BellSouth Interactive Paging

BellSouth Interactive Paging Service

At last! A complete mobile solution that makes sense. I spend much of my time on the road, and I've never found a pager to be a satisfactory communication option. Even with a cell phone, I can't always be reached. I have to turn it off in court, restaurants, libraries, CLE, meetings and any other place it might be rude to answer a call. I also get dozens of business and personal e-mails every day, most of which require a response. But if I'm away from my desk, I don't get my messages for hours at a time.

Enter BellSouth Interactive Paging Service and the RIM Inter@ctive Pager 950. Matt Schnell of BellSouth Wireless Data provided many of the technology speakers at the ABA TECHSHOW with demonstrator units to use before and during the show so that we could collaborate on our presentations and find each other during the event.

It quickly became a favorite gadget as we traded messages in our offices (in several states), at home, from airports and even to and from the podium during presentations. Most immediately were hooked on the device, and I was certainly not the only speaker to decide to keep mine after the show. The devices were also a hit with our employers, staff and families.

With BellSouth's service and the RIM Inter@ctive Pager 950, you can receive pages, e-mails and even operator-assisted voice messages; plus, you can send e-mails, faxes and pages from the unit. Most messages are delivered within 15 seconds or so (provided you are in an adequate service area), and BellSouth's proprietary software will indicate when a message is delivered to another interactive user and when it is read (not available when sending to regular e-mail or a fax machine). The device is roughly the size of a deck of cards and weighs about 5 ounces, including one AA battery. It has a 6- or 8-line (adjustable font) LCD screen and a 31-key, built-in QWERTY-style keypad. It also comes with a plastic clip holster. Despite its size, the keypad is relatively easy to use even for people with larger hands or long fingernails, though it certainly isn't designed for true two-handed typing.

The software is very intuitive, and it required only minimal exploration to learn to use basic functions. A little training revealed a wealth of customizable options, including battery-saving features that would turn the unit off at night and abbreviations to keep your typing to a minimum on the tiny keyboard. Even with heavy use, the first AA battery lasted about one month, with plenty of warning to locate another. The unit has a silent mode, a backlight and no keystroke noise, so it can be used in a courtroom or other public area without disturbing others, even in the dark.

Coverage is good in most major metro areas, though it is best in the eastern half of the United States and in California. Service is sparse in rural areas, and even in metro areas, service inside some buildings may be a bit spotty, as with any other wireless service. But messages are stored on the server until read, so nothing is lost, even if sent while you are out of the area.

The company also indicates that they are aggressively expanding their network, averaging one new base station per day. They plan to continue to do so well into 2002 or 2003. Current coverage maps are available at www.bellsouthips.com.

Service is billed by the character, so people who get high volumes of mail pay more than casual users, but the range is from a mere $9.95 per month (up to 15,000 characters) to $69.95 (unlimited use). The pagers can be purchased for $369 (as of this writing) or can be rented for $20 per month. Leasing options also are available, including an interest-free option for companies deploying 15 or more of them.

There are third-party services to provide stock quotes, sports scores, headlines, horoscopes, dining descriptions, street addresses, reminder services and much, much more on a scheduled basis or on demand. Something to consider when pricing: just as e-mail cuts telephone time and avoids "phone tag," wireless e-mail paging can cut cell phone time by allowing users to instantly communicate information, without idle chit-chat or wasted calls . . . and the cell phone airtime savings alone just might pay for the unit.

BellSouth Wireless Data
(847) 303-7007 Legal Sales
www.bellsouthwd.com

$9.95 to $69.95 monthly service
$369 purchase or $20 per month rental

Reviewed by Sheryn Bruehl, managing partner, Bruehl & Chapman, PC, Norman, Okla.

Jun/Jul '00 Issue

PROS
An excellent workgroup collaboration tool; keeps everybody in constant contact; saves cell phone time.

CONS
Service can be spotty, as with any wireless service, and messages are sometimes delayed until the user moves into a better area (often in the same building).

VERDICT
This one is a "must do gotta have" for almost anybody who uses a cell phone, pager or e-mail on a daily basis. It will save you far more time (and therefore money) than it will cost you.