PARIS, FRANCE - Sept. 29, 1999 -- Cap Gemini, a global systems integration and management consulting company, announced it has joined the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) Forum. A global organization of more than 190 telecommunications industry players, the WAP Forum represents manufacturers, carriers, operators, service providers and software vendors developing a worldwide standard providing Internet and data services on wireless devices.

Speaking for Cap Gemini, Alexandre Haeffner, president of Cap Gemini Telecom & Media, said that his company sees tremendous growth in transmission of wireless data and is becoming a major actor in this area. Cap Gemini has developed strong competencies in content development, billing, system integration, security issues, he said, through successful projects achieved in both the telecom and Internet world.

"We are one of the few companies that have a strong foothold in both technologies (i.e. Internet and wireless)," Haeffner said, "so we are uniquely positioned to help our customers to develop this new technology. "

"While operators recognize the opportunities that WAP (Wireless Applications Protocols) will bring," Haeffner said, "they also must resolve many issues in marketing positioning, provision of value-added services, and billing to be successful.

"Joining the WAP Forum is therefore the best way for Cap Gemini to help operators decisively enter the market now rather than cede market share on a de-facto basis later when the potential customer base has already developed a preference for any one player's graphical interface," he added.

The evolution of a Network Economy has set the stage for the launch of WAP services and data now available from anywhere, at any time, Haeffner said. Permanent connections and full mobility are now realities: large bandwidth, open network architectures and de-facto software standards are already driving the launch of WAP -enabled services in Sweden and Finland and WAP-enabled products and services throughout the world. Cap Gemini now operates service development networks for WAP applications in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, France and the USA.

It is Cap Gemini's belief that development of segment propositions is a key issue - perhaps even an obstacle - to the adoption of the WAP standard, Haeffner said. Operator strategies should be to move away from flat-rate monthly billing to more sophisticated WAP pricing strategies for value provided, Haeffner said. For wireless operators, the development of WAP services triggers consideration of new business models for on-line commerce and data transmission. Cap Gemini will focus on these issues as strategic in furthering WAP enhancements.

About Cap Gemini

The Cap Gemini Group (CAPP.PA) combines the forces of Cap Gemini with Gemini Consulting to form one of the largest management consulting and systems integration companies in the world. Designing and delivering strategic change through ideas, people and technology, the Group provides implementation-focused business consultancy services and systems design, integration, and implementation. With a workforce of more than 38,000 located in Europe, the United States and the Far East, Cap Gemini Group recorded 1998 revenues exceeding 4 billion Euros.

The group's dedicated telecommunications unit, Cap Gemini Telecom & Media, serves the business consulting and information technology needs of many of the world's largest telecommunications and media companies.

For more information about Cap Gemini Telecom & Media, please visit the telecommunications pages on the Cap Gemini Group website, at http://www.capgemini.com or send an email to [email protected].

PRESS CONTACTS:

Kathleen Nemetz
Cap Gemini Telecom & Media
+33 1 47 54 54 96
email [email protected]