Sprint PCS eases wireless access to corporate e-mail

Sprint PCS introduced a corporate e-mail solution called Business Connection Personal Edition during the Consumer Electronics Show and intends to make it available later this quarter.

The carrier is working with Seven’s mobile software architecture, which resides directly on its network. This way, Sprint PCS can offer customers a simple service delivery model that does not require large-scale installations of new infrastructure, said Bill Nguyen, Seven’s founder and president.

Sprint PCS plans to make the service available via its wireless business sales channels as well as its retail stores later this quarter. Customers are expected to be able to download and install the desktop software either from a CD or Web site.

Compatible with Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes, the software is designed to let customers quickly register for real-time mobile access to their enterprise applications. In addition, consumers will be able to access and send files stored on a computer hard drive while mobile without requiring synchronization later.

This is possible because Seven’s architecture allows access to enterprise applications behind most corporate firewalls, so changes made on the mobile device are updated instantly on the user’s mailbox, Nguyen said.

The Sprint PCS e-mail solution also will be compatible with the carrier’s third-generation network when it launches in mid-2002.