[ In the States it's the "cell phone", in Europe it's the "Handy". ]

>[ Thomas explained to Jody that the new "GSM" cellular system in Europe
>[ can transmit short segments of e-mail message to the handy-phone, so
>[ that the user can view the first few lines of the e-mail and, if a
>[ message seems urgent or interesting, he can decide to reply via the
>[ modem and (more expensive) telephone service.  -- Robbie

?!? Sometimes you people really surprise me!  For me this is a common
thing, and you never heard of this before?!?

 [ Well, sometimes we're a bit "behind the times". ;)

To get it more detailed:  It's basically like a web-based e-mail
service, with address book and filter and so on.  When a mail arrives,
the Subject-line is sent to your Handy via SMS (Short Message Service),
including the number of the mail, how many parts the body would make as
SMs, and the sender of course.  (If you have him in your address book,
it's even just the Alias you set for him.)

You can (if you like to) do more with your Handy:
  - get parts of the email-body
  - send that email to a FAX
  - reply to the message (either as email or as SMS to any kind of
Mobilnetwork or as well as FAX again)

Of course you can also get your mails via normal POP3 protocol.

Just one point: Whatever action you do (even to get an email is one!)
you always have to pay for it!  Well, beside POPping the mail or
changing your settings, but you'll find that on your normal phone-bill
(here in Europe, at least).

You pay _before_ you get the service.  You get an info email when you
have to send money again.  Each month you get a detailed bill (as well
via email).  (I do have such an email-address as well, but I don't use
it too often -- I still have some money on their account.)

greetings by(e) InK - Ingmar Krause
ERlanger drehORGEL-Trio, Familie Krause, erorgelt@erlangen.franken.de