The Finnish company's Business Center will support Microsoft Exchange, to be followed by Lotus Domino.

Nokia's Business Center will make email from Microsoft Exchange available to mobile phones, according to a statement. On the server side, Business Center will run on top of a Red Hat Enterprise Linux box. The company bills its service as one that "delivers applications to mobile workers who need to stay informed, aware and prepared."

Initially, the Business Center will work with Exchange 2000 or 2003. Nokia lists Lotus Domino R6.5 as ‘coming soon.' A number of Nokia phones that have J2ME Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) 2.0 clients will be able to utilize the Business Center's email client.

Along with email, the system will provide over-the-air contact and calendar synchronization; Business Center supports LDAP lookups. By using a WAP 2.0 compatible browser, users can view message attachments on the server. Email can be viewed and composed on or offline as well.

The push email system will compete with market leader Research In Motion and its very similar competitor Good Technologies, not to mention Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5.0 and Exchange's built-in push technology. Of the Nokia models supported at the start, only the 9300 and 9500 have keyboards. RIM's BlackBerry has gained acceptance due to the presence of its small but effective keyboard.

Nokia plans to make the Business Center available in Europe and the Americas later in 2005.