Microsoft will work with WAP Forum members to accelerate the deployment of wireless mobile devices, as well as a broad range of wireless data services based on broadly supported Internet standards from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

"We believe Internet standards are key to the success of wireless data on browser-enabled phones," said Harel Kodesh, vice president of the Productivity Appliances Division at Microsoft. "The WAP members have made significant progress in working with the W3C in establishing an Extensible Markup Language (XML)-compliant microbrowser solution that will enable the next generation of smart phones and handheld devices. We share that goal and look forward to working with the WAP Forum to jointly make wireless data and wireless products accessible and useful."

"We are excited to have Microsoft join WAP," said Chuck Parrish, chairman of the WAP Forum and executive vice president of Phone.com Inc. "We believe that WAP's efforts to ensure product interoperability and industry growth for wireless Internet will benefit significantly from Microsoft's involvement. The fact that WAP Forum members represent industry leaders in handsets, software, carriers and data infrastructure providers ensures that customers have an increasingly broad range of standards-based wireless solutions to choose from."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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