ARC Internet Software: Anytime, Anywhere E-Commerce Beckons

The confluence of the Internet and wireless worlds is forcing vendors of transaction engines to deliver solutions that work anytime, anywhere, on every sort of device,from desktop PCs to mobile phones and PDAs.

The U.S. wireless market promises to provide a huge well of opportunities for all sorts of vendors during the next few years. The number of wireless users with access to inbound and outbound information services and Internet messaging will increase a whopping 728 percent to 61.5 million by 2003, from 7.4 million in 1999, according to IDC. Market drivers include the introduction of mobile-specific portals and the broad adoption of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), the Framingham, Mass.-based researcher says. Developers of transaction engines already moving into the wireless space include BEA Systems, BroadVision and IBM, market watchers say. In August, for example, BEA Systems unveiled the first fruit of its partnership with wireless leader Nokia,the BEA WebLogic M-Commerce Solution ("M" for mobile). The WAP-compliant software enables companies to run e-commerce applications on one infrastructure that serves dynamic content to both wired PCs and wireless devices.

"Standards-based wireless technology gives companies a scalable, 24/7 way to provide personalized m-commerce services," says John Kiger, director of product marketing at San Jose, Calif.-based BEA Systems. The developer also partnered with Ztango, a Reston, Va.-based wireless ASP that provides wireless data services to e-companies and network operators. Ztango is integrating BEA Systems' technology into its architecture, which addresses the complexities of incorporating wireless solutions into enterprise systems.

Also in August, BroadVision, Redwood City, Calif., partnered with Cellmania, also in Redwood City. Cellmania is a provider of location-centric wireless content and e-commerce solutions. But the first to market with a wireless solution was IBM. In early summer, the Armonk, N.Y.-based developer took the wraps off its wireless-enabled WebSphere Commerce Suite, Marketplace Edition, which enables the creation of online marketplaces that interact with a host of handheld devices. The Marketplace Edition consists of applications built on top of the WebSphere software platform.