IBM is expected to announce a global internet business-to-business (B2B) exchange for the telecommunications and electronics industries that will use IBM technology and draw in several major partners.
An IBM official in Hong Kong, who declined to be named, confirmed that such an online exchange is in the works but was not familiar with details of the plan.
The company reportedly will form the exchange, to be named e2open.com, with Nortel Networks, Motorola, Nokia, Philips, South Korea's LG Electronics, Japan's Hitachi, and five other major telecommunications and electronics vendors worldwide.
Internet exchanges are designed to reduce costs and speed up product delivery by streamlining the buying and selling of products and services. The IBM-led exchange reportedly will be based on technology from IBM and partners i2 Technologies and Ariba and will begin operating in July.