AT&T Wireless Brings EDGE To The US Market

AT&T Wireless and Nokia are now offering high-speed EDGE services and devices in the US market, with a new EDGE smart phone that supports mMode.

From the press release:

Today, AT&T Wireless and Nokia are bringing to life the true benefits of EDGE for U.S. subscribers with the availability of the Symbian OS and Series 60 Platform-based Nokia 6620 smart phone for use on AT&T Wireless’ national EDGE network. Consumers downloading the latest games or mobile professionals accessing instant news and information can use AT&T Wireless’ EDGE service at speeds up to three times faster than GPRS. AT&T Wireless is also introducing a variety of new full-motion video and audio streaming applications on mMode that take full advantage of the data capacity provided by its high-speed EDGE network. 
 
One of these new mMode services is Real – rTV, an audio/video subscription service optimized for EDGE network speeds, from RealNetworks, Inc. For $4.95 per month subscribers can access content from FOX Sports, ABC News, CBS MarketWatch, Sporting News Radio, NPR, The Weather Channel, movie trailers from Hollywood.com, horoscopes, and more. Real – rTV also offers subscribers the ability to set and receive personalized ‘Alerts’ notifying the subscriber when particular content programming becomes available on Real – rTV. 

“AT&T Wireless is making advanced, high-quality mobile services available for both work and play,” said Sam Hall, vice president of mMode services for AT&T Wireless. “The Nokia 6620 smart phone is an example of a full-featured device that allows users to customize their mobile experience with applications that fit their particular needs. Customers can enjoy mMode’s streaming video and audio services on the Nokia 6620 and take some of the best of the Web with them while on the go – all in a true high-speed mobile environment on our national EDGE network.”

“With the Nokia 6620 phone, we are delivering not just a great smart phone and imaging product, but a platform upon which a myriad of applications can be built – not only games and entertainment, but applications that can be used to increase the productivity of users,” said Nigel Rundstrom, vice president of Multimedia sales and channel management for Nokia. “When combined with AT&T Wireless’ high-speed national EDGE network and mMode service, the Nokia 6620 phone becomes an extremely powerful tool for staying connected to one’s work and home lives.”

For business travelers, the WorldMate application offers a simultaneous graphical representation of up to five different time zones, current weather conditions for over 250 cities and a currency converter function – each updated over-the-air via mMode with current information. For productivity on the go, Quickoffice allows users to open, edit and save word processing documents, presentations and spreadsheets on their Nokia 6620 phone. Other mMobile productivity tools such as mobile e-mail, over-the-air synchronization of PDA data, and a full Internet browser (HTML 4.0, XHTML/CSS and WML) over the EDGE network allow users to stay efficient and in touch while on the go.

For sports fanatics, Nokia Sports uses the power of AT&T Wireless’ EDGE network and mMode service to bring professional baseball and basketball to the Nokia 6620 phone. Nokia Sports delivers updated scores, standings, news, streaming video highlights and live baseball game audio streaming right on the Nokia 6620 handset.

Each application is available on a trial-basis at no charge. After the trial period for each of these applications has expired, the full version can be purchased directly from the phone, and billed to the user’s AT&T Wireless account. mMode users may also view and purchase applications online at the new My mMode website at www.attwireless.com/mymmode.

In addition, AT&T Wireless is offering customers with EDGE handsets an unlimited mMode data plan designed for heavy data usage – including streaming content – for $24.99 per month. Nokia 6620 smart phones are now available at AT&T Wireless retail stores nationwide for $299.99 with a 2-year agreement (after instant activation credit and mail-in rebates) online at www.attwireless.com, or by calling 1-888-290-4613.