As mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) have ever more features packed into them, the options for receiving email while on the move are correspondingly wide. But which solution is right for your customer, and how do you sell them?
In this article I will look at

• The key companies in the mobile email space
• The technologies behind email
• The email products available today
• The email marketplace and where these products fit within it
• The commercials involved in deploying an email solution

The Opportunity

Gartner Research believes that some 350 million business users will have access to mobile email by 2010. Currently fewer than 20 million users have mobile email service representing just 2% of all email users.

The Players

Microsoft

Microsoft Exchange Server accounts for approximately 65% of all commercial email deployments making it the ‘de facto’ standard for business email. Currently at version 2007, Exchange provides a raft of connection options. ‘Push’ capability was included with the release of Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2003, and the Server ActiveSync protocol has been licensed by several manufacturers including Nokia and Apple, meaning that if you have an Exchange server running version 2003 SP2 or later, you can have your email pushed to your device if you are using:

• A Windows Mobile device (provided that it is running WM5 or later)
• A Nokia E or N series handset
• An Apple iPhone (provided that it is running version 2 of the software, or later)

A company called DataViz also develops a Server ActiveSync client called RoadSync which provides push email capability for a wide rage of otherwise unsupported devices including Pocket PC 2003.

Server ActiveSync enables full bi-directional synchronisation of Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes and Tasks, including subfolders on certain devices.

Exchange 2007, when used in conjunction with a Windows Mobile 6.1 device, also provides device management capability allowing the administrator to remotely disable hardware and software elements on the device, such as the camera, or text messaging capability. Users can also edit their Out Of Office status from their device as well as search for contacts in the company address book.

Microsoft is also obviously the company behind Hotmail (or Windows Live as it is now known), the largest free email service in the world. If you have a web browser, you can access your Hotmail account, and a client application is built into all Windows Mobile devices, with clients also available for a growing range of platforms, including Symbian.

IBM

10% of business email platforms use IBM Lotus Domino. Historically the only way to access a Domino mailbox remotely was via a web browser, unless you deployed a BlackBerry server alongside it, or an Intellisync server. Intellisync has now been discontinued leaving BlackBerry as the only means of mobilising a Domino deployment...until the release of Domino version 8 and a separate IBM ‘bolt-on’ product, Lotus Traveler.
Traveler is a separate product that must be purchased and installed subsequent to installing Domino and provides push functionality with Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 devices (such as the Nokia E and N series range of handsets).
As with Server ActiveSync, Traveler supports bi-directional synchronisation of all mailbox folders: Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Tasks.

BlackBerry

Thanks to an impressive marketing campaign and some high-profile endorsements (most recently, the US President Barack Obama!), Canadian company Research In Motion’s (RIM) BlackBerry product is largely regarded as the de facto standard method of mobilising an email platform.
The solution does require that you have a BlackBerry handheld device*.
*Non-BlackBerry devices can be used if they have the ‘BlackBerry Connect’ client software installed on them, but manufacturers have largely stopped development work on it.

There are two ‘flavours’ of BlackBerry: BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) and BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server). BIS is a consumer service whilst BES is aimed at corporate email deployments.

BIS is offered by all UK network operators with the exception of Three. Customers are typically assigned an email account with the operator’s own email offering with an address along the lines of ‘joe.bloggs@o2mail.co.uk’. Users can also add third party POP accounts to their BIS profile so that any mails sent to that account or to their BIS account all get delivered to their BlackBerry handheld automatically.

The BES product can be used in conjunction with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell Groupwise. Because RIM develop both the server software and the client device, the solution offers an unparalleled level of device management and synchronisation functionality: full mailbox synchronisation, contact lookup, mail search, free/busy calendar lookup, you name it it’s got it.

Due for release imminently, the BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) will enable you to use your BlackBerry handheld device as an extension of your corporate PBX telephone system, leveraging the Least Cost Routing (LCR) capabilities of the PBX while out of the office. I will examine this product in a separate article.

Nokia

Until last year Nokia developed their own ‘behind the firewall’ push email and device management product, Intellisync, which when deployed alongside Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino provided push functionality for all client platform types including Windows, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm and Java.
Nokia has since ceased all development work on Intellisync and has licensed the Server ActiveSync protocol from Microsoft for inclusion on its Symbian Series 60 handsets (the E and N series). Plans are also underway to develop a client for the Series 40 platform.

Nokia is also currently in the process of 're-inventing' itself as a service provider with the launch of the OVI web site. Currently you can synchronise your S60 handset with your OVI-based address book and calendar. Email is surely only a step away.

