ATLANTA — The ever-increasing number of business executives spending time on the road these days have a new choice for getting voice and data services while away from the home office.
Internet users wanting access to voice as well as the world wide web and email can get all those on the go now through EarthLink.
About 40 percent of business executives are on the road these days, and that percentage could reach more than 60 percent by next year, The Wall Street Journal reported recently. And EarthLink is moving to capitalize on that growing market.
The Atlanta-based Internet Service provider announced its new mobile service that uses a BlackBerry handheld early Tuesday morning. EarthLink says it is the first ISP to offer all those services on one device.
The BlackBerry 7750 handheld is produced by Research In Motion (RIM). It retails for $549, according to the Earthlink web site.
RIM operates a wireless network that covers some 1,000 metropolitan markets in the United States.
“By adding voice to our growing list of applications – including email, 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, EarthLink Wireless. “Beyond giving mobile professionals the benefits of an EarthLink experience when they are away from the office -including blocking virtually all spam from reaching the handheld — 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.”
The service includes text messaging and organizer applications.
The BlackBerry 7750 includes a high-resolution color screen and a backlit keyboard.
EarthLink has worked with Research in Motion for several years. More than 1 million people already use BlackBerrys for email and phone services, according to the company.
Prices for the service start at $39.95 per month for data and an additional $39.95 a month for 500 anytime voice minutes with no roaming fees.
For information, see: www.earthlink.net/wireless
