EarthVision Newsletter Archive
Back to Archive Home PageSent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000
Subject: EarthVision Cellular Consumer News! Issue #19 Vol. 2Another issue of the EarthVision Cellular Consumer Newsletter. This newsletter is for the soon to be educated cellular phone user community. If you know of anyone else that may have an interest in our newsletter, make sure to forward them a copy. Now we move forward at Mach II speed!
[Note: This newsletter is delivered Bi Weekly on Wednesday.]
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THIS IS THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW CALLING
CONGRESS AND SPAMMING OF WIRELESS DEVICES DO NOT MIX
SURPRISE! EARTHVISION CELLULAR SOON TO OFFER WAP SHOPPING
NEW DISPOSABLE CELLULAR PHONE BATTERY COMING TO MARKET?
ONLINE WHOLESALE DIVISION OPENED TO OTHER BUSINESSES
AN EDITORIAL FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN ON CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE
FCC HAS UNIVERSAL 911 HIGH ON LIST OF THINGS TO DO
VIDEO OVER WIRELESS PHONES IS COMING TO THE USA!
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EarthVision Cellular Consumer News Digest Issue # 19 Volume 2
THIS IS THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW CALLING
Five years. That is how long it has taken us to get to this point. We are referring to the fact that we have reached our first major milestone. Recognition as a consumer advocate oriented business and as experts in the wireless industry.
We haven't really bothered to seek recognition from our peers in the wireless industry. Some would argue that being recognized by your peers is a priority. We would tend to disagree with this argument. We would rather be recognized by a 100 cellular phone users as the company they would contact for advice than to be recognized by even one of our peers in the industry.
To that end, we are making progress. This past year has seen to it that we have been recognized in publications located both in the US and Canada. We have been contacted countless times by broadcast network companies wanting to feature our products and services on TV shows with Yahoo!, Disney, and other high profile guests appearing. (We declined the offer to appear simply because we didn't want to repeat the mistake of Toys R US and have our servers blocking visitors due to heavy of a traffic volume.)
Probably the most significant of these was a recent inquiry from the Montel William's Show seeking our advice on a upcoming segment they will be airing in the near future. Allow me to clarify that we are contacted on a daily basis for information. Some of our current business customers are well known in the telecom and/or electronics industry. But this is the Montel William's Show that is watched by an audience of millions of people.
It isn't very often that an unobtrusive and little known upstart company can have such a substantial impact on the country. What I do know is that we will be providing them with advice and information for their upcoming show.
We sent out a special notice to our subscribers that they were welcome to provide us with specific stories for the show. How many of you will be mentioned in tomorrow's show has yet to be seen. We wish all of you the best of luck!
CONGRESS AND SPAMMING OF WIRELESS DEVICES DO NOT MIX
It hasn't even got started yet and the forces are in motion. Cellular Phone spam, those for and against it. Those against. Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) is pushing a bill forward that forbids sending spam to internet capable cellular phones and other devices without the subscriber's permission. You wouldn't think this would be an issue but look into your mailbox and you can see the potential problem.
Industry analysts predict that internet capable wireless devices will reach 60 million by 2005 (if manufacturers can build enough of them.) Currently there are less than 1 million WAP phone users in the U.S. Congressman Holt created the bill when he was sent numerous complaints from cellular phone users being sent spam on the cellular phones which cost them to access and delete.
The very same carrier who was targeted for allowing spam on subscriber phones, AT&T Wireless said they saw no need for the legislation? Maybe the don't want it passed because they would have to pay huge fines for each incident that occurred. The battle doesn't even come close to ending there.
Zing Wireless, a start up out of California has decided that it would be easier to target the teen market with time and location sensitive ads to drive teens to retail stores by offering discount coupons, cybermoney good only at the retail location, etc. The ultimate goal is to reach the adults through the teens opting in to get ads on their phones.
They have created a strategic alliance with an unknown carrier who will distribute the Zing Wireless service in the bill inserts in an attempt to pick up subscribers to read ads on their cellular phones. There is also a bit of a catch. When you subscribe to the service, the companies that you patronize are also given your contact information so they can hit you later with more wireless advertisements.
