e-Speak software solution has been positioned as a universal language forthe Internet, supporting all electronic services. It is an open standardsbased platform for creating, managing and accessing the Internet-basedservices. It is compatiable with most of the software and hardware platformsand devices and highly scalable. The support centre will provide on-line andcost free support services to developers working on e-Speak-basedapplications.

Additionally it also provides e-solutions working on newer technologies. HPWorldwide is targeting a sales of $500 million from e-Speak services thisyear alone. "We have already signed contracts worth $300 million already forthis services," said Rajiv Gupta, HP general manager of E-speak Operationsand its chief architect. HP itself uses the services for around 29 of itsinternal divisions.

HP India also announced the setting up of a mobile e-service bazaar inBangalore to promote the development of e-Speak-enabled and WirelessApplication Protocol-based solutions for global markets and to provideincubation facilities for start-ups.

"We will provide a facility to trade, transact, source ideas, create newservices, form new partnerships and enable developers to get HP's financialsupport," HP India president Ganesh Ayyar said.

This facility will be part of the the Bangalore e-Speak regional supportcentre that will go live by July 2000, providing mobile applicationdevelopers with instant access, facilities, technology and businesstechnology to the worldwide mobile e-services community, he said. "We areplanning to incubate large portfolio of mobile e-services initiatives,"Ayyar commented.

The target users are wireless operators, service providers, enterpriseapplication providers and technology partners who can make use of theincubation facilities to make advancements in WAP.

The Bangalore facility is an extension of HP's similar programmes worldwidesuch as the centre in Helsinki in Finland. "Bangalore facility will play aleading role in the development of wireless applications in Asia to connectall e-services," Gupta said.