Critical Path Inc. (Nasdaq:CPTH), the dominant global provider of business-to-business Internet messaging and collaboration solutions, and Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:AETH), a leading provider of wireless data services and systems, today announced an agreement to jointly develop and market messaging and collaboration solutions to businesses and consumers via wireless devices including Web-enabled phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and two-way pagers. By teaming together, Critical Path and Aether Systems will provide enterprise customers, ISPs, ASPs (application services providers) and Web portals with complete and flexible access to messaging information at anytime, anywhere and on any device.
This agreement comes at a time when the market for messaging and wireless data services is growing at a rapid rate. According to research firm IDC, the number of email boxes will increase from 351 million worldwide today to 531 million worldwide in 2002 with the numbers of daily sent emails increasing from 5 billion today to 14.9 billion in 2002. The Yankee Group estimates that 50 percent of all wireless phones will be Web-enabled by the end of 2000. IDC also predicts that by the end of 2002, more people are expected to gain access to the Internet through wireless devices than through personal computers.
"The extension of messaging to the mobile environment is the critical initial application for wireless Internet services," said Mark Lowenstein, executive vice president of the Yankee Group's wireless programs. "Especially important is more seamless interaction and synchronization with corporate systems."
Critical Path provides advanced messaging and collaboration applications -- including email, IP fax, calendaring, and secure documents management -- to over 3,000 customers worldwide reaching more than 100 million end-users. Aether and Critical Path have very complimentary areas of expertise and will work to develop the necessary interfaces between Critical Path's messaging services and Aether's wireless data gateways. The applications Aether and Critical Path plan to develop will allow customers to use a variety of wireless devices for access to any or all of Critical Path's messaging services. Aether and Critical Path will co-market this unique suite of products, which will allow busy professionals to gain access to important messages while away from the office.
"Aether is committed to providing solutions that make important information more accessible to mobile workers and consumers," said Dave Oros, chairman and CEO of Aether Systems. "Teaming with Critical Path provides Aether with an important and powerful partner. By uniting Critical Path's messaging expertise and Aether's wireless data center, we will be able to develop the most advanced, reliable, and secure messaging and collaboration solutions available on any device."
"Critical Path is committed to leveraging the Aether wireless platform to empower businesses and consumers with the freedom to communicate and collaborate with anyone, anywhere, anytime, securely and reliably using any device," said Doug Hickey, CEO of Critical Path. "Critical Path brings value to the wireless market by providing the most secure, comprehensive and integrated platform of Internet messaging and collaboration services available."
Aether Systems will provide wireless users with access to Critical Path's complete end-to-end Internet messaging and collaboration solutions including InScribe(TM) Email Messaging services (including Web-based, POP3, and IMAP4 email), InScribe(TM) Groupware Hosting (Exchange hosting), InScribe(TM) Fax Messaging, InSchedule(TM) Calendaring, InScribe(TM) Secure File Services, and InJoin(TM) Directory and Meta-Directory solutions. In addition, Aether will assist Critical Path in becoming a reseller of RIM (Research in Motion) Blackberry wireless email solutions. This agreement highlights Critical Path's commitment to provide customers with one platform for Internet messaging and collaboration and the freedom to access Internet messages from virtually anywhere in the world.
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