Sprint Announces 'Grand Opening of the Wireless Internet' with Nationwide Availability of the Sprint PCS Wireless Web - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Sept 27, 1999

Sprint Monday announced nationwide availability of the Sprint PCS Wireless Web, a suite of simple, user-friendly wireless data products and services. Through recent agreements with leading content providers such as Bloomberg.com, CNN Mobile, InfoSpace.com and MapQuest.com, Sprint PCS customers can now browse the best of the wireless Internet straight from their Internet-ready Sprint PCS Phones. Additionally, the Sprint PCS Wireless Web offers the ability to customize and receive important news, email and information updates from Yahoo! as well as dial into a corporate Intranet or the Internet using a Sprint PCS Phone in place of a modem connected to a laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) or other handheld computing device. A national advertising campaign, launched Monday, marks the kickoff of the Sprint PCS Wireless Web.

Unlike the complicated and expensive wireless data offerings of the past, pricing for the Sprint PCS Wireless Web follows the same clear and simple value-oriented principles that Sprint PCS has brought to nationwide wireless voice calling. Sprint PCS customers can try Sprint PCS Wireless Web services for less than $10 a month simply by adding a Wireless Web Option to their current price plan $29.99 and above. Additionally, Sprint PCS offers a range of all-in-one Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plans that include both voice and wireless web minutes in a single bundle, enabling customers to mix and match their voice and wireless web minutes as needed.

Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plans:

-- Sprint PCS Wireless Web Option

-- $9.99 per month offers 50 wireless web minutes and 50 Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! that may be added to any Sprint PCS Service Plan $29.99 per month and above.

-- Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plan

-- $59.99 per month for 300 anytime, anywhere voice/wireless web minutes and 200 Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! (includes free long-distance calling to any number in the U.S. from a Sprint PCS Phone on the nationwide Sprint PCS wireless network)

-- Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plan

-- $89.99 per month for 500 anytime, anywhere voice/wireless web minutes and 200 Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! (includes free long-distance calling to any number in the U.S. from a Sprint PCS Phone on the nationwide Sprint PCS wireless network)

-- Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plan

-- $129.99 per month for 800 anytime, anywhere voice/wireless web minutes and 200 Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! (includes free long-distance calling to any number in the U.S. from a Sprint PCS Phone on the nationwide Sprint PCS wireless network)

-- Sprint PCS Wireless Web Plan

-- $179.99 per month for 1200 anytime, anywhere voice/wireless web minutes and 200 Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! (includes free long-distance calling to any number in the U.S. from a Sprint PCS Phone on the nationwide Sprint PCS wireless network)

* Wireless Web minutes are defined as minutes used for Wireless Web Browser and Wireless Web Connection.

** Each additional voice/wireless web minute is $.30 with the $9.99 add-on option and $59.99 plan; $.25 with plans $89.99 and above. Each additional Wireless Web Update is $.10.

"The Sprint PCS Wireless Web represents a pivotal development in our company's effort to offer consumers and businesses a single clear and simple tool for all of their wireless voice and data communications needs," said Andrew Sukawaty, president of Sprint PCS. "Customer interest in our wireless web products and services has been extremely positive and we're very excited to be on the leading edge of this new evolution in wireless communications."

The Sprint PCS Wireless Web features three distinct offerings that will allow consumers and business users to access the information they need -- when they need it -- on the largest all-digital Sprint PCS nationwide wireless network for voice and wireless Internet:

-- SPRINT PCS WIRELESS WEB BROWSER: Sprint PCS customers whose phones are equipped with a simplified Phone.com MiniBrowser designed especially for wireless phones will be able to connect to select Internet-based content "real time," whenever they want, using their Sprint PCS Phones to interactively browse specially-designed text versions of popular web sites. Sprint PCS has licensed the Phone.com UP.Link Server Suite, which enables the MiniBrowser functionality on Sprint PCS Phones. Via partnerships with industry-leading content providers, such as Bloomberg.com, InfoSpace.com, MapQuest.com and CNN Mobile, Sprint PCS customers will be able to stay in touch with important, personalized information while "on the go."

-- SPRINT PCS WIRELESS WEB UPDATES FROM YAHOO! This service allows customers to receive automatic updates straight from Yahoo! directly on their Sprint PCS Phones. The customized updates from Yahoo! include such topic areas as sports, weather reports, stock quotes, horoscopes and news headlines. Users simply set up a personalized page on the Yahoo! website (using any computer with Internet access), and select in advance what updates they want and what time(s) they want to receive the updates on their Sprint PCS Phones. This service operates as part of the Sprint PCS Wireless Web Messaging Service (formerly Text Messaging or SMS) which is currently available to all Sprint PCS customers and will be available nationwide on October 3, 1999.