Dialing for safety: AT&T and Ericsson give schools mobile peace of mind

Delayed school buses, medical emergencies and other instances that require immediate communication in schools are being addressed in the Safe Schools program.

AT&T Wireless and Ericsson Mobile Phones have teamed up to grant 1000 schools the use of two Ericsson Digital Personal Communications Service phones and 160 minutes of local airtime a month from AT&T Wireless services for one school year.

"In the spirit of competition, it is my desire that the efforts of AT&T and Ericsson Mobile Phones will serve as a model of what we as a country can accomplish together," said Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard during a press conference earlier this month. "It makes great sense for wireless communications to play a role in school security so that our children can study and learn in a safer environment. This is community service from commercial enterprises at its finest."

The program has been in development for several months, said an AT&T spokesman. Some 500 schools have already applied for and received grants. Each school had to detail the planned applications for the phones and demonstrate the need for wireless communication.

"Public and private, urban, suburban and rural, and elementary, middle and secondary schools have and will receive grants," the spokesman said. "We have made a commitment for three years, so many schools will have a chance at getting a grant." The program is limited in that schools must be where AT&T already offers or is planning to offer wireless service. Currently, AT&T is the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., covering 80% of the country.

"Anything that can enhance the school environment and allow teachers and students to focus on education instead of all the other issues that come up in schools today is valuable," the spokesman said. "That aspect alone was a strong enough reason for us to get involved."

Certainly, Ericsson and AT&T also benefit from aiding the community with Safe Schools. Teachers, administrators and others who may not otherwise have come in contact with Ericsson's mobile phones will now have the opportunity.

"For us, it shows the community the benefits of building an infastructure," the AT&T spokesman said. "We're less likely to get resistance from communities where we want to put antennas if they can see the benefit of building them."

The program has already had its successes. In Washington, a student cut her hand and administrators were able to call for help on the mobile phone rather than searching for a landline phone. In another instance, a bus of students returning from a field trip was delayed by traffic, so a chaperone was able to call and let school officials know why the bus was late.

"Parents weren't wondering if someone had gotten lost or hurt. They immediately knew what the problem was and didn't have to worry. As a parent, I can appreciate that," the Ericsson spokesman said.

CINCINNATI BELL GOES RETAIL Cincinnati Bell this month opened three retail stores to sell its equipment and services. Called store@Cincinnati Bell, the shops in Florence Mall, Northgate Mall and Hyde Park Plaza feature interactive displays and product demos.

SANTA GOES HO-TECH MCI Prepaid is offering a calling card that allows kids to leave a personalized holiday gift list for Santa Claus. The Santa's Switchboard phone cards can then be given to grandparents, friends and other "Santa's helpers," who can access the list and use the 10 minutes of domestic long-distance calling time included on the card.