IBM's Lotus Development Corp. has introduced new software that will let mobile workers send and receive instant messages on wireless devices.

Sametime Everyplace 1.0 is a middleware application that lets Lotus software users communicate with other instant-messaging users via mobile phones and PDAs. Lotus anticipates slow adoption of wireless instant messaging this year, with wider deployment next year, says Jim Pouliopoulos, a senior marketing manager. He attributes the delayed adoption to a lack of standardization in corporations' wireless initiatives. "IT managers struggle with trying to keep up with multiple mobile devices and connecting them to the corporate infrastructure," he says.

The ability to detect the online presence of mobile workers and instantly communicate with them will help companies operate more efficiently by getting the response or approval needed to execute a task, IBM officials say. But some IT managers are concerned about security problems related to transporting corporate knowledge on wireless networks.

"Corporations have been hesitant to adopt wireless instant messaging, because many software programs don't offer a high level of encryption," says Donald Longueuil, a wireless analyst with Cahners In-Stat Group. He adds that Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry E-mail pager is popular with corporate users because of its high security standards. Some think the level of encryption on BlackBerry is overkill, Longueuil says, "but it's necessary for IT managers to feel comfortable implementing these services."

Sametime Everyplace has security built into it, Pouliopoulos says, but message encryption will be the responsibility of the corporation's wireless carrier. Lotus' wireless instant-messaging application will be available worldwide in late July, with pricing estimated to be a flat rate of $35 per user.