AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Bloomberg Financial Markets announced they will begin offering financial news and market updates to users of AT&T’s PocketNet phone this summer.
Information available from Bloomberg will include daily financial, general and company news and market index performance including percentage change, volume and news summaries for the Dow Jones Industrials, Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq and other domestic and international indices.
The information will be formatted for real-time delivery and viewing on the PocketNet phone using AT&T’s Wireless IP network, which uses Cellular Digital Packet Data technology.
“In an environment where information providers look for faster, more convenient and effective ways to connect with their customers and extend their services, Bloomberg is constantly raising the bar,” said Kendra VanderMeulen, vice president and general manager of AT&T Wireless Services’ Wireless Data Division. “Combine the quality and depth of Bloomberg’s information with the ease-of-use and immediacy of the AT&T PocketNet phone, and you’ve got an indispensable tool for business professionals.”
The PocketNet phone currently is available to corporations directly from the company. When commercially available later this year, the phone will retail for $549, said AT&T. A PocketNet service account costs about $40 per month, not including cellular voice service and activation costs.
In addition to wireless packet data capability, the PocketNet phone also features analog voice communications.
In other news, AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s Wireless Data Division signed an agreement with InfoSpace Inc. making InfoSpace’s on-line directories available to AT&T PocketNet subscribers.
“With access to InfoSpace’s integrated yellow pages and white pages directories from your AT&T PocketNet phone, you’ll have an even simpler way to `let your fingers do the walking’ directly from your cellular phone,” said Stephen Stribley, WDD’s manager of strategic relations. “We are impressed with InfoSpace’s innovative business approach to the Internet and the breadth of information they can provide to PocketNet phone users.”
The PocketNet service is available using cellular “smart” phones manufactured by Pacific Communications Sciences Inc., Mitsubishi Wireless Communications Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. The service costs $40 a month and includes an AT&T PocketNet e-mail account and custom e-mail address and 20 fax pages per month.
The directories are available to AT&T cellular phones and pagers through an agreement among InfoSpace, Unwired Planet Inc. and ViewCall America.
Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Unwired Planet has developed a client-server software platform that optimizes wireless access to information and services on the Internet and private intranets.
