May 17, 2005

Verizon Wireless is expanding its mobile enterprise offering with the launch of the palmOne Treo 650 smart phone, a new wireless e-mail application, along with new data pricing for its high-speed data network.

The Treo 650 device, which was initially launched exclusively by Sprint Corp. last year and was recently added by Cingular Wireless L.L.C., is available from Verizon Wireless for $400 with a two-year contract.

The new e-mail application, which is being provided by Intellisync Corp. and branded by Verizon Wireless as Wireless Sync Workgroup and Wireless Sync Enterprise Server, allows behind-the-firewall e-mail, calendar, contact and tasks to be pushed to mobile handsets.

Wireless Sync Workgroup is designed to handle up to 20 users, while Wireless Sync Enterprise Server is designed to support thousands of users. Wireless Sync Workgroup also allows enterprises to secure mobile devices and disable lost or stolen devices using over-the-air technology.

Verizon Wireless said the e-mail applications would also be available this summer on the Samsung Corp. SCH-i730 smart phone that uses Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile Pocket PC Second Edition software.

Verizon Wireless also lowered the price for unlimited monthly access to its CDMA2000 1x NationalAccess network from $80 per month to $60 per month.

The carrier noted the network is available to thousands of cities and towns across the country and provides network speeds of between 60 kilobits per second and 80 kbps with bursts of up to 144 kbps.

The pricing change now differentiates the carrier's 1x network from its higher-speed EV-DO BroadbandAccess network that remains at $80 per month and offers network speeds of between 400 kbps and 700 kbps with bursts of up to 2.4 megabits per second. The EV-DO network currently covers 32 markets across the country with EV-DO devices being backward compatible with the 1x network.

Verizon Wireless also said it will introduce new data pricing options next week for its BlackBerry and PDA/Smartphone data plans.

The new plans will provide 10 megabytes of data transmission for $30 per month and unlimited access for $50 per month.

Customers who add data plans to the carrier's America's Choice calling plans starting at $40 per month will also receive $5 per-month discounts on their data plans. Verizon Wireless currently charges $40 per month for 5 MB of data transmission on BlackBerry devices, $30 per month for the same 5 MB on other smart phones and $50 for unlimited access on all devices.

To go along with the more robust enterprise offering, Verizon Wireless also said it has expanded network coverage to the Outer Banks and surrounding areas of North Carolina.

The carrier noted the $14 million expansion includes the areas of Elizabeth City, Edenton, Hertford City, Murfreesboro, Ahoskie and Camden County, and supplants previous roaming coverage provided by another carrier's network.

Source: RCR News