The Cellular One Group intends to expand the scope of the Cellular One brand name to paging, local and long-distance service, and will offer licensing to B-side cellular carriers, personal communications services operators and resellers as well.
“Customers want to turn to Cellular One for all of the communications products and services they need,” said Richard Lyons, executive director of the Dallas-based group.
Expanding the brand will allow current Cellular One members to integrate offerings they already provide, such as paging. An affiliate of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems plans to offer local exchange service in Chicago in conjunction with Cellular One operations.
Also, a new market for Cellular One branding is opening up with the arrival of PCS; some PCS operators expect to deploy wireless networks as early as the end of this year.
Expansion of offerings under the brand probably will be done on a local basis according to demand, and could include voice, data, local and long distance, paging, text or video, the Cellular One Group said.
Cellular One branded service now is offered in 11,472 cities and towns throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Group is a partnership of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Vanguard Cellular Systems Inc. and AT&T Wireless Services Inc.
SNET service package
aimed at mass market
NEW HAVEN, Conn.-SNET Mobility Inc. is introducing a no-frills Personal Phone Service package for subscribers who want to custom-tailor their service at affordable rates without long-term contracts.
The package includes a pocket-sized analog cellular telephone, battery, recharger kit and instructions for immediate activation of service, all for a monthly $20 access fee and 35 cents per minute airtime fee.
With that pricing plan, customers can select from five geographic service areas based on counties, or they can choose a service area comprising all of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts for an access fee of $25 and the same airtime charge. Users must pay an airtime charge of about $1 per minute when they use the phone outside of their chosen service area. The same fee structure applies when they roam into other carrier markets plus a toll charge.
By comparison, SNET said it’s Linx Lite cellular service costs $17 per month and 75 cents per minute for system-wide coverage.
Annual contracts are not required for the new service but customers must return the phone if they discontinue service short of 12 months-after a year of service they can keep it.
SNET currently is selling the package over the phone and offers free delivery via United Parcel Service. The company also is negotiating with stores for retail distribution. The company estimates the total market for this service in its coverage area may exceed one million people.
