AT&T Wireless Services Inc. announced two new partnerships to further its presence in the enterprise market.
AWS and Symbol Technologies Inc. said they will partner to offer enterprise voice and data services on Symbol computerized mobile bar-code scanners. The announcement is Symbol’s second deal with a major wireless carrier in as many weeks. Last week it announced a partnership with Nextel Communications Inc.
The companies said they will offer AWS-enabled Symbol MC9000 mobile devices to businesses of all sizes that deploy enterprise mobility systems. The scanners will offer multi-mode wireless capability for Bluetooth connectivity to printers or headsets, Wi-Fi connectivity to enterprise networks inside warehouses, and GSM/GPRS connectivity while in transit between enterprise facilities or customers sites.
“Our relationship with AT&T Wireless gives us the ability to create unique integrated enterprise mobility solutions and ensures that our customers will have reliable wide-area wireless connectivity from our MC9000 product line,” said Jan Burton, Symbol’s vice president of worldwide channels. “With the AT&T Wireless enterprise sales force, we plan to market this offering for mission critical applications in the transportation and logistics, public-safety, field sales and services, route accounting and direct-store delivery market segments.”
In a separate announcement Tuesday, AWS said it has teamed with m-commerce firm USA Technologies Inc. to provide wireless credit card processing and non-cash transaction services via AWS’s GSM/GPRS network. The companies hope to make wireless credit card payment technology and networking of distributed assets available to a variety of industries, including vending, entertainment, hospitality and kiosks.
“Together, we will enable everyday machines, whether it be a vending machine or a kiosk, to wirelessly process credit/debit and cashless payment,” said Stephen P. Herbert, USA Technologies’ president and chief operations officer. “We’re also giving wireless customers on-line auditing and monitoring capabilities to allow for even greater control and service enhancements-all adding up to even higher profits for the operator.”
