Sprint unveils wireless data and broadband plans
By Emily Bourne, Total Telecom
23 August 2000
U.S. long-distance carrier Sprint unveiled Wednesday a wireless data offering for business customers, and filed applications for broadband wireless licenses in 45 markets.
The company hopes to boost its business operations following the failure of its merger with WorldCom by concentrating on the wireless, data and Internet sectors.
The Sprint PCS Wireless Web for Business, which should be available across the U.S. next month, will provide access to e-mail, intranets and corporate information via Internet-ready Sprint phones. The Kansas City, Missouri-based company has teamed up with IBM's Lotus subsidiary, Wireless Knowledge, Siebel Systems, Sabre Holdings and PeopleSoft for the service.
Sprint said its new service will use new technology to make it faster than existing wireless data offerings, with speeds comparable to a 56.6-kilobit-per-second land-line dial-up connections. Its network uses new bandwidth optimization technology and dialer software, the company said.
Services available from next month will include:
Wireless access to Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes e-mail, schedules and contacts from Wireless Knowledge and Lotus;
Wireless access to corporate directories from PeopleSoft;
Personalized corporate travel information from Sabre;
Sales and field service applications allowing wireless access to customer account information, and customer inquiries, provided by Siebel;
Existing alliances with IBM, HAHT Software, DataChannel and Brience will enable customers to extend existing applications and systems to Internet ready Sprint phones without changing their legacy Web infrastructure.
There is also a plan to offer a custom link on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web browser giving employees access in one place to e-mail, sales tools, travel services, corporate directories and other relevant content.
Sprint will also offer a Wireless Web Modem from Sierra Wireless and a Wireless Connection Card Kit from Socket Communications. The modem, designed for heavy users, is a CDMA digital PC card allowing users to dial into a corporate network or the Internet without using a handset or data cables. It has its own phone number but can be billed with a PCS phone in one invoice. The connection card kit allows handsets to be connected to handheld computing devices and laptops. Kits will be available for Windows CE devices, Pocket PCs, Windows notebooks and Apple Macintosh portables.
The Sprint PCS network covers more than 4,000 cities and communities across the U.S., the company said.
Sprint also announced Wednesday it has filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to offer fixed wireless broadband in 45 U.S. markets.
The company already offers fixed wireless in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona; and holds licenses in: Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; San Jose, California; and San Francisco, California. It charges households $39.95 per month.
Sprint is applying for licenses in markets including: Chicago, Illinois; San Francisco, San Jose, Jan Fresno and Eureka, California; Milwaukee, Green Bay and Fon du Lac, Wisconsin; Lansing, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Boise, Idaho; Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo, Ohio; St Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis and Bloomington, Indiana; Seattle, Washington; Nashville, Tennessee; Omaha, Nebraska; and Denver, Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins and Greeley, Colorado.
Sprint said it plans to file for additional markets in February or March 2001, and to seek new cellular applications and file to use additional spectrum.
The company has recently been busy rebuilding its image after its $120 billion merger with MCI WorldCom was quashed by U.S. and European regulators. Sprint, viewed as an attractive takeover target for foreign players, insists it is not for sale. Last week, it announced a $200 million contract with Lucent Technologies to expand its long-distance Internet business. |