Google

GoogleMail, or Gmail, is a free web-based email service, similar to Microsoft’s Hotmail. GoogleMail can be accessed via a web browser, but is also accessible via both POP and IMAP either through your client device’s built-in email software, or using Google’s own mail client which is available for a growing range of device platforms including Windows Mobile and Symbian. I will explain what all of these terms mean in a moment.
GoogleMail also has a nice feature whereby you can ‘add’ third-party POP accounts to your Google account, so that when you check your Google mail, you can simultaneously check, say, a Tiscali or a Sky account without needing to log in separately.
Google also offers online Calendar and Address Book services.

With the release of the Android mobile phone operating system, Google is now a mobile phone company as well as an email and search giant. Naturally all of Google’s web services are tightly integrated into the Android platform, and whilst the G1 is the only Android handset available through T-Mobile, HTC are set to release the ‘Hero’ in H2 this year.

Email Technologies

POP

POP is the Post Office Protocol, currently at version 3, and is the most common means of receiving email for consumers and home broadband subscribers.
All mobile devices that have an email client can support POP.
This is an email-only protocol, there is no support for other PIM data, such as Contacts or Calendar. It is also important to remember that POP is an email retrieval protocol only: a separate protocol is required for sending email. POP also does not provide for the creation of subfolders of the Inbox.
POP requires that the full email message be downloaded to the client device before it can be displayed (there is no means of just viewing the message header) – including any and all attachments. Once the mail is downloaded to the client device, that mail is then typically deleted from the server meaning that the only copy of that mail is on your device. Any email sent is also only stored on the client, it is not uploaded or synced to a server.

IMAP

IMAP is the Internet Message Access Protocol, currently at version 4.
Not all email providers that supply a POP service also support IMAP, but many do. IMAP is similar to POP in that it is an email retrieval protocol only (a separate protocol is required for sending email). It is also an email-only protocol, there is no support for Contacts or Calendar.
However, IMAP does provide for subfolder creation and management (mails can be moved between folders), and messages can be previewed without the need to download fully. Downloaded mails remain on the server once downloaded to the client, and sent mails are also stored on the server. Mail ‘status’ is updated in real time so that if you read a message on one device, that mail will be marked as read on any other client or web browser logged into the same account.

SMTP

SMTP is the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This is the protocol that is used by the vast majority of email systems to exchange email, it is also the protocol used to send email in conjunction with the POP and IMAP protocols: any email or Internet provider will have their own SMTP server to allow users to send email. It is important to be aware that as an anti-spam measure, most Internet providers will require you to be connected to the Internet using their service in order to be able to use their SMTP server. This means that when you are home connected to the Internet via, say, Tiscali, then you can send email via ‘smtp.tiscali.co.uk’
But, when you leave home and connect to the Internet via your Orange SIM, say, then the Tiscali SMTP server will refuse to send your email. Instead, you must edit your email application so that it sends email via ‘smtp.orange.co.uk’ instead.
This is a bit of a pain having to constantly change the outgoing server setting, so one option is to sign up for an SMTP AUTH account. This allows you to always use the same SMTP server, but requires that you enter a username and password into the email application. This feature is not supported in all email clients.

Email Products

The email marketplace can be divided into 3 principle areas:

• Prosumer
• SMB
• Enterprise

A Prosumer would be characterised as an individual who requires advanced email functionality over and above what his Internet provider is able to provide them with. A small-to-medium sized business, or a large enterprise customer, might have an existing email infrastructure that they wish to mobilise, or are looking to replace completely.

Prosumer

GoogleMail

Gmail can be accessed via both POP and IMAP. If both options are available then IMAP should always be selected.
Third party POP accounts can also be checked by adding them to your Gmail account profile.
Both Windows Mobile and Symbian devices can support IMAP natively, or a Gmail client is also available for both platforms.
GoogleMail is an email-only service, but Google also offer online calendar and address book services.

Commercials

• An HTC S620 device costs £190.00 (trade price, SIM free)
• A Nokia E71 device costs £225.00 (trade price, SIM free)
• A 500 minute-per-month tariff on Vodafone costs £30 per month
• An additional 500MB-per-month data bolt-on costs £7.50 per month

BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS)

A BlackBerry handheld is required for the BIS service. Users are assigned an email address by the mobile operator but can also add third party POP accounts to their profile.
BIS is an email-only service.

