Sprint targeting retail outlets, ATMS with CDMA access

Sprint is aiming to leverage its CDMA data networks in the retail sector, using it to provide the access link over which credit checks and account authorization requests would travel to ATM machines and business locations.

Sprint officials said they expect businesses would use the service initially as a back-up link to wireline data access provided by Sprint or other local carriers, but Sprint intends to offer the service as a fully supported and managed data offering.

Product Manager Randy Lundin said this expansion of its DataLink services is the first step in Sprint’s efforts to use its wireless network as a business access network. While Sprint is mainly targeting authorization and authentication services as business locations, Sprint could provide full data access capabilities to retail locations, especially when its 1X EV-DO networks come online nationwide.

For now Sprint is starting off slow. As a backup access link, Sprint will charge between $250 to $400 for the installation of an onsite CDMA modem and between $19 and $40 a month for between 5 MB to 40 MB of data usage each month. For locations using the CDMA network as a primary access link, Sprint will offer plans starting at 40 MB and go up from there. Lundin said that a 300 MB plan would run about $120 a month.