SWINDON, England, Nov. 20, 2003 /Wi-Fi Technology News/- Intel Corporation announced that Grant Thornton LLP, one of the world's leading accountancy and business advice organizations, has deployed more than 1,600 notebook PCs powered by Intel? Centrino? mobile technology across its United Kingdom staff. The combination of the new wireless notebook PCs and an ongoing two-year PC refresh program is helping the company drive down the cost of mobile working while improving customer service levels.

Grant Thornton staff spend the majority of their time on the road, visiting customers and working off-site. Their notebooks need to deliver maximum uptime to act as both a mobile office and a vital business tool but the company's processor-intensive spreadsheet and office applications previously placed extreme demands on their devices. As a result, day-to-day tasks drained battery life quickly and the need for maximum uptime required substantial and costly IT support. With the new Intel Centrino mobile technology-based PCs delivering maximum uptime with minimum support, Grant Thornton staff have the flexibility to work between meetings and still have sufficient power to complete audits electronically. They no longer have to make concerted efforts to save vital battery life or carry an additional battery with them at all times, while still enjoying the benefits of wireless working.

"Meeting the computing needs of our highly mobile workforce has traditionally been very costly," explained Greg Swift, national director of IS Projects, Grant Thornton. "By deploying Intel Centrino mobile technology, support costs have been dramatically reduced and increased productivity has a direct impact on the revenue earning capabilities of our staff. We can also ensure staff are kept up-to-date at all times, even when out of the office, by using WLAN technology for important communications."

With Intel Centrino mobile technology, Grant Thornton not only has industry leading mobile performance, it has a technology that has been thoroughly tested and validated so that they can rest assured their mobile computers are highly reliable. As a result, the deployment has been completed in minimum time, with maximum ease and limited IT support.

"Our main goal is to help our employees become more client-facing and mobile technology has played a pivotal role in achieving this," continued Swift. "By ensuring our staff have access to the latest technological advances delivered by Intel Centrino mobile technology, we have industry-leading mobile performance and the capability to work from a growing number of locations not just in the UK but across the world."

"The take-up of Intel Centrino mobile technology by leading organizations such as Grant Thornton demonstrates that the business world is deriving real benefit from mobile computing," commented Rick Skett, director, Intel UK and Ireland. "Grant Thornton is proving that Intel Centrino mobile technology can drive cost savings, improved productivity and offer flexible working for employees. That's a win-win situation for customers, employers and employees."

About Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton is a leading financial and business adviser to mid-corporate businesses and their owners with 35 local offices across the UK. Our international organization provides a comprehensive range of business advisory services in 110 countries, bringing together 21,500 personnel in 585 offices worldwide. Although not a global partnership, Grant Thornton firms share a commitment to common standards and methodologies and provide the same high quality service to their clients wherever they choose to do business.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom.