Wireless ISP GoAmerica has inked a deal to offer
VoiceStream’s GRPS wireless data network to its corporate customers.
Financial terms of the partnership were not released.
The Hackensack, N.J.-based GoAmerica said the General Packet Radio Services
(GPRS) service is expected to be available on its Go.Web and Mobile Office products
in the second half of this year.
It is a significant client win for GoAmerica, which plans to roll
out a combined WAN/LAN service network during the second half of 2002.
VoiceStream, the Deutsche Telekom-owned firm which maintains headquarters in
Bellevue, Wash., operates a large-scale GSM/GPRS wireless voice and data
network in the United States.
For GoAmerica, the deal was a no-brainer. “VoiceStream impressed industry
experts last year by completing an upgrade of its GSM voice network to
include GPRS data service as well,” said Marty May, GoAmerica’s VP of
carrier relations.
“(With this deal), we look forward to providing our corporate customers with
higher speeds, new devices, and additional coverage through our relationship
with VoiceStream.” May added.
For GoAmerica, part of VoiceStream appeal is the potential to reach its Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless broadband (WLAN) network, which is available in more than 650 public locations.
Under terms of the agreement, VoiceStream’s network would be integrated into
GoAmerica’s corporate offerings. In addition to improving the rate of data
transmission, the selling point for GoAmerica is that higher speed networks
allow for data-rich content to be viewed more easily on a wireless device.
“The availability of VoiceStream’s combined GSM/GPRS voice and data network
means GoAmerica customers will be able to utilize new, ‘hybrid’ wireless
devices which allow for both voice and data transmission. VoiceStream’s GPRS
network provides average access speeds of 40kbps in 6,500 cities across the
U.S.
GoAmerica runs the Network Operations Center, which integrates CDPD, DataTAC
and Mobitex, as well as new, 2.5G networks with its services. The company’s
GPRS service is currently available in Canada.
