Just two months after challenging Research In Motion Ltd. with a patent infringement suit, a small Silicon Valley company is extending its reach in Canada's wireless e-mail market.
Visto Corp. is providing software for the hottest new mobile device on Telus Corp.'s network.
Canada's third largest mobile phone service launched Motorola Inc.'s “Q” smart phone this month. The much-hyped device mirrors the BlackBerry's form and performs many of the same functions. Visto's technology allows secure and real-time access to e-mail and other data such as contacts and calendars.
Everybody knows who is behind the BlackBerry. But most people don't know about Visto and the other companies who provide the phone carriers with the e-mail software on many of today's popular mobile data devices, including the Palm Treo, Hewlett-Packard's iPaq and other smart phones from Nokia, UTStarcom and Audiovox.
Other “middleware” companies include Good Technology and Seven Networks. In addition, Microsoft and Nokia now have software for sending and receiving e-mails and other information over smart phones, and RIM licenses its software to other device manufacturers.
Microsoft recently began bundling its technology with its Exchange software that businesses use to dish out e-mail to desktop computers, eliminating one of the costs associated with data on-the-go.
Indeed, Microsoft's wireless technology may prove more popular than Visto's for Motorola Q customers because the device uses a compatible mobile operating system from Microsoft, Windows Mobile 5.0.
In Canada, Visto's software is used by both Telus and Rogers Wireless Communications Inc.
Rogers, Canada's largest mobile phone company, sells just two types of wireless e-mail systems: RIM's and Visto's. Similar to other carriers, Rogers puts its own brand on the Visto-powered service. Rogers MyMail now supports 15 devices, including the popular Treo.
Rogers has always had a close relationship with RIM. It was one of two telecoms to take a financial gamble on the company in the early days and help bring the BlackBerry to market. But Raj Doshi, vice president of device and product management at Rogers Wireless, says RIM's legal troubles today will not affect the carrier's partnership with Visto.
“That's between the two of them. We continue to sell the products,” he says. “We're happy with the relationship we have with Visto.”
