AT&T Wireless launches GPRS in Seattle

AT&T Wireless may have beaten others to the punch by launching GPRS service this week, but one market may not be enough proof that the technology--still short on proven applications--ultimately can deliver upon its promise.

“There are few applications, so how long will it take for any GPRS network to deliver upon its promise?” said Bryan Prohm, senior analyst at Gartner Dataquest.

“It bodes well that AT&T was ready to get one market ahead of others, especially considering GPRS is under increasing pressure. But it warrants prudence on their part as to making a big deal of this, because one market in a nation of hundreds of urban markets does not equate to a launch.”

Still, the way AT&T Wireless is rolling out GPRS, on a soft-launch basis, seems to be what the analyst community had expected, he said.

Initially AT&T Wireless will offer its next-generation wireless data service to business customers in the Seattle area. The carrier plans to offer GPRS service to 40% of the population it serves in the U.S. It plans to deploy third-generation services in 2002.

AT&T Wireless is offering customers access to the service via Motorola’s Timeport 7382i GPRS cell phone.