VoiceStream Launches Wireless Internet Services

Putting in its bid for the wireless Internet, VoiceStream Wireless (Bellevue, WA) has launched the first phase of its wireless Internet services allowing customers to receive news, sports, entertainment, and other information on their wireless phones. The services are offered through VoiceStream's "personal portal" called MyVoiceStream.com, and they mark the first in a series of messaging and wireless data services to be commercially available this year, including e-commerce and high-speed Internet browsing.

The content and branding is completely controlled by VoiceStream, and InfoSpace helped design the custom portal. In addition to accessing news and information services, the portal allows users to send and receive e-mail to and from a wireless device and allows customers to filter, forward, and reply to home or office e-mail addresses. Customers can also select from more than 175 downloadable ring tones; purchase custom face plates and accessories; manage their personal phone directory; send group text messages via the Website simultaneously to multiple users; and view and pay their bills online.

VoiceStream will expand its wireless data and Internet services in two additional phases, adding e-commerce functionality to the personal portal and deploying high-speed packet network data using general packet radio service (GPRS). It plans to launch the high-speed packet network this fall in several regions, and it will offer high-speed browsing in all markets by the middle of next year.

GPRS handsets from both Mitsubishi Wireless and Sagem are currently being tested on VoiceStream networks. Additionally, PCMCIA data cards from Novatel Wireless capable of supporting throughput up to 56 kb/s will be available.

The carrier will partner with key content providers, including InfoSpace, Ticket Master, and others, to add co-branded e-commerce services and information later this year focused on entertainment, shopping and travel services. VoiceStream will begin selling affordable phones with Web browsers, including support of HTML-based browsers as well.

Edited by Ellen Jensen