Paging Companies Set Internet Standards

Eleven paging companies serving more than 30 million customers said they agreed to a set of service standards that will allow them to transmit customized Internet-based information to paging devices. Paging companies will be able to provide more specialized packages of information from the World Wide Web to customers’ hand-held paging devices. Companies can personalize the information the customers receive--such as news, stock quotes and sports statistics--instead of having to broadcast the same generic information to millions of customers. Customers will be able to activate, add and change services directly from the Web, varying them as their interests change. The paging companies will also be able to administer the accounts from the Web. The move will help paging companies move beyond their core purpose of simply transmitting messages into new growth areas of data and information services to customers. Paging Network Inc., the world’s largest independent paging company, SkyTel Communications Inc. and Metrocall Inc. are among the companies endorsing the new standards.