IBM Launches Secure, Reliable Cloud Email Service for $3 per User

Nokia, Dow Chemical Sign up for IBM Cloud Services.

ARMONK, N.Y.- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced LotusLive iNotes, a new email service that delivers the benefits of cloud computing with a focus on reliability, privacy and security, to millions of mainstream business users starting at $3 per user, per month.

The new IBM LotusLive iNotes cloud service allows overburdened IT departments to take advantage of IBM’s leadership in enterprise collaboration for a range of on- or off-premise messaging capabilities, including mail that works with Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange or operates as a standalone solution to reduce overall IT costs and complexity. It is quick and simple to deploy, making it well-suited for companies of all sizes.

LotusLive iNotes is designed for companies that want to confidently move some or all of their email to the cloud by working with an enterprise leader in collaboration software that is used by more than half of global Fortune 100 companies. In fact, the LotusLive cloud mail platform supporting this service already has more than 18 million email accounts under management. With decades of experience serving the business market, IBM’s products include Lotus Notes, one of the world’s most widely used email programs.

The new IBM cloud service can accommodate gradual or dramatic migrations to the cloud, while also supporting a client’s existing on-premise collaboration system. It is also ideal for employee segments of large enterprises which do not require all the capabilities of full-featured email and collaboration software, or for employees that currently have no access to company email.

LotusLive iNotes is equally well-suited for small- and medium-sized businesses, many of whom have discovered the convenience and savings of free or low-cost Web-based email services but have grown weary of service outages, distracting advertisements or security and privacy concerns that can impact employee productivity and confidence. While these companies realize they need business-grade email, many do not have the budget or in-house technical resources to deploy an on-premise solution.

“Email and other collaboration services are the right entry point for many companies to realize the promise of cloud computing, but only if clients feel confident they’re getting business-grade service from a trusted leader in enterprise services,” said Bob Picciano, General Manager, IBM Lotus Software.

Nokia needed a low-cost, scalable and multi-lingual mobile cloud mail solution for their worldwide customer base. Competition in the mobile market is escalating and services like affordable cloud mail can make the difference in the selection of a device, especially in emerging markets where personal computers may not be available. In fact, people can get their first email address and manage their accounts right on many Nokia models without a PC at all.

As part of the IBM cloud service portfolio, LotusLive iNotes provides safe, affordable access to company email for remote employees, retail clerks, manufacturing floor workers -- anyone who doesn’t sit behind a desk all day but still needs to be in touch with the rest of their organization and manage their calendar and contacts. LotusLive iNotes provides users with the essential email features and performance typically found in on-premise email systems, without extra features they do not require or are unlikely to use. With LotusLive iNotes, all employees in an organization can operate under a single domain, using a shared corporate directory.

LotusLive iNotes enables business users to:

* Send and receive emails in a secure environment anytime from a Web browser;
* Work off-line at any time;
* Automatically receive new mail on mobile devices;
* Use a personal calendar to organize their professional and personal lives, all in one convenient place in the cloud;
* Distribute a company calendar to all employees to keep everyone up-to-date on company events and meetings;
* Keep track of personal contacts and access the corporate directory and distribution lists;
* Safeguard their inboxes with powerful anti-spam and virus protection that can be individually customized.

Affordably priced with the security and reliability for which IBM is known, LotusLive iNotes allows anyone from a small business up to the largest enterprises to manage their email in the cloud with the confidence. More than half of the largest global 100 corporations use IBM’s flagship collaboration offerings, Lotus Notes and Domino including the top nine aerospace and defense organizations, the top nine automotive firms, the top eight banks, the top four makers of consumer products, the top seven electronics firms, the top eight insurance companies, the top seven pharmaceutical organizations, and the top nine telecommunications carriers.

LotusLive was recently introduced to the emerging markets of Africa as part of the IBM Client for Smart Work, which combines cloud computing with Ubuntu Linux and IBM collaboration software. LotusLive iNotes is the latest addition to www.lotuslive.com -- which provides secure email, file sharing, Web conferencing and social networking services that enable people to work smarter with anyone from anywhere. In June, LotusLive was awarded the Enterprise 2.0 Cloud Computing Technology Buyers’ Choice Award.

A no-cost, 30-day trial of LotusLive iNotes is now available for companies and includes 25 mailboxes with 1 GB of storage per mailbox. The service and trial is available in English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Spanish at www.lotuslive.com/en/services/inotes. Customers may purchase LotusLive iNotes from IBM by calling 800-647-2815 or 978-303-6468 and by contacting an IBM Business Partner.

IBM Smart Business End User Support - Service Assist
Also as part of its expanding cloud services portfolio, IBM is also unveiling the public version of the IBM Smart Business End User Support - Service Assist. Created in collaboration with IBM Research, IBM Global Technology Services is offering end users a personalized, self-service portal with faster IT problem resolution for Web savvy users. This one-stop Web portal provides a multilingual, cross-channel environment including remote takeover, chat, improved search and data mining of incidents. The Service Assist solution integrates with industry standard ticketing systems, reducing the need for end users to call a traditional help desk, saving costs. Help desk agents may also use the product to enhance their service levels.

“As a decades-long partner, IBM understands our vision and needs, especially as we anticipate growth in human capital,” said Dave Kepler, Executive Vice President, Business Services, and CIO at Dow Chemical. “By incorporating IBM’s Service Assist solution in a unified service desk approach, we will be able to offer a more sustainable, economical and innovative way to deliver end user support.”

IBM’s Service Assist solution is currently available. Pricing is based on a tiered model by volume by end user per month.