Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and wireless infrastructure company AvantGo have formed a strategic alliance to provide insurance applications over mobile devices.
The agreement marries AvantGo's M-Business Server with ViLink, CSC's Web-enabled platform for the life insurance industry, to enable the exchange of information between agents, third parties and consumers via a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) or Web-enabled digital telephone. Agents will be able to use their handheld devices to submit a new business application or check on the status of a policy 24 hours a day from any location, say the companies.
"Mobile devices are extremely well-suited for expediting insurance processing," says Brad Adrian, an analyst with Gartner. "A professional in the field needs real-time interaction, and access to rich wireless applications will drive a lot of what enterprises think they want to do with mobile devices."
According to International Data Corporation, worldwide handheld companion unit shipments are expected to increase from 10.4 million in 2000 to 35.5 million in 2004.