News

Air Force Harvests Blackberries

The U.S. Air Force is using Aether Systems' technology to provide its staff with remote access to e-mail and scheduling while on the road.

by dc.internet.com Staff [August 28, 2001]

The U.S. Air Force is deploying Aether Systems, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AETH) ScoutSync server technology and BlackBerry by Aether, a wireless e-mail solution for RIM wireless handhelds that includes Aether's value-added services. Senior personnel stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida and officers at the Langley AFB in Virginia use the technologies to securely access e-mail and personal information management applications while traveling.

After prototyping personal digital assistants equipped with ScoutSync a year ago, Tyndall AFB expanded the deployment in June to provide access to e-mail applications via Palm and PocketPC handheld devices.

Langley AFB began using the system in June after licensing the BlackBerry by Aether wireless e-mail solution.

Using ScoutSync or BlackBerry by Aether, officers en route to other military bases can access all the information they have back at the office via Microsoft Exchange. They send and receive e-mail, schedule appointments, manage contacts and documents, and plan tasks on a device that is significantly smaller and less expensive than a laptop.

The Owings Mills, Md.-based Aether Systems develops, deploys and manages wireless solutions built on industry standard technology.

ScoutSync v.4.0 retails starting at $200 per user for a five-user license, with discounts for volume purchases. Aether's ScoutSync 4.0 is available for evaluation via CD. The software supports PKIs, Desktop Proxy Agents (DPAs), and other sophisticated services.

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