Datalink.net Becomes Semotus Solutions

In the land of the pun and the home of the buzzword, San Jose-based Datalink.net today announced the approval from its Board of Directors to become Semotus Solutions. CEO Anthony Lapine says the wireless infrastructure developer made the change (its second since its founding in 1993 as DataLink Systems) to represent the company’s broadening strategy.

“We feel the name Semotus Solutions, which is derived from a Swedish phrase meaning `look toward us’, will better position our company in this new and dynamic industry,” says LaPine, “The direction of the company has changed dramatically over the last year, and we feel the name change accomplishes an important part of our strategic corporate transition.”

Datalink began as a primary consumer-oriented company, developing a suite of connectivity tools that provide financial and lifestyle information on pagers and cell phones (stock quotes, news, weather, etc.). While the company’s consumer line is still available, the much-touted push into the B2B sector has since dominated the company’s focus (and revenue stream).

“The bulk of our earlier product-line was alert based,” says Brenda Lynn-Whelpley, spokesperson for Datalink. “Now we’re moving to B2B strategies, developing workforce automation and productivity enhancement tools for businesses.”

The company’s first and largest client on the B2B side is Chase Manhattan Bank, which signed on to use Datalink’s Global Market Pro package, a wireless application for traders and financial professionals that brings global market information from Reuters, Market News International and GovPX to WAP phones, one-way pagers, and Palm devices. The company has since signed on a number of big name clients for the service, including AOL, Dow Jones, Citibank and Motorola.

Datalink was trading up slightly to 4.031 in early afternoon trading following the announcement.