August 18, 1997

All-In-One Access Service lets users try wireless data without making a major investment By Beth Davis ireless Telecom Inc. wants to make it easier for companies to give their users wireless data access. The company last week unveiled an all-in-one service aimed at letting mobile workers access E-mail, legacy applications, and the World Wide Web from a notebook computer without plugging into a phone line. MobileLogic Network Services, a subscription-based service, includes gateways to nationally available wireless data networks, technical support, and software and hardware to provide wireless access to Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, IBM host and AS/400 applications, and Web applications. Later this year, the Aurora, Colo., company will expand the servic e to include access to Lotus Notes and connectivity for Windows CE devices. Analysts say the service is ideal for companies that want to test the wireless waters. "It allows companies to get involved without having to put out a big investment in hardware, software, and expertise," says Dan Merriman, an analyst at Giga Information Group in Norwell, Mass. MobileLogic is priced at about $100 per month for a user averaging 400 to 500 E-mail messages. Setting up a specialized wireless data system can cost $3,000 to $5,000 per user and can be complicated to integrate with legacy systems, says Roberta Wiggins, an analyst at the Yankee Group Inc., a consulting firm in Boston. "Wireless Telecom is doing the work for the user and bundling in the middleware," she adds. That's what attracted Municipal Services Group Inc., a financial services company in Denver that had been using wireless data to let mobile sales executives check E-mail. But MobileLogic gives users access to Microsoft Exchange Server and lets the company "bring the best of groupware and wireless together," says Mark Stevens, a VP with Municipal Services. "That way, we're not just disseminating information, we're facilitating a business process." Back to News in Review Send Us Your Feedback Top of the Page

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