Sprint Launches Nationwide Two-Way Walkie-Talkie Style Service to Provide Customers with a Quick Way to Communicate One-on-One o
November 17 2003 - 6:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Sprint Launches Nationwide Two-Way Walkie-Talkie Style Service to
Provide Customers with a Quick Way to Communicate One-on-One or in
Groups PCS Ready Link(SM) Allows Co-Workers, Family and Friends to
Connect With Push of a Button on Two New PCS Vision(SM) Ready Link
Phones by Sanyo Anywhere on the Enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS
Network OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sprint
announced the availability of a new nationwide walkie-talkie style
service called PCS Ready Link(SM) that gives customers a quick,
convenient way to communicate one-on-one or to groups of people
with the simple push of a button. Ideal for short "get in, get out"
conversations, PCS Ready Link is an efficient and cost-effective
way to quickly access co-workers, clients, suppliers, family and
friends anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. The
new service makes its debut on two new PCS Vision(SM) Ready Link
Phones by Sanyo, including a ruggedized version and a clamshell
design. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO ) "Sprint
is focused on being a leader and innovator of advanced products and
services that are customer-friendly, easy to use and work the same
nationwide," said Len Lauer, president and chief operating officer
of Sprint Corp. "PCS Ready Link is designed to meet the needs of
customers who want a quick, cost-effective way to share
information, check status and alert others. The new walkie-talkie
style service complements a comprehensive suite of Sprint wireless
products and services that help our customers stay connected,
productive, informed and entertained anywhere on the most advanced
and complete wireless network in the country." Bringing Innovation
to the Two-Way Radio Market An established leader in handset and
wireless services innovation, Sprint has partnered with Sanyo to
once again raise the bar in handset design and usability. Customers
who want to take advantage of PCS Ready Link will be able to choose
from two new full-color screen handsets by Sanyo, both with
built-in speakerphones and full PCS Vision capabilities including
the ability to browse the Internet, access to downloadable games,
ringers, screensavers and other Java-based applications, and a full
suite of messaging services including access to personal and
corporate e-mail via PCS Business Connection. The PCS Vision Ready
Link Phone RL2000 by Sanyo is dual-mode with a blue and black
ruggedized, bar-style design to minimize wear and tear from heavy
use. The PCS Vision Ready Link Phone RL2500 by Sanyo is
dual-mode/tri-mode with a silver clamshell flip design. Both phones
have a suggested retail price of $299.99 with special rebate offers
of up to $150 depending on the service agreement. Sprint expects to
offer a third handset that combines the new PCS Ready Link service
with enhanced picture capabilities later this quarter. Simplifying
the Customer Experience with Convenient, Easy-To-Use Features PCS
Ready Link also offers several customer-friendly and easy-to-use
calling features. For example, PCS Ready Link customers use the
same phone number for voice and PCS Ready Link calls, which means
users have only one number to remember for both types of calls.
Additionally, customers can easily manage their PCS Ready Link
personal directories and group lists directly from their handsets
or via the Web at http://www.readylink.sprintpcs.com/. Contact
lists created by users from the Web-based tool are updated over the
air to the user's phone. Company administrators also have the
ability to maintain a separate company directory on their
employees' handsets. Administrators can update their company
directories and group lists and push changes to the phones of their
employees via a Web-based administration portal. Keeping Customers
Connected with Expansive Nationwide Coverage Customers can use PCS
Ready Link to make one-to-one or group calls (up to five people)
anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network, which
covers more than 240 million people. When not on the enhanced
Sprint Nationwide PCS Network, PCS Ready Link customers can still
make regular voice calls on their PCS Ready Link Phone in areas
where Sprint has analog roaming agreements in place. Sprint
customers with PCS Free & Clear America service plans can take
advantage of this expanded calling area and make voice calls in
more places than any other carrier without incurring additional
roaming charges. "While many of our business customers have been
asking for a two-way radio communication service to complement
their existing wireless voice services, we also believe PCS Ready
Link will appeal to consumers," said Lauer. "For businesses, PCS
Ready Link provides another tool to enhance productivity for mobile
workers. For consumers, it's a form of verbal instant messaging for
families and friends to stay connected. Customers in both segments
seeking a wireless service with two-way radio functionality now
have an option from Sprint that doesn't require them to make
compromises on the feature functionality and battery life of their
handsets or network coverage." The new service is an affordable way
to share information and stay in touch, particularly when combined
with feature plans such as PCS-to-PCS calling. Whether you are
shopping with a friend this holiday season, wanting to stay in
touch with distant loved ones or trying to coordinate family
schedules, PCS Ready Link can keep you connected, increase your
efficiency and keep you on budget without using up your voice
minutes. Sprint has been conducting PCS Ready Link trials with
several companies that have a need for quick communication among
groups of employees to be productive and effective. This includes
companies with large mobile sales forces, technicians and work
groups in industries such as manufacturing, construction, delivery,
transportation, healthcare, financial services and insurance.
Because both PCS Ready Link Phones are equipped with PCS Vision and
roaming capabilities, small-, medium- and large-sized businesses
can take advantage of the suite of PCS Clear Wireless Workplace
solutions. "Sprint has been a great partner for Cardinal Freight
Carriers in providing a range of telecommunication services that
allow us to effectively compete in an increasingly challenging
marketplace," said Clay Holmes, vice president of IT and
engineering for Cardinal Freight Carriers, Inc. "With PCS Ready
Link, our supervisors and drivers have a simple way to quickly
communicate delivery requirements as they change hour to hour and,
sometimes, minute to minute." Sprint customers who purchase a new
PCS Vision Ready Link Phone have a couple of pricing options. Price
plans are $15 per month with unlimited PCS Vision, and an
additional $5 per month if they would like to sign up for unlimited
PCS Ready Link service. Customers can also select a plan with only
unlimited PCS Ready Link service for a flat fee of $15 per month.
The unlimited PCS Ready Link calls included in the flat monthly fee
applies to one-to-one calls, as well as group calls. Customers will
also receive PCS Vision and PCS Ready Link free for two months as
part of a promotional offer. Sprint will be conducting live
demonstrations of PCS Ready Link at Comdex in Las Vegas on Nov. 17
- 20, 2003, at booth number 11064. For more information or to sign
up for PCS Ready Link, customers can go to Sprint Stores, contact
their Sprint business sales representative, call business telesales
toll-free at 1-877-459-8166 or go to http://www.sprintpcs.com/. The
new service will also be available through indirect business
channels including the PCS Business Solutions Program. About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more
than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately
70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual
revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering
and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the
United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network
and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides
local communications services in 39 states and the District of
Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide
PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information,
visit http://www.sprint.com/.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Sprint CONTACT: Suzanne
Lammers, +1-913-794-2946, , Jenny Stevens, +1-913-794-2941, , Amy
Schiska, +1-913-794-2947, , or Nancy Sherrer, +1-913-794-2942, ,
all of Sprint Web site: http://www.sprintpcs.com/
http://www.sprint.com/ http://www.readylink.sprintpcs.com/
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