Oct/Nov 2006

mpower, a mobile workforce management system developed by BT, could start to make more of an impact on the market following the signing of a licensing and advanced development deal with Wipro Technologies. Wipro claims to be one of the largest product engineering and support service providers worldwide.

mpower is a classic workforce management system, but embodies various patented features that are said to make it more advanced and user-friendly than rival products. Among these is its use of artificial intelligence technology to enhance productivity by reducing inactive time and providing real-time information to users.

Other aspirational features include techniques for increasing efficiency by delivering work instructions and highly relevant supporting information regardless of location; for stimulating team-building through work, time and knowledge sharing; and for achieving greater predictability by increasing the visibility of work activities.

BT's research and venturing division started developing mPower in 2002, but is now aiming to accelerate progress. Wipro aims to "productise" mPower for BT over the next twelve months, as well as developing its own mPower-related offerings.

Wipro is said to be a leader in the corporate sector of the Indian market, and its equity is traded on the Mumbai stock exchange. It has customers worldwide, and says it works with eight of the top ten communication equipment manufacturers and communication service providers across the globe.