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LOS ANGELES—Cingular Wireless and Sprint Nextel are shipping new products aimed at business users. Cingulars offerings include two smart phones and a data card, while Sprint is introducing a new line of high-speed data cards for the enterprise market and an international phone. All of the new devices had their public debut at the CTIA trade show here Sept. 12 through 14.
Cingular and Nokia have teamed up to deliver the Nokia E62, a competitor to Research In Motion BlackBerry. The new Nokia smart phone features a QWERTY keyboard that is backlit for easy visibility.
The Nokia E62 offers software for push e-mail and for viewing and editing documents. The software includes Good Technologys Good Mobile Messaging, RIMs BlackBerry Connect and Nokias Intellisync mobile push e-mail. The device will cost users $149.99 with a two-year data plan, and will be available on Sept. 29 at Cingular retail stores.
Cingular is also trying to break new ground in the field of business phones with its 3125 smart phone, built by HTC, an OEM based in Taiwan. This device runs Windows Mobile and will link with Microsoft Exchange. Unlike most smart phones, this device is about the size of a Motorola RAZR V3.
Also unlike most smart phones, the 3125 will support multimedia applications and includes controls on the front cover of the phone for the included Windows Media Player 10.
The 3125 also supports Good Mobile Messaging and Microsofts push e-mail, and includes a 1.3 megapixel camera and a quarter-VGA screen. Cingular sells the 3125, available now, for $149.99.
Cingular has also announced a new high-speed data card from Sierra Wireless that conforms to the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard and supports HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). The AirCard 875 will support speeds of up to 3.6M bps, and the company says its the first commercially available GSM-based high-speed card available in the United States. Cingular also said the card will work in over 100 countries worldwide.
While the AirCard 875 will support very high speeds, Cingulars Broadband Connect service only supports speeds of between 400K and 700K bps. In areas that arent served by HSDPA, the card will work on Cingulars EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) network.
The Sierra AirCard 875 will currently work with HSDPA in 80 cities in the United States. Further expansion is planned in the coming months. The AirCard 875 will be available in October. It will cost $99.99 with rebates on a two-year contract.
Sprint Nextel has also announced a new high-speed data card, the Novatel Merlin S720, which the company says is the first EvDO (Evolution Data Optimized) Revision A card available commercially in the United States. The card works with Sprints Power Vision network, and will support download speeds of 450K to 850K bps. Upload speeds are slightly slower. The card will be available through Sprint.com for $99.99 with a two-year contract.
Sprint also said the company will be releasing two additional EvDO Revision A cards designed for the enterprise later in 2006, the Pantech PX-500 and the Sierra Wireless AirCard 595. The Pantech card will be available free with a two-year subscription and the Sierra card will cost $99.99, also with a two-year plan.
Sprint is entering the market for global travelers with the new Samsung IP-830w smart phone. This phone runs Windows Mobile 5.2 for Pocket PC, and it includes both CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) capabilities for use in the United States, and GSM support for use abroad. The phone will use the same phone number for both modes of communication, and ships with a Sprint SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. The IP-830w has a QWERTY keyboard, handles voice recording, and supports Microsoft Outlook and Good Technologys GoodLink.
Editors Note: This story was updated regarding the Nokia E62s included software.