The cry “paging is dead” began once digital cellular and personal communications
services providers obtained the ability to offer paging services on their networks and handsets.
However, while
paging carriers are struggling with certain problems, messaging competition from voice operators isn’t one of
them.
Analysts have largely belittled voice carriers’ efforts at marketing data on their networks as being both
unfocused and unmotivated. Some even speculate voice carriers simply don’t want customers to use paging features
because text messaging allows customers to communicate without talking, and talking is exactly what carriers want
their customers to do.
But other analysts say if positioned correctly, text and numeric messaging on voice handsets
actually could drive minutes of use. It’s just that no voice carrier has shown it knows how to do so. Voice and data are
two vastly different products, and while voice carriers may be proficient at selling the former, they are decidedly
challenged at selling the latter.
First, carriers are not touting the paging ability much. Those carriers that do
advertise paging features restrict their use to fairly low message numbers and at prices higher than what could be
obtained from a paging carrier.
“The marketing is immature because of an inconsistent program structure
among carriers,” said Darryl Sterling, wireless messaging analyst at the Yankee Group. “You really have to
look. Just trying to find it on these carriers’ Web sites is a nightmare … and that devalues the solution.”
Even
carriers that do list paging features don’t take the next step of educating the consumer of their benefits, he
added.
“They never explain what text messaging is, what it’s good for and what to do with it,” Sterling
said. “They don’t position text messaging services in terms of the value added. It’s like giving you a cellular
phone and not telling you how to use it.”
He said voice carriers are marketing text messaging in the old
“cheap-beep” paging paradigm that their paging competitors have abandoned long ago.
The root of the
problem, Sterling said, is that voice carriers simply are too busy selling voice to learn how to sell
data.
“There’s no incentive to sell it,” he said. “They don’t know how. As long as they keep
making money off voice, they have no incentive to sell messaging.”
A day spent searching various carriers’
Web sites and calling customer service centers found this view to be quite accurate.
AirTouch Communications Inc.
wireless phone customers will find no useful paging information on the company’s Web site. Any paging information
on the company’s Web site is limited to paging-only products and plans.
According to an AirTouch sales office,
though, voice subscribers can add unlimited numeric and operator-assisted alphanumeric messaging to their handsets
for an additional $10 a month. That’s not all. AirTouch subscribers also must pay 60 cents a minute for calls to the
messaging operator. The AirTouch salesman spent more time detailing the problems with the phone paging option than
he did explaining it, such as that it often takes 15 minutes for a page to reach the handset.
Omnipoint
Communications Inc.’s Web site clearly displays the different features of its three voice-plan packages and what paging
abilities come with each. The Basic Package has no extra monthly fee and includes 10 free numeric messages at 10
cents a message overcharge and 10 short e-mail messages at 15 cents a message overcharge. The Value Package costs
$10 a month extra, includes 30 numeric messages at 10 cents a message overcharge, operator-assisted alphanumeric
paging at 50 cents a message sent, and the short e-mail option. The Advanced Package costs $20, includes 100 numeric
messages with a 10-cent overcharge, 100 short e-mails at 15 cents a message overcharge and the alphanumeric
operator-assisted feature at 50 cents a message. Customers can receive, but not send, numeric and alphanumeric
messages on their handsets. The numeric option is a function of the system’s voice mail feature, while alphanumeric
messages require the use of e-mail or an 800 number.
Sprint PCS’ paging options also are easy to find on the
company’s Web site. Numeric paging comes free with the basic service plan, while text-messaging options are $2 extra
a month for 30 messages at a 25-cent overcharge rate or $10 a month for 500 messages at a 10-cent overcharge
rate.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. lists no price plan information for text or numeric messaging options on its Web
site. A call to customer service revealed Digital One Rate customers receive unlimited text messaging at no extra
charge, while local calling plans have text messaging options for $7 a month with unlimited messages. The operator did
not know if there is any character limitation or if there is an alternative plan for numeric paging only.
Bell Atlantic
Mobile’s Web site listed the following: $3 a month for unlimited numeric paging, $25 for unlimited operator-
assisted text messaging or $10 for unlimited text messages initiated from e-mail, a Web site or with desktop messaging
software.
U S West Communications Inc. provides no price information on its Web site. A call to customer service
revealed three options: PCS paging, Data Mail and Data Mail Plus.
For $4 a month, PCS Paging allows others to
call a toll-free number to send you an unlimited number of numeric messages. For $8 a month, Data Mail allows
subscribers to receive up to 200 messages sent via a Web site or desktop messaging software or e-mail with a 12-cents-
per-message overcharge. Data Mail plus offers the same, plus includes an operator-assisted sending option for $20 a
month.
Powertel Inc.’s Web site indicated unlimited numeric messaging is included in the basic feature plan. For $5
a month, customers can receive up to 200 text messages of 160 characters in length. For $10 a month, customers can
receive unlimited short text messages and send up to 200 a month with a 10-cents-per-message overcharge.
