When Wireless Knowledge L.L.C. announced its intention to create a service linking wireless devices to information based behind corporate firewalls, regardless of airlink standards, analysts had only one comment-“show me.”
But it seems the company is unable to meet that request just yet. In January, when it introduced its premier service-Revolv-Wireless Knowledge said it expected carriers would make the service available in the second quarter. That deadline has passed.
The Revolv service is designed to give users remote access to e-mail, calendars, contact lists and Internet-based information content on devices such as wirelessly enabled Windows CE handhelds and browser-equipped phones, pagers and Web access terminals.
Analysts following the company said they don’t see commercial availability for at least another three months, and possibly as late as the second quarter next year, a full year later than original expectations.
Few expressed surprise at this tardiness, given the rather ambitious nature of Wireless Knowledge’s venture. When Microsoft Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. formed the joint venture in November, they said the aim was to create a seamless link between network operators and corporate enterprises.
To achieve this, the company built what it called a Network Operating Center, which would serve as the link between the two environments. Private corporate networks would connect to the NOC, which would connect them to public wireless networks through the Internet via a virtual private network.
“Wireless Knowledge is finding out there’s a lot more tricks in connecting to an enterprise network than they thought,” said Rich Luhr, director of technology strategy at Hershel Shosteck & Associates Ltd. “My understanding is their problems are multiple. Network operators are cautious about adopting their services.”
Ginny Beneke, vice president of marketing at Wireless Knowledge, said the Revolv service itself is ready for commercial use. She blamed the delay on the carriers that insist on testing the solution further. Carriers testing the service include Bell Mobility and GTE Wireless.
As if wary wireless carriers weren’t problematic enough, Wireless Knowledge also has to contend with the concerns of corporate information technology managers, who have a reputation as the fussiest of the bunch.
For IT managers to agree to connect their private, secure systems to public wireless networks, they need solid guarantees of security, said the Gartner Group’s Bob Egan. Going further, IT managers want assurances that employees can access their information on a fairly ubiquitous basis before agreeing to spend money on a remote access solution, Egan commented.
“IT managers know a lot about wired networking. They can see it, feel it and understand it. The only experience they have with wireless networks is their bad cellular coverage … as unfair as that may be,” said Egan.
Wireless Knowledge faces few competitors today. The service bureau space has a number of interested players, but all are fairly new to the game. These players include OpenSky, Saraide.com, Aether Systems Inc. and Wireless Telecom Inc. Even vendors like L.M. Ericsson and Nokia Corp. plan to offer network infrastructure-based services similar to the NOC planned by Wireless Knowledge.
“The reality is there is no one clear leader, and that’s what the battle is now. They overlap services a bit, but all have different implementations,” Luhr said. “No one really knows how this service-bureau role is going to work, and that’s what Wireless Knowledge is trying to find out.”
Given this lack of competition, analysts have been slow to berate the company for its late start.
“I think this is the right decision … and not one fraught with criticism. It’s much better for Wireless Knowledge to delay than put forward a product solution set with problems, especially on the security side,” Egan said. “If they wait and deliver a reliable solution, the market share they lose from the delay will be next to nil … Even if Wireless Knowledge delayed (Revolv) for six months, it’s not going to kill them. I think they start feeling the pain beyond that.”
Beyond six months, Egan explained, competition should begin to heat up. While the backing of Microsoft gives Wireless Knowledge significant clout, the other players have strong partners of their own. OpenSky is backed by Aether Systems and 3Com Corp., while Saraide.com has support from Nortel Networks and several Global System for Mobile communications carriers.
Wireless Knowledge was Microsoft’s coming-out party to the wireless industry. While partner Qualcomm is well known in wireless circles, Microsoft long has been accused of lacking a strong understanding of wireless, and that may be one of the issues behind the slow adoption of its services by wireless carriers.
“The big question here is-does Wireless Knowledge have any knowledge of wireless?” Egan said.
