Cell Phones Become Virtual Matchmakers

Feb. 11, 2005 &#151 -- In this week's Cybershake, we take a look at how one cellular service provider wants to help you make wireless connections of the romantic type. Plus, we note a new survey that says more people are going online rather than waiting in line to complete their banking chores.

Cell phones are vital lifelines for a busy -- and mobile -- population. But more than supply just a wireless link to friends, family, co-workers and the boss, could a mobile phone provide lonely owners with a love connection? Sprint says yes.

This week, just in time for Valentine's Day, the telecom giant has rolled out new dating services available through its Sprint PCS Vision phone service. The mobile matchmaking services are geared to help the wandering lovelorn find a date, a mate or just have some fun.

Rachel Agronsky, product marketing manager with Sprint, says the two services -- SMS.ac and Match.com Mobile, a version of Web-based Match.com -- share similar features. Users can search through the online databases to find others based on age, appearances, interests and geographical location.

"You can look for people within five miles of you, 10 miles of you. You can look for people with brown hair and blue eyes," says Agronsky. "You can be specific or unspecific, depending on what you're looking to do."

To make a connection with others on either mobile dating service, users send Short Messaging Service text messages. The brief notes are sent without revealing the cell phone's number so users are protected with a bit of anonymity. And public chat rooms on the services are monitored, says Agronsky.

The company plans to expand its mobile data services soon with another Web-based partner, Lavalife. That service will offer similar search and SMS features, but add additional voice capabilities. When mobile date seekers feel like they're ready to chat one-on-one, the service will connect their cell phones together for a voice call.

Customers can sign up for the dating services as part of the Sprint PCS Vision data plan, which allows their cell phone to access the Net wirelessly.