DragonVenture portfolio company InphoMatch helps AT&T Wireless Expand Text Message Capability

Monday November 19, 2001 10:38 AM ET

REDMOND, Wash. (Reuters) - The nation's third largest wireless company AT&T Wireless Services Inc. (NYSE:AWE - news) on Monday said its customers are now able to send short text messages to the cell phones of everyone in the country, regardless of the receiver's wireless service provider.

Until now, customers were only able to send messages to other AT&T Wireless customers because U.S. wireless telephone companies use different network technologies that are incompatible with each other.

Other U.S. wireless telephone companies have had similar limitations on their short-text services for the same reason.

AT&T Wireless said it is now able to offer an expanded short text message service due to new software from privately held InphoMatch Inc.

AT&T Wireless, which handles 35 million text messages a month, expects that number to grow rapidly with the introduction of the new capability.

It hopes that the holiday season will result in a spike in messages as customers send greetings wirelessly to friends and family.

AT&T Wireless said customers can send short text messages for 10 cents a message or $4.99 a month for 100 messages.