Commercials

• A BlackBerry Curve 8900 is £FREE with a BIS tariff
• A 500 minute-per-month tariff on Vodafone costs £30 per month
• A 500MB-per-month data tariff costs £10 per month
• A data-only tariff costs £17.50 per month (with the Curve 8900 costing £295)

SMB

Microsoft Exchange

Exchange supports both POP and IMAP and so can be accessed from any mobile device with an email client. Web browser access to mail is also possible.

Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 and Apple iPhone devices can be used with Server ActiveSync providing push functionality. DataViz RoadSync can enable a wider range of devices including Pocket PC 2003.
When using Exchange 2007 in conjunction with a Windows Mobile 6.1 PDA, device management is also possible.

Outlook Anywhere technology also enables laptops running Microsoft Outlook 2003 or later to connect to Exchange remotely.

Exchange 2007 also provides Outlook Voice Access functionality when used in conjunction with a compatible IP PBX, enabling users to dial into their mailbox and have email read to them.

Commercials

Microsoft Exchange will require a fixed public IP address to be accessible from the Internet.
ADSL providers typically charge an additional £1 per month for this service

To simplify the setup of client devices, the Exchange server can optionally be configured with a ‘root trusted’ SSL security certificate. This costs in the region of £600 per year. This is optional, but recommended if users need to be able to configure their own devices in the field without coming into the office to have the device configured by the IT department.

• A Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 or Apple iPhone device is required for Server ActiveSync.
• A Nokia E71 costs £225 (trade price, SIM free)
• A 1000 minute-per-month tariff on Vodafone costs £45 per month
• A 500MB-per-month data bolt-on costs an additional £7.50
• NOTE – the Apple iPhone is only available on the O2 network

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)

The BES can be deployed alongside an existing Exchange, Domino or Groupwise installation but does require a separate physical server (and a license for a Microsoft Server operating system to go on that server).

BlackBerry handheld devices are required, and the SIMs in the handhelds must have the BES service activated on them with the network operator.

The BlackBerry Professional Software (BPS) is a free version of the BES software that can be downloaded from the BlackBerry web site by registering the PIN number of a handheld device. This software comes with one user license and can be installed on the email server itself without the need for any additional server hardware.
Additional user licenses can be purchases for the BPS, which is capped at a maximum of 30 users.

Commercials

• BPS Software = £FREE
• Additional CAL (Client Access License) = £40 each
• BlackBerry Curve 8900 = £FREE
• Unlimited data BES tariff on Vodafone = £25 per month
• 1000 minutes per month = £45
• A data only tariff = £35 per month (with the handset costing £249)

Hosted Services

If your customer is looking to replace an existing email solution or are deploying one for the first time, then it is worth considering a hosted system. An Exchange server’s physical geographical location has zero impact on the functionality it can offer. A hosted Exchange solution removes the need to purchase server hardware and software licenses, and also removes the need to maintain backups and perform regular maintenance.

Typically a hosted Exchange service would also come with anti-virus and anti-spam services, and would importantly allow you to retain your existing email addresses (provided that DNS is updated correctly, which the hosting provider will be able to do on your behalf).
Security certificates will also be configured correctly meaning that client devices can be configured quickly and easily by the users themselves with little or no assistance from IT required.

BES can also be hosted alongside the hosted Exchange server, and with the BlackBerry Enterprise Activation feature devices can be configured quickly and easily simply by entering the user’s email address and a password.

Most hosting providers will also be able to offer additional services such as Microsoft Sharepoint providing collaborative working environments.

Commercials

A Windows Mobile / Symbian S60 / Apple iPhone is required for push functionality.

• HTC S740 = £xxx (SIM free)
• Nokia E71 = £225 (SIM free)
• Genesis Standard Exchange Service = £8.98 per month for 1GB storage
• A 1000 minute-per-month tariff on Vodafone = £45 (with the Nokia E71 being FREE)
• A 500MB-per-month data tariff = £7.50
• A 3GB-per-month data tariff = £12.77

Enterprise

Microsoft Exchange 2007

• 64-bit server hardware required
• 64-bit Windows Server operating system required
• 1 Exchange Client Access License (CAL) required for each user

IBM Lotus Domino

Domino supports both POP and IMAP and therefore can be accessed from any mobile device with an email client, but for Enterprise-level requirements either a BlackBerry server or a Lotus Traveler installation would be preferable. A BlackBerry deployment would require BlackBerry handhelds. A Traveler deployment would require either Windows Mobile or Symbian S60 devices.

• Domino Server v8.5 required
• Traveler product purchased separately, can be installed on the Domino mail server itself

For more information on Lotus Traveler, visit the Lotus Domino section of the site.