Sprint PCS Launches Certification Program, Prepares For Next-Gen Wireless Launch

The program is part of Sprint's efforts to prepare its solution providers for the rollout of its next-generation network services, said Net Payne, director of business marketing at Sprint. Partners that complete the certification process are given discounts on Sprint wireless services, he said.

Solution providers have said they believe Sprint will launch its 2.5G wireless network nationwide in July, although Payne and other Sprint executives will commit only to a midsummer rollout.

Payne said Sprint will be undertaking a nationwide training program for its existing partners and will be distributing kits that detail which products and promotions are available to help prepare for the launch.

In addition, Sprint is making some of its back-end technology available for solution providers that want to tap into development work already part of the Sprint wireless infrastructure, Payne said. For example, developers can take advantage of Sprint's APIs to write applications that use the carrier's location services, he said.

"It saves [partners an incredible amount of cost if they can use development that is already in place," Payne said.

Sprint offers a free Java API toolkit for developers.

Payne said the company has signed up several primary partners and is now recruiting sub-agents to work with its distributors. Sprint is using three distributors: Trio Teknologies, Global Wireless Data and Brightpoint. It is also selling direct to Comark, CompuCom and CDW.

Developing a strong channel for wireless data service is key for all the cellular providers who have collectively spent billions of dollars to retrofit their networks for next-generation services, analysts said. This is particularly true, since a majority of enterprises will be relying on their partners to recommend and develop wireless solutions, analysts said.

According to a Yankee Group survey, for example, 44 percent of enterprise respondents said the channel was their preferred vendor for mobile/wireless solutions. That compares to 36 percent that said they prefer to go through the carrier.

"Wireless adoption will be driven by the level of interest from systems integrators as the enterprises' trusted partner," said Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research. "Systems integrators will be building and identifying key applications that will deliver return on investment. The value of wireless is not going to be driven solely by e-mail and calendar management."

Sprint's 2.5G services are based on CDMA 1xRTT technology and promise wireless data transfers that average 50 Kbps to 70 Kbps and at least 144 Kbps at peak.

"We're seeing 180 Kbps with compression," said Eric Tuttle, director of network solutions at Comark.

Tuttle said faster speeds will help solution providers demonstrate new capabilities over the networks--after all, CDPD currently provides speeds of up to 19.2 Kbps. The ability to transmit video and pictures, for instance, will pique the interest of a number of vertical markets. According to Tuttle one insurance company said the ability to transmit data and pictures directly from the investigation site will increase the number of claims an adjuster can write by two to three times per day.