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AT&T, Cingular and Yahoo! Go MobileTMCnet VoIP Minute Watch Columnist
Now Cingular Wireless subscribers will be able to access their favorite Yahoo! Internet customized online content, services and community their wireless phones thanks to a partnership announced today by AT&T Inc., Cingular Wireless and Yahoo! Inc. The companies teamed up to launch AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile, an integrated service that offers this real-time access.
AT&T will now offer this new service on the Nokia 6682 handset from Cingular within the AT&T traditional 13-state service area. The service will also be available in certain Cingular stores in the Austin, Columbus and Los Angeles markets. The service was initially announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in early January and is only now available for consumers to purchase pre-loaded on handsets. The AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service is comprised of access to e-mail, photos, e-mail address book, calendar, messenger and web sites, images and local search, as well as customized news, weather and sports.
The AT&T Yahoo! communications services are also connected to the built-in e-mail, messaging, address book and calendar apps on the mobile phone, giving consumers one source for the info they need. For example, if a user loses his mobile device, his saved contact info will still be available to him on the Web and easily synched with a new mobile device.
"We're helping our customers enjoy the digital lifestyle by giving them virtually anywhere, anytime access to their already personalized and customized Web-based communications and entertainment services," noted Scott Helbing, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer. "We're blurring the lines between the PC and the wireless phone so that consumers can stay in touch, check e-mail, get updates on news and weather, minute to minute, day by day, regardless of where they are or what screen they are watching."
The Nokia 6682 handset is available through AT&T's sales channels for $199.99 after a $50 Nokia mail-in rebate, with a new two-year Cingular service plan. The AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile app is pre-loaded on the handsets at no additional cost. Cingular's standard wireless data usage charges apply, and Cingular Wireless voice service and data plans are sold separately.
"Consumers want to connect to their favorite Web services on their mobile devices, and AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile makes it easy," said Marco Boerries, senior vice president, Connected Life, Yahoo! "We have created a service unmatched in the mobile marketplace and are excited to give consumers a single way to simply connect to all of their information and content while on the go."
AT&T Inc. made news this week as it announced in detail its plans for to expand its global network for 2006. The telecom giant said it will provide enhanced connectivity in the United States and around the world to meet the growing demands of its multinational enterprise customers.
According to the company's news release, AT&T will be "extending services, reach and access into additional locations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America and in the United States, as part of the new AT&T's previously announced $8 billion to $8.5 billion expected capital investment in 2006." The move clearly shows how the company switched gears and now it's catering to the business market.
Cingular made some noise last month when it announced it backed Congress in its effort to fight data burglars. Senators Charles Schumer of New York, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Bill Nelson of Florida introduced legislation to outlaw the outrageous practice that Cingular Wireless cleverly called "Cell Phone Records Ripoffs: the unauthorized sale of cell phone records."
The cellular phone operator announced on Thursday that it believes that "Web site operators advertising the sale of cell phone records obtain data through fraudulent means, such as by posing as customers seeking info about their own accounts or as TTY relay operators purporting to assist customers with hearing disabilities." According to Cingular, other members of Congress are also considering potential legislation to halt the practice.
"Cingular supports efforts by Congress to criminalize the acquisition and sale of wireless phone records by online data brokers, who are really 'data burglars.' Though there are laws that enable Cingular to fight back against data brokers through civil lawsuits, and just last week we obtained a Temporary Restraining Order against the companies involved with several of the most prominent websites, including locatecell.com, we believe that enactment of clear criminal statutes is necessary. This will enable law enforcement to easily prosecute these fraudsters and put an end to their practices," said Kent Wells, vice president, federal legislative affairs, Cingular Wireless.
AT&T Inc.
Cingular Wireless
Yahoo! Inc.
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Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and Internet Telephony magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit Johanne Torres' columnist page.
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