News
Issue #2003 - 03 (January 2003)
(Updated Jan. 30, 2003)

INFRASTRUCTURE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Columbitech & HP Announce Partnership For Telematics Applications

HANNOVER, GERMANY-January 21, 2003- Columbitech today announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Hewlett-Packard Services - Consulting & Integration to jointly develop the market for secure automotive telematics, combining Hewlett-Packard's expertise in system infrastructure, mobility solutions and integration, and Columbitech's software for session-persistent wireless security. 

"Columbitech is extremely pleased with the HP partnership and we are proud to work with a world leader in automotive telematics infrastructure," said Pontus Bergdahl, CEO of Columbitech.

Columbitech Wireless VPN eliminates security gaps and user frustrations associated with accessing corporate data by delivering strong security, enhanced transmission performance, convenient always-on connectivity and secure, seamless network roaming.

"We see tremendous opportunities in wireless automotive telematics, and Columbitech's products deliver the security, roaming and persistent connectivity that automakers require," said Bernd Roessler, HP Services - Consulting & Integration, Managing Principal for the Automotive Industry - EMEA. "Together with Columbitech, HP has a unique offering for all our clients." 

As a first step, Hewlett-Packard and Columbitech will jointly demonstrate the two companies' offering at Automotive and IT trade shows. 

About Hewlett-Packard 
HP is a leading global provider of computer products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services, imaging and printing. It is trying to be the second major player in the market after IBM.

About Columbitech
Columbitech develops and markets software products for secure wireless access to corporate data.   Columbitech is privately held and located in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Source: Columbitech press release

For more information: http://www.columbitech.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: HP is cobbling together a string of OEMS who could supply it with a number of component technologies to create complete wireless solutions. The intellectual property that Columbitech offers and is attractive to HP is its wireless VPN. as to why it is significant in Telematics context, is something we do not understand. To us, it appears as a tactical arrangement of convenience.

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