AirTouch Cellular Launches Modem Link Service for Wireless Data in Oregon.PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 1996--In today's competitive business environment, quick and easy access to information can mean the difference between making or breaking an important business deal. AirTouch Cellular today launched a new service in Portland and Salem that makes it easier and economical for customers to access information quickly while away from the office. With AirTouch Cellular Modem A wireless adapter that connects a laptop computer to a cellular telephone system for data transfer. Cellular modems, which contain their own antennas, plug into a PC Card slot or into the USB port of the computer and are available for a variety of wireless data services such as GPRS, Link Service, customers can use their laptop computers, cellular phones and cellular modems to access up-to-the-minute information from any type of data network, without worrying whether the modems at both ends of the connection talk the same language. Today's wireless data communication environment generally requires modems that use special cellular error-correcting protocols on both ends of the connection in order to achieve maximum wireless data transmission performance. "This often poses a challenge for many businesses since they have invested in modems and equipment that are designed for landline Land based. Refers to standard telephone and data communications systems that use in-ground and telephone pole cables in contrast to wireless cellular and satellite services. data transmissions," said Joe Dodson, area general manager for AirTouch Cellular in Oregon. "Many businesses now are discovering the value of using cellular as a link back to the office for their mobile workers, but are faced with the decision of whether to install cellular modems at their corporate host computers." Now businesses can avoid the additional expense of installing and maintaining cellular modems at their main databases by using AirTouch Cellular's Modem Link Service. With Modem Link, mobile workers equipped with cellular modems, cellular phones and laptops can transparently connect to any landline modem reliably and at speeds up to 14.4 kilobits per second (unit) kilobits per second - (kbps, kb/s) A unit of data rate where 1 kb/s = 1000 bits per second. This contrasts with units of storage where 1 Kb = 1024 bits (note upper case K). (Kbps). Modem Link Service can be accessed via cellular by dialing "star (*) DATA" (*3282/star 3282) and the phone number of the destination modem. The "star (*) DATA" prefix The beginning or to add to the beginning. To prefix a header onto a packet means to place the header characters in front of the packet. "To prefix" at the beginning is the opposite of "to append" characters at the end. See prepend. 1. tells the cellular network to route the call to the Modem Link Service platform located at AirTouch Cellular's mobile switching office. The Modem Link Service platform accomplishes the connection by answering the mobile worker's cellular data call with a cellular modem and then passes the call to the platform's landline modem, which contacts the destination modem via the local landline telephone network (public switched telephone network). Modem Link Service supports the three cellular error correction protocols (Microcom's MNP-10, AT&T's Enhanced Throughput Cellular (ETC ETC - ExTendible Compiler. Fortran-like, macro extendible. "ETC - An Extendible Macro-Based Compiler", B.N. Dickman, Proc SJCC 38 (1971). ) and Celeritas' TX-CEL) that were designed specifically to compensate for varying signal strength and fluctuating fluc·tu·ate v. fluc·tu·at·ed, fluc·tu·at·ing, fluc·tu·ates v.intr. 1. To vary irregularly. See Synonyms at swing. 2. To rise and fall in or as if in waves; undulate. v. conditions that are common in cellular connections and can disrupt data calls. AirTouch Cellular Modem Link Service costs $2.95 a month for access, with no sign-up fee. Customers will be charged their regular airtime air·time n. 1. The time during which a radio or television station is broadcasting. Also called airspace. 2. The time at which a radio or television program is broadcast. rates while the service is in use. Modem Link Service can be added to new and existing AirTouch Cellular accounts. The service is supported by a team of AirTouch Cellular customer service data specialists that can be reached by calling 800-DATA-1st. "Modem Link Service offers our customers an opportunity to quickly and easily plug into the world of wireless data communications data communications, application of telecommunications technology to the problem of transmitting data, especially to, from, or between computers. In popular usage, it is said that data communications make it possible for one computer to "talk" with another. without the up-front capital expense of installing cellular modems at their main databases," said Dodson. "Modem Link Service gives our customers greater flexibility in doing what is best for their organizations." AirTouch Cellular has selected 3 Com Primary Access Corp.'s integrated remote access system to provide the modem pool A collection of modems and software that let users dial out and remote users dial in on the next available modem. The modem pool may be internal or external to the remote access server. See network access server. capabilities for Modem Link Service. 3 Com Primary Access, a subsidiary of 3 Com Corp., is the leading supplier of integrated remote access platforms used by cellular carriers, information service providers, and value-added network A communications network that provides services beyond normal transmission, such as automatic error detection and correction, protocol conversion and message storing and forwarding. Telenet and Tymnet are examples of value-added networks. providers, and is the only provider of modem pools that support the three popular cellular protocols. AirTouch Cellular is the brand name of U S WEST NewVector Group. Based in Bellevue, NewVector has cellular operations in 12 midwestern, western and southwestern states and serves more than 1.4 million customers. The company is part of the U S WEST Media Group (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : UMG UMG Universal Music Group UMG Universidad Mariano Gálvez de Guatemala (Mariano Galvez University of Guatemala) UMG Upgraded Metallurgical Grade (silicon) UMG Unlicensed Medical Graduate ), which is involved in domestic and international cable and wireless networks, directory publishing and interactive multimedia services. U S WEST Media Group is one of the two major groups that make up U S WEST Inc. CONTACT: AirTouch Cellular Lisa Bowersock, 206/603-7427 206/977-2464 (pager) |
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