O2 ramps up Accelerator recruitment
Three application developers join mobile operator's ISV partner scheme
Foot on the gas: O2 has signed up 25 partners since launching Accelerator in 2004
O2 has added three partners to its Accelerator Programme, which enables VARs and customers to bundle the mobile operator's products with other firms' solutions.
Elstree-based London Web Limited, Dublin's Intuition and Zenprise, headquartered in California with a UK office in Slough, have all joined Accelerator. London Web produces a range of products allowing BlackBerrys to sync any email platform which supports ActiveSync protocols.
Its NotifyLink offering provides device management functionality, while the NotifySync application offers remote wiping capabilities. London Web, which was founded in 1996, sells into a variety of markets, including the NHS.
Managing director Jamie Easterman said: "As our solutions support some of the exclusive mobile platforms that O2 carries, such as iPhone and Palm Pre, we see our entry into the programme as a perfect fit.”
Zenprise's MobileManager is an automated mobile management offering targeted at enterprises that are already using smartphones. Zenprise's chief executive Jayaram Bhat claimed acceptance into Accelerator could give the US firm's UK operations a shot in the arm.
"Our entry into the UK market is strengthened by our partnership with O2," he said. "O2’s depth of expertise in mobility is unmatched and its selection of Zenprise into the Accelerator Programme is an accolade that will serve as a catalyst to our success in this region."
Intuition's Mobile Learning platform aims to help firms with a highly mobile workforce to provide learning materials to staff's mobile devices. It has been designed to open standards, makes content available offline and supports BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows Mobile smartphones.
Keith O’Loughlin, head of technology services at Intuition, said: “This partnership is an exciting new venture for Intuition. We are delighted to be associated with a telecommunications operator such as O2. This provides us with an additional avenue to grow our mobile learning technology, easing access to learning resources and keeping UK businesses' skills and knowledge up-to-date.”
Since its launch five years ago, Accelerator has accrued 25 application partners, with O2 offering access to marketing, sales and technical resources. Ilona McMullan, business applications manager for O2, claimed partnerships with application developers were integral to the mobile operator's strategy.
“Applications are one of the main reasons our customers use our network and services and we want to offer them the best available on the market”, she said.
"From email to complex business processes, partners accepted into the programme provide our customers with business critical solutions allowing them to save time, money and resource. Partners like Intuition, London Web Limited and Zenprise have solutions that are key in helping us meet our strategy of bringing the top mobile solutions to our customers.”