices [see chart, below]. According to Kinetic Information LLC, recent symbiotic advances in connectivity and communications have enabled wireless to gain practical traction as an enterprise interoperability (EIO) and accessibility tool. As a result, the technology is now being viewed as a credible way to connect disparate systems and wring more value from existing IT installations.

In its newly-published Intelligence Brief Wireless Readies for Prime Time: Interoperability Power to Attract Renewed IT Spending, the seven-year-old consulting firm notes that wireless EIO adds a new dimension to the IT market by embracing telecommunications carrier services and personal hand-held devices as well as the platforms, applications, and development tools that lie at the traditional industry's core. Therefore, it writes, “wireless EIO offerings should easily outdistance conventional PC- and server-based EIO solutions in terms of the revenue they generate, especially if and as effective partnerships are forged between players on the computing and telecom sides of the business.”

Kinetic Information acknowledges that many organizations today are facing financial challenges, but believes nonetheless that customers “are ready to resume play” and will spend 3%-5% more this year than last. “Even with the sputtering economy, customers know that moving forward means they must acquire technology to help them work better, and work better together,” said Kinetic Information President Steve Weissman. “Now that lingering concerns about compatibility, reliability, capacity, and security are being successfully addressed, wireless is ready to play a significant role in the infrastructure.”

ABOUT KINETIC INFORMATION
Kinetic Information combines management consulting and industry analysis to help clients obtain maximum total value from the systems in their charge. Focused on the business issues affecting technology's sale and use, the firm takes a uniquely business process-oriented approach to orchestrating corporate objectives, customer needs, and competitive responses. Additional information is available on the Web at www.kineticinfo.com or by calling Steve Weissman at 781.893.4690.