American Mobile Satellite Corp. began offering its eLink wireless e-mail service commercially last week, featuring two-way wireless extension of desktop Internet e-mail to handheld devices and personal information management functions. The solution uses AMSC’s Ardis packet data network and Research In Motion Ltd.’s 850 Inter@ctive Pager.
eLink customers may choose between two types of service. The Agent service allows customers to use the same e-mail address as an existing Internet mailbox to have messages forwarded to the pager, while the Messenger service features a separate address for paging and fax capabilities.
Users may set up a profile on the company’s Web site that allows them to filter which e-mail messages they wish to receive on the RIM device, based on the sender or the subject line. Users also may respond to messages from the device that look to the recipient as if the response came from the desktop, AMSC said. The solution does not require the desktop computer to be activated for the forwarding function to work.
Additionally, the pager contains such PIM capabilities as calendar, address book and task lists as well as synchronization software and docking cradle so users can share information with desktop PIM applications like Outlook, Scheduler+, Lotus Organizer and ACT. It contains 2 megabytes of memory and a rechargeable AA battery with charging cradle.
Given these capabilities, AMSC officials said the company intends to market the product as more of an Internet device than a pager.
“We never intended to position this as a pager,” said Steve Fiedler, AMSC national sales manager. “It can do all the things a pager can do, but with much more functionality. We look at is as e-mail in the palm of your hand. It’s a two-way wireless handheld e-mail device.”
Going further, company officials said to expect added functionality to the service over time, such as a microbrowser, more content and more coverage.
AMSC said it will sell the eLink device for $340, with unlimited monthly service for $60 a month or limited use service for $25 a month.
Its distribution strategy is centered primarily on resellers and other indirect means. Fiedler said the product’s only real direct-side distribution channel is AMSC’s e-commerce Web site. The rest of distribution will be handled by resellers such as SkyTel, a WorldCom company.
“It’s an indirect sales strategy designed to play off the strengths of resellers with a national presence,” Fielder said.
Walter V. Purnell Jr., AMSC president, expanded on this view.
“SkyTel has a large customer base and a direct sales force of 450 and 1,500 distribution channels. We have not had broad distribution for our products before,” he said.
He added that SkyTel and AMSC will integrate services as well, going beyond a mere resale relationship.
“Ours is complementary to the SkyTel offering and will become its high-end offering,” Purnell said. “It is more than a resale agreement. We will integrate development and operations.”
SkyTel has initiated somewhat of a soft launch, quietly marketing the service and devices to heavy corporate users. SkyTel is expected to follow up soon with a multimillion advertising campaign for the service.
Because of the Internet focus, AMSC said it is pursuing further strategic relationships with Internet service providers, which it hopes to reveal in the fourth quarter, and possibly with system integrators as well.
In conjunction with the launch, AMSC announced it entered into a three-year strategic alliance with GoAmerica Communications Corp., which allows eLink users to access GoAmerica’s Go.Web service on their pagers. The cross-selling agreement will have GoAmerica selling Go.Web and Go.Mail service and airtime over the Ardis network, while AMSC will sell Go.Web as a value-added service to eLink customers. The two also said they will develop joint marketing programs and offer technical support to the other’s customers.
AMSC said it will offer the Go.Web access for $20 extra a month to eLink subscribers, while service through GoAmerica runs $60 a month. Go.Web subscribers can access corporate intranet information and personalized Web content, the company said.
AMSC said its first corporate customer is GetronicsWang Co., placing an initial order of 1,000 devices. RIM is now ramping up production of the 850 device to meet future orders.
