Connectivity.

• Author: KRONEMYER, BOB
• Position: Smart phones

Business travelers get more options.

As director of operations and facilities at Fort Wayne International Airport, Eric Frankl finds his Smartphone from Verizon Wireless extremely convenient and reliable. "I no longer have to carry a pager and a phone and a Palm Pilot. It's all combined into one device," Frankl says. "And it looks just like a cellular phone."

Frankl, who has been using the handheld mobile phone since last spring, represents a growing trend in society of embracing digital, remote connectivity at an affordable price.

The Smartphone is manufactured by Kyocera and lists for $495. The handset combines the benefits of a PDA (personal digital assistant) with the connectivity of a wireless phone. "It incorporates the same functions as a Palm Pilot, plus I can send and receive e-mail," Frankl explains. Among the features are an electronic calendar organizer, a contact list (names, phone numbers, addresses) and Internet access. "Almost everywhere I go, the reception is good," he says.

For e-mail in particular, "I don't have to carry a portable computer around," Frankl says. "It's all wireless technology. Although there is a battery on the phone, fortunately I can get four to five days of usage before recharging."

Observes Karin Keeling, Midwest director of data sales for Verizon Wireless in Indianapolis, "It's easier today than it has ever been for a businessperson to keep in touch." For instance, "we now have the ability to dial into corporate networks and Internet service providers using the cellular network at reliable speeds." Digital phones in particular allow connectivity to be much more reliable.

"In general, the coverage areas are also better today," Keeling says. "The deployment of our digital network has greatly expanded over the past two years and will continue to expand." Instead of users being confined to major metropolitan areas, smaller urban areas now have access.

"All of our digital cell phones can receive e-mail, but only the newer ones can also send e-mails," Keeling says. The inexpensive option costs 2 cents to receive a message and 10 cents to send a message.

The Timeport 270c cellular phone from Motorola was launched in May and is available in Indiana this fall. "This is a perfect product for the business traveler," claims Peter Alai, product manager for the Timeport 270c. "In fact, we refer to it as the Road Warrior phone."

Besides providing access to the Internet and sending e-mail, the Time-port 270c has an...