Symbian today announced that it has licensed the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol for use in Symbian OS, the leading open standard operating system for advanced mobile phones.

Under the terms of the agreement, Symbian will develop an Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol - plug-in - for the Symbian OS messaging architecture to enable Symbian OS licensees - the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers - to include in their Symbian OS-based phones direct over-the-air (OTA) synchronization capabilities for email, calendar, contacts and other personal information management (PIM) data supported by Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.

Symbian will make the Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol plug-in available to all Symbian OS licensees which, when coupled with a separate standard distribution agreement with Microsoft, enables the licensees, at their discretion, to implement direct synchronization capabilities with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 in their selected Symbian OS products with reduced time to market, improved interoperability and lower development costs.

The terms of the licensing agreement between Symbian and Microsoft were not disclosed.

The agreement continues Symbian's commitment to working with leading companies from the mobile communications and IT industries to enable Symbian OS licensees to develop products that meet the diverse needs of network operators, enterprises and consumers around the world.

Symbian continues to support a wide range of email and PIM synchronization protocols such as RIM's BlackBerry Connect as well as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Data Synchronization protocol as implemented in solutions from a wide variety of Symbian Partner vendors. Symbian is committed to ensuring its licensees have the widest choice possible in this evolving space.

Symbian
"With an installed base of more than 25 million Symbian OS phones and more than 14 m Symbian OS phones having shipped to more than 200 network operators in 2004, Symbian is the leading open standard operating system in 2.5 and 3G phones. Developing Microsoft's Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol plug-in for Symbian OS continues Symbian's drive to offer the broadest possible choice of email and PIM solutions. This will help all Symbian OS licensees meet the needs of the enterprise market," said Marit Doving, executive vice president, Marketing, Symbian.

Microsoft
"By licensing the ActiveSync protocol and opening up this capability to Symbian OS licensees, Symbian and Microsoft together are significantly expanding the number of customers who can directly access their corporate email and PIM data from wireless devices," said Dave Thompson, corporate vice president of the Exchange Server Product Group at Microsoft. "Our goal, as evidenced by this agreement and licensing of our intellectual property, is to enhance end-user productivity and drive innovation in the mobile industry with an easy to implement, wireless email solution designed to lower IT costs."