Atlas offers e-mail paging

by Ann Bucy

SBJ Contributing Writer

It all started with numeric paging, then came alphanumeric. Now there's e-mail paging.

In February, Atlas Communications became an Internet services provider.

In the next few weeks, with the help of the Internet, Atlas will be providing a new service: e-mail paging.

With this new service, all or part of an e-mail message will appear on clients' pagers or let them know there's e-mail waiting.

Steve Powell is the president of Atlas. He purchased the company from his father-in-law in 1992.

He said he feels everyone needs a pager. "They're the quickest and most economical way to reach people whether it be a customer or a family member you're trying to contact."

Atlas sells numeric pagers, which display numbers only, and alphanumeric pagers that display a whole message or part of one.

In addition to selling pagers, Atlas offers accessories to go with them: decorated leather cases, short bungee cords to attach the pager to a belt loop, stickers that can be attached to the pager and a pager code book that allows communication in codes (for example, code 44 might mean "Don't forget to stop by the store on your way home"). The company also offers cellular phone service.

Powell said the fastest growing market in the country is the teen market. "Our business has increased over the last three years because of this market. I think they like pagers because they don't have to wait by the phone to get a call anymore. Also, it's a status symbol thing among their friends."

Meanwhile, ALLTEL recently announced the availability of nationwide paging service in Missouri.

"We want to be a one-stop shop for people," said Randy Ruggeri, sales manager at ALLTEL.

"We have a full array of products for bundled packaging, including local cellular, local paging, nationwide paging and the Internet."

ALLTEL offers existing customers call forwarding capabilities with their pagers. "The voice mail number will be accessible 24 hours a day," Ruggeri said. "The person can rest assured he or she won't miss any messages."

He added that "pagers are a good alternative in lieu of a cell phone to stay in contact. They are also a good sideline with a cell phone for ultimate accessibility."

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