Faculty, staff, students, and alumni who love the convenience of having a cellular phone but hate the expensive prices that come along with it can take advantage of recently forged university contracts with both Cingular and Sprint/Nextel. The companies are offering cellular wireless products and services at discounted rates to university-affiliated individuals and all campus departments. A variety of personalized packages are available — they range from basic cellular plans to all-in-one options that include desktop-synchronized Web/e-mail access, calendaring features, and more. Cingular and Sprint/Nextel also offer a variety of usage plans, including international calling and data access services.

An upcoming Web site will allow you to see and order products and services quickly and easily. For now, you can get ordering information at www.oit.umd.edu/cellphones.