MobileMonday Global

^{Shortening time to market} Canada opens wireless resource forum

The Wireless Industry Partnership (WIP) Monday announced the launch of the WIP portal, a set of tools and resources for wireless companies around the world, available online.

WIP estimates there are more than 40,000 wireless companies worldwide and designed these tools and resources in an effort to fuel business opportunities for member companies as well as to stimulate growth and innovation in the wireless industry.

The key WIP tool is WIPConnector, a directory that allows members to pinpoint the industry people with whom they need to network. WIPConnector is a free service for members of the Wireless Industry Partnership.

The WIP portal includes other resources to reduce the time to market for new wireless products and services, aid research and development initiatives, uncover channel opportunities and achieve other important business goals.

While most analyst firms believe the global telecommunications market will grow by only single digits over the next several years, these same analysts forecast sustained double-digit growth in wireless.

Insight Research Corporation’s 2006 Telecommunications Industry Review predicts the wireless services market will approach one trillion dollars (US) by 2010 and represent more than 55 percent of the entire telecommunications market. Although it is the telecom growth engine, the wireless industry itself is growing beyond telecommunications with technologies such as Bluetooth, Global Positioning System (GPS), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and others.

“Wireless technology will very soon touch the lives of every person who uses technology,” said Caroline Lewko, WIP founder and CEO.

“The wireless industry continues to be very segmented with each segment dealing with disparate technologies, platforms and operating systems, a variety regulatory environments, lack of standards and a host of other issues. WIP understands the complicated and challenging waters wireless businesses need to navigate in order to become successful, so we developed the tools available via the WIP portal to help them succeed.”

Membership is available to companies and individuals at an introductory rate of USD 300 per year. WIP has also signed collaboration agreements with industry associations around the world such as the MX Alliance based in the UK and the Ottawa Wireless Cluster in Canada, and is negotiating with others. Members of these organizations are able to join WIP at a reduced rate.

A key benefit for WIP members is the ability to create a WIPConnector profile – a virtual billboard advertisement that gives even the smallest wireless companies exposure to a vast array of potential partners, customers, distribution channels, investors and other strategic relationships.

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