BellSouth Wireless Data sports new name

Wireless data company BellSouth Wireless Data L.P. has changed its name to Cingular Interactive, L.P., a business unit of Cingular Wireless headquartered in Woodbridge, NJ Donald Kovalevich, president and CEO of BellSouth Wireless Data, will be president of Cingular Interactive. Kovalevich will report to Mark Feidler, chief operating officer for Cingular Wireless.

"Our new name, Cingular Interactive, illustrates our status both as a key member of the Cingular Wireless family, the second largest wireless company in the United States, and as the leading provider of interactive wireless data communications solutions to companies and mobile professionals," Kovalevich explained. "As a member of the Cingular Wireless family, we will have a nationally recognized brand, access to more resources, broader distribution channels and a migration path from our current network technology to the next generation cellular packet technology."

The new Cingular Interactive name will be evident in all aspects of the company's business, from branding of products and services to Web site domain name.

Cingular Interactive's senior executive team will remain in place although Janet Boudris, formerly senior vice president, strategic marketing for BellSouth Wireless Data, is now vice president, Cingular Solutions, for Cingular Wireless to better coordinate and integrate all of Cingular's wireless data activities. Boudris, an acknowledged wireless data industry expert, will have responsibilities for marketing activities involving the Cingular Interactive mobility suite of products and wireless data applications on all Cingular Wireless networks. Boudris, who will remain located in Woodbridge, NJ and retain her marketing organization, will report to Virginia Vann, senior vice president—Marketing for Cingular Wireless, and on a dotted-line basis to Kovalevich.

Source: Cingular Interactive
With contributions by Ellen Jensen, Managing Editor