EarthLink today launched its wireless e-mail and voice
service with the all-in-one color BlackBerry 7750 handheld by Research In Motion
(RIM). The new offering combines phone, e-mail, Internet access and other
applications, making EarthLink the first ISP to offer a complete wireless data
and voice solution.
In addition to being sold, supported and provisioned by EarthLink, the new
service offering features EarthLink's suite of protection tools. Included in the
suite is EarthLink spamBlocker, which the company says blocks virtually 100
percent of unwanted e-mail messages at the server.
"By adding voice to our growing list of applications -- including e-mail,
wireless Internet access and attachment viewing -- EarthLink becomes the first
ISP to offer a comprehensive wireless data and voice solution," says Brent Cobb,
vice president of EarthLink Wireless, in a press release. "Beyond giving mobile
professionals the benefits of an EarthLink experience when they are away from
the office ... offering the BlackBerry 7750 is an important early step in our
overall strategy to expand our voice and data offerings and become a complete
communications provider."
Pricing plans, which include unlimited data, start at $39.95 per month, and
for an additional $39.95 per month customers get 500 anytime minutes with no
roaming fees and free night and weekend calling.
An EarthLink spokesman said that to avoid customer confusion, the company
does not want to identify which carrier's network the ISP is using. "We want
them to know that everything is from EarthLink," says spokesman David
Blumenthal.
EarthLink announced in March that it would be offering wireless voice
services this year.
In other RIM news, Symbian Limited announced plans to enable BlackBerry
Connect on Symbian OS-based Series 80 mobile devices, such as the Nokia 9500
Communicator. With BlackBerry Connect, Nokia customers will be able to connect
to BlackBerry wireless services, enabling always-on, push-based access to
e-mail, e-mail attachments and calendar. Both BlackBerry Enterprise Server and
BlackBerry Internet Service will be supported. The BlackBerry Connect solution
for Nokia Series 80 Mobile Devices is expected to be available in the first
quarter of 2005.
With the current economic climate, wireless operators face shrinking marketing budgets and reduced consumer spending.
Globally, the credit crunch is very much alive, and operators will be tightening their belts into the foreseeable future by putting off capital purchases.
