"It's a direct link back to the office. Customers can access corporate email over the mobile network using existing IP applications. It doesn't have to be done in a WAP environment," C&W Optus Mobile Managing Director Paul O'Sullivan said.
Claiming to be one of the first operators to adopt the technology globally, Optus revealed that the service is available today to corporate customers in major cities and would expect to have full coverage available across the country in October.
Initially, the service will be offered to customers using GPRS handsets from Mitsubishi and Sagem, which are capable of delivering speeds of up to 40 kilobits per second. Not being offered to residential customers first up, the service is targeting Australian corporations, such as Fuji Xerox who are on the list of companies interested.
According to Optus Mobile Internet & Data General Manager Finola Thompson, GPRS technology will allow Fuji Xerox technicians on the road installing and servicing equipment to be in touch with the office instantaneously, enabling them to receive and send emails from their mobile phones. According to Thompson, the service will always be on and pricing will be based on data usage only.
