Deliver Your News to the World

AT&T and Samsung Introduce Rugged, Push to Talk Handset with Video Share Calling Capabilities


WEBWIRE

Samsung Rugby™ Can Withstand the Elements and Keeps You in Touch With the Touch of a Button

Dallas, Texas, It’s fast, powerful and can take just about anything you can throw at it. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced today the availability of a new rugged, military-grade¹ handset called Samsung Rugby™, the first rugged handset to feature AT&T’s breakthrough Video Share calling and to run on the largest Push to Talk network in the country.

Video Share calling is possible on AT&T’s 3G network, which is the nation’s fastest and is available in 320 major metropolitan areas across the United States and will be in nearly 350 by the end of 2008.

Samsung Rugby allows a mobile workforce to be seemingly everywhere at once, with features such as Video Share and e-mail to reduce trips between work sites and Push to Talk to speed up decision making within work groups to reduce costly downtime.

A majority of users in the architecture, engineering and construction industries rated the ability to share live video through Video Share highly, according to research commissioned by AT&T. Video Share lets you see progress on a job site or review the day’s work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so.

“As AT&T’s best-in-class rugged device, only Rugby brings users like construction foremen and landscape designers the ability to share live video from one phone to another,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Business Marketing and Operations for AT&T’s wireless operations. “Employees can literally see more than one work site at one time.”

Whether on a trip to a new job site or looking for a place to eat lunch in a new area, Rugby is aGPS-capable, which means AT&T Navigator² can get you there with points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation. Assisted-GPS technology allows Rugby to locate itself to get you headed in the right direction quickly.

Available in black, deep burgundy and construction yellow color options, this rugged clamshell phone is certified to military standard MIL-STD-810F to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and temperature extremes, and it features a rubberized and metal casing that is easy to grip.

“Samsung has developed a sturdy phone that can stand up to the roughest of environments,” said Bill Ogle, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Telecommunications America. “It is a no-nonsense device with easy-to-use features and a simple, one-touch button to keep you in touch with your contacts.”

Push to Talk and Enterprise Paging
In addition to a robust design, the Samsung Rugby includes large external speakers, which allow for ease of use with AT&T’s Push to Talk service. With the introduction of the Samsung Rugby, AT&T is lowering its monthly cost for Push to Talk to just $5 per month for users. Push to Talk from AT&T is the industry leader with the largest network of users, the ability to pull an entire work group into a wireless call from a PTT session and the ability to set one’s own status to available, unavailable, do not disturb and more.

Small business and enterprise customers also have the option to use AT&T’s Enterprise Paging to connect quickly to its workforce from a central location. Enterprise Paging is an AT&T-hosted service that allows a centralized dispatch system administrator to build customized group distribution lists of workers in the field and to send group notifications via text messaging. Workers can respond immediately or take the appropriate action in the message.

The Samsung Rugby also includes multimedia features such as Cellular Video and AT&T Mobile Music to enjoy away from work or if rain forces you and your staff under cover. Additional features of the Samsung Rugby include advanced messaging options, 1.3 megapixel camera with video capture, Bluetooth® technology and a microSD™ memory card slot.

Other key specifications of the Rugby include dual-band 3G connectivity and quad-band GSM technology, which allows AT&T customers to make calls in more than 200 countries and download data in more than 150.

Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Rugby will be available through select AT&T retail locations or at http://www.att.com/wireless for $129.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate.³ For a limited time, AT&T is offering small business customers the opportunity to activate five lines or more at a price of $79.99 on each device. For more information on Samsung Rugby, visit www.att.com/rugby. For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

¹ Certified to meet military standard MIL-STD-810F to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and temperature extremes.
² AT&T Navigator is currently available to AT&T customers with compatible handsets as a free 30-day trial. If you wish to continue the service after the trial period has ended, you will be charged $9.99 per month for unlimited routes. Standard data charges apply.
³ For the Samsung SGH-a837 pay $179.99, and after mail-in rebate, receive $50 AT&T promotion card. A two-year service agreement is also required. AT&T promotion card valid wherever major credit cards are accepted and for 120 days after issue date. May be used to pay wireless bill. Not redeemable for cash and cannot be used for cash withdrawal at ATMs or at automated gas pumps.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation’s leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.

About Samsung Telecommunications America
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, Telecommunication Business and Digital Appliance Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

© 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.



WebWireID74909





This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.