CRS to provide phones to realtors

Real Estate Weekly, Sept 4, 2002

The Council of Residential Specialists (CRS), a leading professional association of residential Realtors[R], announced that it has teamed with InPhonic Inc., a leading provider of communications software and services, to offer mobile phones, wireless messaging devices, service plans and unified communications capabilities to nearly 40,000 real estate agents nationwide.

Under the agreement, InPhonic will operate and manage CRS Wireless, an online store highlighted on the organization's Web site at www.crs.com, to fulfill the needs of mobile realty professionals by offering mobile phones with competitive rate plans. By the end of the year, InPhonic will also offer PDAs, RIM and other handheld wireless messaging devices to CRS members.

In addition, plans are under way for InPhonic to configure, host and manage the CRS Wireless Network, a custom-built, unified communications application that provides agents with centralized access to e-mail, voicemail, facsimile, contact management and calendar functions. Through this unified communications platform, information can be retrieved through a telephone or a computer via a Web-based interface. Additional functionality includes single-number reach, conference calling, user-defined distribution lists, desktop synchronization, voice-activated commands and text-to-speech conversion, which lets users have their e-mail and faxes "read" to them over the telephone.

"Wireless communication is absolutely vital for real estate agents to stay in touch with their clients and this solution from InPhonic gives Realtorsa real-time access to their offices and clients while out in the field," said 2002 president of the Council of Residential Specialists Walter J. Frey.

"We're excited about using InPhonic's technology to bring our membership together on a wireless network and to be able to offer real estate agents, their families and their clients the best available wireless deals from top name carriers and manufacturers."

The council selected InPhonic to build and manage its wireless portal and network after careful review of numerous service providers.

"Being selected to provide wireless communication solutions by such an influential organization as the Council of Residential Specialists is an incredible validation of our products and services," said InPhonic Founder and CEO David Steinberg. "InPhonic is pleased and excited to provide the latest communications tools to serve the needs of the CRS members."