Cingular gets New Jersey wireless messaging deal

Cingular Wireless LLC won a contract from the state of New Jersey to furnish advanced wireless messaging services to state employees.

The contract designates Cingular of Atlanta as the primary provider of advanced messaging services, including such wireless e-mail solutions as BlackBerry, GoodLink and Cingular Express Mail. The three-year deal is valued at $2 million.

The agreement also designates the company as the primary supplier of advanced wireless messaging devices such as BlackBerries, personal digital assistants, pocket PCs and Smartphones.

The contract is structured to allow local governments within the state to purchase wireless e-mail solutions and devices from the company through its agreement with the state.

The state contract also designates the company as the primary provider of wireless priority services, which gives a limited number of government authorized wireless users priority access through Cingular's wireless network. This means that if the carrier's network capacity is strained during an emergency, the authorized users' emergency calls are given precedent over calls not designated for wireless priority services.