Even with the extensive choice communications tools from voice calls, voice-mail, e-mail, instant messaging, along with a proliferation of devices from cellphones, wireless PDAs, laptops, and text pagers, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get in touch with someone.

To simplify the act of communication, wireless vendors such as Motorola and Invertix Corporation have been developing what is known as 'presence technology.'

Early versions of the technology that will notify a cellphone user of the availability of whom they wish to speak to are expected later this year. For example, via their cell phone a mobile worker will be instantly notified of the availability of a colleague before making a call, thus eliminating a possible trail of voice-mail messages.

In time, presence technology will offer data that reveals a cellular phone user’s availability (phone on/off) as well as their location (Are they vacationing in Hawaii or sitting in a café around the corner), and their mood (Is this a good time to talk?).

Wireless vendors say presence technology will empower users to control their communications by establishing priorities, interests, buddy lists, date and time blocking as well as filtering through only desired messages and content to designated devices.

The concept of the presence starts with the Buddy, an application for managing on-line presence and availability as well as personal and business communications. This allows users to selectively ‘publish’ their presence, availability, and location via multiple devices from PCs to PDAs.

Besides person-to-person communication, presence technology will also be used to propel mobile commerce, in other words, facilitating merchant-to-person communication.

Motorola and Personality, Inc.
The combination of Personality’s patent-pending presence and availability management Technology and Motorola’s Messenger System will enable users of GPRS phones, WAP-enabled phones, and Motorola two-way pagers to exchange instant messages between any device, regardless of the platform or wireless carrier. According to the companies, the technology will provide users with control over how they are reached and by whom, by applying preferences and rules that can be customized by each user and changed at will.

Motorola and Personality will commence testing the system next month.

Invertix Corporation
Wireless infrastructure software company Invertix Corporation has added TruePresence™ technology to its IM-Anywhere™ 3G wireless instant messaging and m-commerce platform. It is available both as a stand-alone server inside a wireless carrier’s infrastructure, or as a gateway service for wireless carriers and m-commerce providers.

The Annandale, VA-based company describes TruePresence technology as combining network-determined presence that relays the on/off status of the mobile device and subscriber-configured availability, such as Available, Away, Busy, Do-Not-Disturb, and Selective Do-Not-Disturb.

By recognizing the on-line status and availability of a wireless subscriber, mobile operators and messaging service providers can provide real time, relevant services without wasting precious resources attempting to deliver services when a subscriber is off-line or unavailable.

For more information: http://www.motorola.com/home/ http://www.invertix.com

Mobileinfo Comments and Advisory: Presence technology, as a concept, is an enhancement of E911 which just gives you the location of the caller. We expect that there will be a number of interesting applications that will emerge out of this. When will this happen? That is a good question. Anybody's guess, right now.