If anyone should get one of these inserts, we would appreciate getting a copy from you. We will offer a free leather phone case or rapid car charger to the individual who decides to send one in to us for review.
SURPRISE! EARTHVISION CELLULAR SOON TO OFFER WAP SHOPPING
Yes, we have harped on the WAP service growing stagnant and failing to offer a diversity of services to consumers. We still hold firm to that belief. In this case, we decided that WAP may have a future after all based on some recent information we obtained.
It will be a few years before we will see any substantial revenue from offering such a service but we decided to be one of the first companies to offer this service to our customers. Understanding that some of you will be eager to check it out. You can view it on your WAP phone at the following URL.
http://www.wapsn.com/earthvisioncellular/
Be advised that the actual products to be purchased won't be available until the first week of October. We did our homework and found which products would be the most appealing to WAP phone shoppers and we will have it out there soon.
We decided to move forward with this area of wireless service because it is something we feel will become a medium for wireless phone users and we need to understand it completely. Our mission is to take this time to learn from it and obtain invaluable experience.
It may prove to be a fairly expensive education to obtain depending on market conditions. Our job is to learn as much about this service so that we can provide you with what we have learned. It looks like it may be a couple of years before we can really offer anything of value in that respect.
Feel free to visit the site anyhow and let us know what you think about it. We will be constantly looking to make improvements or shift our focus as needed. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.
NEW DISPOSABLE CELLULAR PHONE BATTERY COMING TO MARKET?
The first disposable battery was the Zinc Air Cellular Phone Battery. The unique thing about these batteries is that they offer the user an extended talk time that make conventional cellular phone batteries pale in comparison. The other good thing about them is that they can be easily recycled.
A Canadian company is looking to manufacture the Aluminum Air cellular phone battery. Its claim to fame is that it has 75 times more density than a regular Li-Ion Battery used on cell phones. The prototype battery offers 8 hours of talk time and 5.5 days of standby time on an analog phone.
A Nokia employee stated that 8 hours of talk time on a battery wasn't a big deal since they just created a Li-Poly battery that offered 8 hours of talk time and 375 hours of standby time. They were a bit too quick on making that statement. Nokia was referencing a battery for a digital cell phone. The manufacturer of the disposable cell phone batteries is developing a battery to be used with digital phones that will offer 24 hours of talk time and 240 hours of standby time. Quite a bit more capacity in the disposable cell phone battery compared to Nokia's top of the line battery.
The general consumer may not have a high level of interest in these batteries. Those who will have an interest use their phones heavily and are tired of constantly recharging. Salespeople and professionals constantly on the move will probably be a large part of the market. A smaller share of the market may be those who will be camping and do not have ready access to a electrical outlet but want to have a cellular phone for emergencies.
If you are environmentally conscious then the disposable batteries may also be something to consider. Disposable batteries are generally recyclable and are cleaner for the environment. Conventional cellular phone batteries are extremely harsh on the environment. (Which is why they tell you not to throw them into your trash for disposal by the city.)
This company may have a jumpstart on the majority because of the new 3G (third generation) wireless technology expected to be coming out. Some day we will see world phones available for use in any country when we travel. These batteries would be a nice complement to the international tourist or business person too.
Looking forward to the future is what will make or break many of the companies currently doing business in the wireless industry or looking to enter the market. One day technology will begin moving at Mach II speed and then anyone anywhere can be heard around the world.
ONLINE WHOLESALE DIVISION OPENED TO OTHER BUSINESSES
Announcing the grand opening of our wholesale division online. We have had this division available for a while now but we are just now getting it up and running online. The first product line being made available is our prepaid cellular phone packages at wholesale rates. Our prepaid cellular packages are complete turn key to a business owner and does not require any special technical training. A knowledge of the product and service is all. Customer service will handle activations and any phone programming directly with the subscriber.
