Sprint's LeMay: Telecom Future Lies In Integrated Services

"The model for the future of telecommunications is total access solutions, total integration," LeMay said.

To survive the current business environment, described by LeMay as "nothing short of brutal," service providers such as Sprint have to focus on providing a variety of integrated services--wireline, wireless, hosted applications, voice and data--that seamlessly support customers as they move from the home to the office and everywhere in between, he said.

"We're giving customers the voice and data communications they need when they need them for both their personal and professional lives," LeMay said.

Sprint's strategy currently rests on its nationwide packet-based 3G network, Sprint PCS Vision, which was launched last month and adds color graphics and multimedia services to wireless phone service.

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The service's capabilities include support for digital photos, instant messaging and games, as well as access to business applications such as company e-mail, contacts and calendars.

"I looks great and I hope it works," said Mark Probst, a show attendee and CEO of Co-Location Consulting International (CLC), a consulting firm based in Marietta, Ga.

CLC specializes in finding global data, voice and wireless solutions for customers, Probst said.

Sprint's new services should appeal to customers that travel extensively, he said.

John Reising, general manager of Cincinnati-based network integrator Cincinnati Network Solutions, said wireless was one of the technologies that drew him to the conference.

"With all the budget cutbacks, we can never get [vendors out to show us their technology," Reising said.