Pacific DataVision Inc., a provider of wireless voice messaging, dictation and documentation services, signed a preferred supplier agreement with carrier Alltel Wireless.

Under the terms of the agreement, Alltel has the non-exclusive right to sell Pacific DataVision's SkyMail workforce service to customers located throughout its national footprint.

"Our service was initially launched to solve field documentation problems for businesses," said John Pescatore, president/CEO of Pacific DataVision, Clifton, NJ.

How does it work?

Imagine a contractor out at a job site. He decides he needs to make a change to an order and the client verbally agrees to the inevitable price change.

How does one go about drawing up an agreement right on the spot?

The Pacific DataVision SkyMail service provides evidence of the agreement.

The service can be helpful in terms of arbitration and can be used as a source of evidence to an agreement. It can also be used as a reminder service.

Pacific DataVision's SkyMail service will be available across Alltel's network that includes more than 13 million wireless customers located in 34 states.

Alltel will focus the marketing of SkyMail to its business customers for their communications needs while on the go.

SkyMail is an application that enables mobile workers in industries such as transportation, construction, utilities, waste removal, field service and public safety.

Besides prioritizing and documenting communications from the field, Alltel's business customers will also be able to use SkyMail to report expenses, send reminders to themselves and to quickly communicate status reports and directives.

SkyMail works on virtually all mobile phones without any software to download or complicated menus to navigate through, according to Pacific DataVision.

Mr. Pescatore said that Pacific DataVision has cable industry customers.

The SkyMail service is positioned as cost-efficient because employees do not need to be trained on how to use it. Plus, there isn't the need for a team to support it.

Also, the SkyMail service can also be a mode of communication in the eye of a disaster, when there isn't time for much typing on a small keyboard.

"We allow users to share and document stuff through their phone via voice," Mr. Pescatore said. "The business' care center can listen and then reply via text."