PageNet, BellSouth Wireless Data Enter Strategic Alliance To Expand Market
For Interactive Paging, Other Two-Way Services
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 1999--In a strategic partnership geared to
expand the emerging marketplace for interactive paging, PageNet (Nasdaq:
PAGE) and BellSouth Wireless Data, two leaders in the wireless marketplace,
today announced that PageNet will market the BellSouth Interactive Paging(SM)
Service.
As part of the agreement, PageNet, the leading distributor of wireless
messaging products in the U.S., will serve as BellSouth Wireless Data's
primary distributor for BellSouth Interactive Paging Service and will
co-brand the service. The advanced messaging service gives users the ability
to send and respond to messages from a small, keyboard-based device.
PageNet will add interactive paging from BellSouth Wireless Data to its
portfolio of wireless products beginning in May, marketing the service
through its direct sales force and through its reseller channel. BellSouth
Wireless Data will place sales representatives at key PageNet locations
nationwide to support PageNet's efforts in the sale of interactive paging.
"PageNet's goal is to provide the best wireless communications solution for
each one of our business customers - an objective that cannot be reasonably
accomplished through a single wireless technology," said John P. Frazee, Jr.,
chairman, president and chief executive officer of PageNet. "BellSouth
Interactive Paging Service offers a compelling solution for customers who
would benefit from a higher-speed, lower-latency data network, such as heavy
users of advanced messaging who choose to forward their home or office e-mail
to their device.
"PageNet will continue to aggressively seek out platforms and products that
satisfy the needs of an expanding customer base, representing customers of
all sizes and needs," Mr. Frazee added.
Said William F. Lenahan, president and chief executive officer of BellSouth
Wireless Data: "Together we will leverage the strengths of both companies -
PageNet's distribution and BellSouth Wireless Data's interactive product
solutions for personal and corporate customers. This combination will expand
the entire wireless data marketplace."
Introduced in September 1998, the BellSouth Interactive Paging(SM) Service
offers people on the go the ability to initiate and respond to messages in
seconds rather than minutes via Internet e-mail and other pagers, and send
messages to fax machines and telephones. Interactive paging uses the RIM
Inter@ctive(TM) Pager 950, a wearable, hand-held device with a full keyboard
that uses an Intel386(TM) processor.
PageNet provides wireless messaging and information services to 10 million
subscribers in the United States, Canada and Spain. The company provides a
full range of paging and advanced messaging services, including Internet
messaging, assured-delivery messaging and two-way interactive messaging.
Later this year, the company plans to introduce a variety of customizable
wireless information services for pagers and other devices, partnering with
content providers such as Yahoo!, CNN, ESPN, Forbes, AccuWeather, The Golf
Channel, Tribune Media Services and others. The company also develops
advanced wireless applications for corporate customers. Detailed information
and coverage maps for PageNet service are available on the Internet at
www.pagenet.com.
CONTACT: Scott Baradell
PageNet
972-801-8180
scott_baradell@pagenet.com
or
Russ Rowland or Chris Loncto
For BellSouth Wireless Data
212-355-5049
russr@hwhpr.com/chrisl@hwhpr.com
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