Typically, wireless carriers like AT&T are associated with mobile broadband, mobile phones, and high early termination fees. AT&T isn’t typically though of for pet supplies and as a way to remind the elderly to take their medications.

AT&T sees big money in these sorts of products though, especially when it comes to man's best friend. AT&T executives were showing off a prototype dog collar at CTIA reports Reuters that is designed to connect to the AT&T wireless network and alert the pet owner when the animal strays from a specific area.

The alerts would come in the form of a text message and the collar would be able to help the owner find the pet if it gets lost. Along with the dog collar, AT&T also expects to start offering pill containers that remind people to take medications, e-readers, and a device that tracks shipment pallets of bulk goods.

"We see opportunities in dogs, in pallets, in cars and how you take your pills," Ralph de la Vega, the head of AT&T's mobile business, said at the CTIA annual wireless trade show.

AT&T reports that it is almost ready to start selling the dog collar to consumers. So far, the wireless provider has not offered a firm ship date or any indication of how much the device will sell for and what the service will cost users. AT&T has stated that it expects products like these to add an additional $1 billion in annual services in the next five years. The collar was developed by a company called Apisphere in California.