Interesting mention of NOKIA in today's WSJ. Excerpts follow. Anyone know whether NOKIA phones are unique in these capabilities?
May 8, 1998
AT&T Unveils Flat-Rate Plans
For Frequent Cell-Phone Users
By GORDON FAIRCLOUGH
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
AT&T Corp., under pressure to spur growth in its strategically critical wireless
operations, rolled out a flat-rate monthly pricing plan for heavy cellular-phone
users and promptly drew fire from its rivals.
The aggressive pricing plan, which charges no extra fees for roaming or long
distance, coupled with a new telephone that works on multiple networks,
could intensify the competition for high-end cell-phone users.
...
The AT&T plan, especially the free-roaming provision, ups the ante in the
wireless price war and could put pressure on Nextel Communications Inc.,
Sprint PCS, an affiliate of Sprint Corp., and other companies that are still
spending billions of dollars building their own networks, some analysts said.
...
This roaming ability is made possible by AT&T's unmatched geographic reach
of 97% of the U.S. and a new Nokia Corp. phone that can be used on analog
and digital networks, and can therefore be used to place calls from nearly
anywhere in the country. The phone, a sleek, lightweight model with a five-line
display for receiving e-mail, also boasts a battery with 200 hours standby
power -- all significant selling points for the service.
...
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