While many winners of C-block personal communications services spectrum are months away from launching commercial service, Airadigm Communications Inc. is preparing to be the first C-block player to launch.
“We have 37 people on board that represent 270 years of telecom experience,” said Senior Vice President Bob Schulze. “We were ready to build as opposed to getting a license and pulling people together.”
The Little Chute, Wis.-based operator said it will trial the service this week with a few dozen customers in the Fox Valley area, which includes Appleton, Wis., and surrounding communities. The company plans to offer commercial Global System for Mobile communications service shortly after.
Television, radio, outdoor and direct marketing initiatives have been launched featuring the brand name einstein personal communications with the slogan “Simply Genius.”
A basic package will include a digital telephone, either from Ericsson Inc., Motorola Inc. or Nokia Corp., and feature first incoming minute free, voice messaging, paging, voice mail and caller ID services.
The company will require no contract and will offer two rate plans. One is a state plan that has a monthly charge of $20 per month. Subscribers can call anywhere in Wisconsin for 19 cents per minute for the first 100 minutes of use, while the next 400 minutes of use will cost 16 cents per minute with more than 500 minutes of use costing 14 cents per minute. Calls outside the state will cost an additional 15 cents per minute, said the company. Airadigm’s local calling plan will be $15 per month with calls inside the local designated area costing 15 cents per minute. Calls outside the local area are an additional 15 cents per minute.
PrimeCo Personal Communications L.P. already has launched Code Division Multiple Access service in Green Bay. Airadigm plans to launch there next month.
Airadigm, which owns 13 C-block licenses and two in the F block, is a partnership of Wisconsin Wireless, which owns 51 percent and the controlling interest of Airadigm, and the Oneida Indian Nation of Green Bay, which has a 49 percent investment in the company.
Along with offering mobile service, the company is positioning itself to integrate in-building wireless with PCS.
“Wisconsin Wireless already is an in-building wireless communications provider, but it couldn’t expand the concept beyond [the building],” said Schulze. “They will be selling Airadigm’s PCS service as part of their package of in-building wireless solutions.”
Wireless local loop will be another service that will be offered in the future, said Schulze. “We’re waiting for the first good technology that comes along.”
