US GPRS Update

from the Slowly-but-surely dept

With all eyes in the wireless industry tracking yesterday's 3G launch in Japan, it's good to know that there is still some interesting stuff happening with the US wireless industry. AT&T added three more markets to its GPRS network today. Over the weekend Voicestream soft-launched GPRS across its national network. We now have three networks in the US that have launched GPRS to varying degrees (AT&T, Cingular and Voicestream). What's the big deal with GPRS? Well it's a key step towards fast IP based wireless data services. Initially this will just be faster WAP access that is charged for based on use rather than time. But in the long term GPRS is a key ingredient for things like affordable and useful wireless email. Second, GPRS is an international standard with global economies of scale that will benefit both network operators and consumers. GPRS could lead to Ricochet like services that work nationally and internationally.

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