The new technology would help Nokia offer corporate users the ability to connect practically any device to any data source, application or network.

"Intellisync's multi-device and multi-platform support is a very important factor in dealing with IT departments," Mary McDowell, executive vice president and general manager of Nokia's enterprise solutions business group, said during a conference call.

McDowell said Intellisync's existing relationships with device manufacturers such as Research In Motion , which makes the popular Blackberry, will not change once the deal closes.

The handset and network gear maker said Intellisync is in keeping with other initiatives aimed at enterprise customers, such as Nokia Business Center, a software offering that enables push e-mail and collaborative business applications.

Besides helping Nokia attract more corporate users, Intellisync also brings a stable of wireless carriers, including the nation's largest providers, Cingular and Verizon Wireless.

Other benefits to Nokia include a skilled software sales force and mobile security and device management offerings, said Woodson 'Woody' Hobbs, president and CEO of San Jose, Calif.-based Intellisync.

The acquisition is expected to close within three to four months, provided Intellisync shareholders and regulators give their blessing.

Nokia's Enterprise
As mentioned above, this acquisition is part of a larger push by Nokia into the enterprise and into direct competition with the likes of Research In Motion and other mob-e-mail providers. This drive includes more established devices like the mobile phone giant's 9300 and 9500 communicators and newer smartphones like the E-Series: the E60, E61 and E70.

The E-Series supports several mobile e-mail/data synchronization solutions, including GoodLink from Good Technology, Seven Mobile Mail & Always-On Mail, Visto Mobile and Nokia's own new Nokia Business Center—no doubt Inellisync's new hosted (see below) and traditional enterprise offerings will join these other options now that it will become a part of the Nokia stable.

Introduced in September, the Nokia Business Center is the Finnish phone company's direct answer to RIM. Like RIM BlackBerry, the solution is push-based, so there is no need for the user to request (or pull) messages down from the server.

The free standard Nokia Business Center client lets users read and delete e-mail, manage local folders and work offline. It also delivers push-based e-mail and security features. A professional client (available for a small upgrade fee) includes all the traits of the standard version, but with a richer, graphical e-mail interface that is closer to using desktop e-mail.

Additional professional client characteristics include the ability to manage meeting requests, sort views, read and edit attachments, access any employee's contact information from a company's corporate directory, and search local folders.

More on Intellisync
Back in September, Inellisync launched a push e-mail service so as to better compete against the likes of RIM and Visto in the hosted e-mail space. Intellisync Wireless Email Express (Express) compliments the company's more established e-mail offerings.

The company said Express lets anyone with a wireless data plan from any carrier and a data-enabled mobile device have true push wireless e-mail in less than 30 minutes, with virtually no IT expertise required for installation and maintenance. It is available to enterprises and workgroups and small to medium-sized businesses.

The hosted service offers the same enterprise-class security and features of the Intellisync Mobile Suite product as well. Intellisync's goal is to give a a BlackBerry-like experience for wireless e-mail on virtually any data-enabled mobile device.

Express supports Pocket PC, Palm OS, Symbian OS, Windows Mobile Smartphone, and SyncML compliant devices.

In addition to e-mail, Express delivers personal information management (PIM) synchronization that keeps users' inboxes, calendars, contacts, tasks and notes up to date while they are away from the office. It also supports meeting requests, attachment viewing, end-to-end encryption, password protection, and theft/loss protection.

Intellisync asserts its hosting facility uses multiple, redundant back-up power sources, and multiple and upstream Internet peering to keep data safe.