The new solutions will enable mobile workers to use one device to access all critical business applications, as well as voice communications, while out of the office. The two companies also announced the availability of the Oracle Database Lite 10g Release 2 for the Symbian operating system.
 
As global organisations ramp up implementations of remote access and mobility technology, industry experts have predicted that the number of mobile workers will increase from more than 650 million worldwide in 2004 to over 850 million in 2009, representing more than a quarter of the global workforce.   With employees spending an increasing amount of time away from the office, the importance of having secure access to accurate information while on the move is paramount in optimising business opportunity and staff productivity.
 
"Instant access to accurate customer data at the right time is an absolute necessity in today's competitive business environment," said Mark Baker, CRM marketing director, Oracle Europe, Middle East and Africa. "The new solutions from Oracle and Nokia deliver real-time data enabling field representatives to better manage customer interactions and respond to customer service requests efficiently."
 
Oracle Sales for Handhelds gives users secure access to their Oracle Sales dashboard where they can manage current opportunities and customer information in real time.  As well as providing schedules, contacts, tasks and order information that users can view, add or modify, the applications' built-in synchronisation refreshes enterprise calendar, contacts and tasks with those stored on the users' Nokia device. 
 
Oracle Mobile Field Service enables mobile access to relevant work schedules and job information, allowing field service dispatchers and their service representatives to collaborate more closely as work requests are created, updated and subsequently completed. The solution also allows for real-time, on-site access to parts and product information so that immediate decisions can be made on how best to complete work in progress.
 
"By delivering Oracle Mobile Sales for Handhelds and Oracle Mobile Field Service on the Nokia 9300, Nokia 9300i and Nokia 9500 Communicator, mobile employees can use one device for both voice and business applications," said Thomas Libretto, Director of Marketing, Enterprise Solutions, Nokia. "The benefits are extremely compelling: convenience and increased productivity for people who work in the field and reduced telephony and application management costs for the IT teams who deploy and manage such solutions."
 
The two companies also announced the availability of the Oracle Database Lite 10g Release 2 for the Symbian operating system (OS), the global open industry standard operating system that powers for example the Nokia Series 80 and the Nokia S60 Platforms.  Oracle's support for the Symbian OS will deliver the benefits of Oracle Grid technology, including continuous and secure data and application availability from the enterprise to the mobile worker. The integrated solution will enable enterprise applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and sales force automation, to extend to the growing number of Symbian OS-based Smartphones worldwide.
 
Further strengthening Oracle and Nokia's long-standing relationship and enabling tighter collaboration between the two companies' developer communities, Nokia has joined the Oracle PartnerNetwork, a global business network of more than 13,800 companies which deliver innovative enterprise software solutions based on Oracle software. At the same time, Oracle has become a member of Nokia's Forum Nokia PRO Enterprise Zone, an enhanced offering within Forum Nokia PRO that provides content and resources for developers