Cisco Extends Mobile Business Solution Portfolio

HP and Intermec Join Nokia in Certifying Dual-Mode Handsets for Greater Reliability, Interoperability With Cisco Unified Wireless Networks and Collaborative Applications

SAN JOSE, Calif. - In an expanding initiative to help enable end-to-end high-performance mobile collaboration, Cisco® today announced the latest developments around certifying leading dual-mode mobile devices for its Cisco Unified Wireless Network and Cisco Unified Communications solutions. The Intermec CN3 rugged handheld computer has achieved both certifications, including the Cisco Compatible Extensions Program, and the HP iPAQ 600 Series Business Navigator has begun the certification process.

In addition, Cisco and Nokia, already certified, enhanced the mobile unified communications capabilities of their existing joint solution with the release of Nokia Intellisync Call Connect for Cisco version 1.1 on Nokia Eseries devices by allowing mobile workers to continue an active conversation as they transition from campus Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) to cellular networks.

Cisco’s vision for seamless mobile collaboration focuses on providing customers with a range of solutions that enables real-time access to information and resources at any time or location. With this joint Unified Wireless Network and Unified Communications certification effort, Cisco provides its customers with many choices for enabling collaboration in the workplace through mobile devices, applications, wireless technology, and operating systems that interoperate with the Cisco network platform.

Certifying industry-leading mobile devices highlights Cisco’s ongoing commitment to unify the workspace by anchoring business communications to an intelligent network and connecting multiple mobile workspaces over a wired-wireless infrastructure. The pervasive Cisco network infrastructure helps enable businesses to extend the rich set of Cisco’s collaborative applications to any certified mobile device used by their employees.

Cisco’s comprehensive certification program includes interoperability testing of third- party mobile devices with the latest releases of the Cisco Compatible Extensions program. These tests verify that mobile devices are interoperable with Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC) and 802.1x authentication using Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-FAST. The certification helps verify enhanced voice performance including Call Admission Control, power saving and enhanced Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) reporting metrics for simpler deployment and troubleshooting. The Cisco Compatible Extensions program helps enable the widespread availability of client devices that offer higher performance over a Cisco Unified Wireless Network and that take advantage of Cisco innovations for enhanced security, mobility, quality of service, and network management.

“Whether our customers are supporting road warriors, teleworkers or employees cruising office hallways, they require a reliable and seamless mobile experience,” said Brett Galloway, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s Wireless Networking Business Unit. “Mobile devices that are compatible with Cisco wireless and unified communications-based networks help IT organizations ensure investment protection while making operations and users more agile and efficient.”

For more information on Cisco’s approach to enabling unified communications for mobile workspaces visit: http://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/ or http://blogs.cisco.com/wireless/