07/08/96 E-MAIL IS ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY

E-MAIL IS ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY

ONE OF THE GREATEST things about E-mail is that you can pick up your digital letters at any time, as long as you have a computer and telephone line handy. Now, CompuServe Inc. has a way to get at your electronic ``in'' box with just a phone--no computer necessary.
The No.2 online information service has just launched its CompuServe Communications Card. The plastic card allows callers to place discounted longdistance calls over a network operated by Atlanta-based Premiere Technologies Inc. More important, through a special personal identification number, the card gives holders access to their electronic mailboxes on the CompuServe network. Callers can have CompuServe's computer read their E-mail to them over the telephone using textto-speech software, send back canned responses such as ``message received,'' and forward messages to a fax machine for printing.
CompuServe subscribers aren't charged any additional monthly fees for the service except for Premiere's calling-card rates--about 25 cents to 50 cents per minute.
EDITED BY PAUL M. ENG