Sprint Launches Mass Market Corporate E-mail Solution
January 9, 2002
Sprint PCS has announced plans to launch a simple software solution that will enable mobile workers to access their desktop e-mail, address books and calendars. In order to use the service mobile users will have to download the software onto their PC from a CD or directly from the Sprint website. Once this is installed business users will be able to access Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes applications on their desktop PC either using their mobile handset or via the internet. As well as providing secure access to e-mails Sprint Business Connection will allow mobile users to send files stored on their desktop computer.
Sprint believes that its new service will enable companies of all sizes to benefit from wireless e-mail access as it does not require company-wide hardware installations or synchronisation. Like other mobile operators Sprint is already experiencing strong demand for mobile e-mail access and but expects these services to really take off with the introduction of its first cdma2000 services later this year; these will initially provide peak-rate data speeds of 144kbps.
BWCS believes overwhelming demand for continuous access to e-mail accounts will transform the corporate mobile market during 2002. In its wide-ranging study of the market for corporate mobile services, Wireless in the Enterprise, BWCS estimates that corporate use of mobile e-mail will generate global revenues of just over US$8 billion by 2006. At the same date BWCS believes that 75% of all corporate mobile users will be receiving and sending e-mails via their mobile handsets.