Sprint PCS, ECompanies in Wireless Venture

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sprint PCS, the wireless unit of Sprint Corp., and ECompanies, a 2-month-old firm that guides Internet start-ups, formed a venture to create and sell wireless Web services.

Sprint PCS will invest $15 million in the new ECompanies Wireless and might provide access to its own technology and market research. Closely held ECompanies will add expertise, personnel and its seven-step business development process.

ECompanies Wireless, to be based in ECompanies' Santa Monica headquarters, will provide funding to develop Net applications for wireless devices and access to networks that support new wireless efforts.