JP Mobile acquires Isovia assets
By N Venugopal | 28 Dec 2001
Hyderabad: JP Mobile (www.jpmobile.com), the parent company of the Hyderabad-based JP Systems India (www.jpsil.com), has acquired the assets of Isovia, a Boston-based provider of mobile software applications, for field services and sales personnel.
The acquisition adds more sales channels, enhancements and technology skills from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to JP System’s SureWave product suite. But the company withheld the financial terms of the transaction and said it would continue to evaluate additional acquisition opportunities.
The deal allows JP Mobile to deliver the disconnected computing technology component of its SureWave Mobile Server earlier than anticipated. Disconnected computing, often called ‘offline computing,’ enables field personnel to use and modify corporate data on their mobile devices any time, whether they are in wireless coverage areas or not.
"Businesses today are demanding mobile software that is practical from a user perspective, and minimises new infrastructure costs. In addition to proven success in disconnected computing, Isovia brings a robust programming tool that enables a single application to be developed once and deployed to multiple devices. Having a larger East Coast presence certainly enhances our sales and channel distribution effectiveness too," says JP Mobile CEO Dayakar Puskoor.
Field personnel typically are using forms or other applications on their mobile devices to save time, simplify data entry and reduce the volume of data that will be transferred over the air. With disconnected computing, the data will automatically sync back to the corporate system through the SureWave Mobile Server once the field staff return to a wireless coverage area.
Disconnected computing also reduces airtime charges since there is no need for a constant wireless connection, nor does a tremendous amount of data have to be sent over the air when mobile forms are used.
"The deal will further strengthen the SureWave mobile server platform and its ability to provide access to critical data for the corporates," says JP Systems India CEO Raghu Kumar.
Isovia’s customers, including Intertape Polymer Group, a $590-million competitor to 3M, Hewlett-Packard and Red Bull, now join JP Mobile’s clientele.