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Wireless Solutions for the Mobile Workforce: Sip and Slurp - Do Coffee & Wireless Data Mix?

Wed, 03/06/2002 - 5:00pm
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MIT Enterprise Forum
Wireless Solutions for the Mobile Workforce -
"Sip" and "Slurp" - Do Coffee and Wireless Data Mix?

Bellevue, Wash. - What's a coffee company doing in the wireless communications industry? Find out at the next MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest on Wednesday, March 6 at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency where Starbucks will be the presenting company.

With the emergence of the mobile workforce many corporations are considering wireless solutions for their enterprise applications. However, wireless solutions are still in their infancy and traditional wireless carriers are still searching for the right ingredients-network, devices and applications-in delivering value to the customer. Today, users are faced with a wide array of device options for communications: cell phones, PDAs, pagers, Blackberrys--and the list keeps growing. Wireless carriers have been 'marketing' network technologies such as 2.5G, 3G, GPRS and 1XRTT but are we there yet? Now we have wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11B) "Wi-Fi or Wireless Fidelity" technology that will allow new players to become competitive network operators. One of the first to enter the market is Starbucks. The event's featured speaker is leading an ambitious program of taking new technology, forging alliances with corporations and 'serving' the mobile professional customer segment. Hear how this approach compares to the vision delivered by established wireless carriers and solution providers. A panel of industry experts will offer their insights, opinions and real-world experiences.

Moderator:

  • Russ Daggatt, Angel Investor and former CEO ICO-Teledesic Global Ltd.

Presenting Company:

  • Kent Hellebust, Director Wireless Initiatives, Starbucks Coffee Company; Former EVP Wireless Services , Infospace; Former VP Innovation Services, AT&T Wireless

Panelists:

  • Don Boerema, Senior Vice President, AT&T Wireless Services
  • Robert Dotson, Chief Operating Officer, Voicestream
  • Mary Jesse, Chief Technology Officer, RadioFrame Networks
  • Justin M. Webb, Executive Vice President, ViAir, Inc.

Register now for the forum on Wednesday, March 6 at 5:00p.m. at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency. Tickets are $35, and $45 after Friday, March 1, space permitting. Prepaid reservations are required, and may be arranged as follows:

-Register online at www.mitwa.org or call (206) 283-9595. -VISA, MasterCard and American Express are welcome. -Companies may reserve a table of 10. Social hour and registration begin at 5:00 p.m. Dinner is served at 6:15 p.m. The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest (MITEF) is a volunteer, non-profit organization chartered to foster entrepreneurial activities in the Pacific Northwest. It provides today's fast-moving start-ups and emerging growth companies with a chance to learn from the experiences of their peers and competitors, gain feedback and insight from leading industry experts, and establish relationships with potential business partners. MITEF is affiliated with the Alumni Association of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and all events are open to anyone interested in growing or enhancing a business.

Enterprise Forum Program