We should mention upfront that offering prepaid cellular service requires the ability to handle an upfront investment. Normally it is very expensive to enter the prepaid cellular business due to the initial capital outlay required to purchase the product. Our wholesale division has brought this cost down to a bare minimum to allow even the small business to get started.
Prepaid cellular was our first product line offered because of the number of inquiries we get each week to purchase from us on a wholesale basis. About 85% of those who inquired failed to research this specific part of the wireless business and they were shocked to learn that prepaid literally meant prepaid. That and they assumed that there was a 50% to 100% markup on profit margin as in other industries. That will never happen in the prepaid cellular phone business.
We were told we were the only company that is offering a dealer program to the small business. It is a fact that the small business is generally excluded from offering our specific prepaid cellular phone service. (Yes, we are the ONLY company offering this many prepaid cellular phone packages with our service.) The manufacturers will deal only with companies that can generate a substantial volume of sales such as national retail chains.
The rules have been changed because we have made it possible for the small business to become an exception to this rule. We have set our wholesale pricing at the bare minimum as well as the minimum order at the lowest that we could accommodate. We think that you will find it to be reasonable because others have who know the business.
Be advised that not all dealer inquiries will be sent applications to become a dealer for our prepaid cellular phone packages. The reason is simple. We already know what industries attract the demographics who would purchase prepaid cellular services. We will not leave you holding the bag by offering our prepaid packages at wholesale and knowing that you will never sell them.
A rejection of your inquiry isn't set in stone. We do not know it all and we understand that. We will tell you why your inquiry was rejected and you can appeal the rejection with further information. Drop-shipping will not be an option at this time. The expense to carry this product doesn't make it feasible for us to offer this particular service.
Unless you are an established business or are an professional in the telecom industry, our wholesale division probably wouldn't be of much interest to you. For those of you that meet the above criteria, we will be waiting to hear from you. Apply on our Wholesale page
AN EDITORIAL FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN ON CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE
The next paragraph marked with an asterisk (*) is the entire and unedited email from a concerned citizen regarding cellular phone use. Although the situation described here is very serious, the way it was presented was both very descriptive and amusing. We felt we should share this with our readers and to show that we are unbiased in our opinions on this subject.
*Your Cell Phone Etiquette article is very good but it needs to be intensified. Please view this from the perspective of those who must occupy the same public places as the rude, self-entered cell phone users. What they do with their phone activities should not intrude on the lives of others.
Today I had to avoid accidents posed by them as they drove all over the road and ran red lights. Finally at the Kroger parking lot, I had to wait to turn while a user strolled as if in a trance in front of my car. Once inside the store, I had to line up behind another user who paused, talked, in mid-aisle, and looked offended when I asked her to let us by. When she finally ended her conversation she sought me out and said that she would ask me if she wants my opinion and also stated that "it takes a special talent to drive and talk on the phone".
Well, if she decides to ask for an opinion, it appears that she would have to use her cell phone in a public place in order to request another's viewpoint. Finally, back in the parking lot, I waited to back out as another zombie-like figure paced obliviously behind my car...smoking, talking, head down, unaware of the world she was impeding. What does it take to get the industry to encourage its "users" to act with courtesy in the real world?
Yes, I believe in technology but do not believe that it should cause more inconvenience than it avoids. Please help those who have decided to become cell phone users at the expense of the rest of society.*
[We are doing our part in sharing your email with our subscribers and surfers who come to visit our newsletter archive. Your perspective on cellular phone use will be seen by more people that you can imagine.]
FCC HAS UNIVERSAL 911 HIGH ON LIST OF THINGS TO DO
Wireless carriers are asking for more time to comply with offering the universal 911 service to subscribers. Some companies are promoting the unsubscribed cellular phones; we have already noted in previous articles the danger of using these devices, the first and foremost being that operators do not see a traceable return phone number and may hang up thinking it is a prank call.
The system now in use for 911 service is nothing more than a patchwork of local emergency systems. No two are alike in most cases. The task before the FCC is to figure out if one 911 service should be required to transmit an emergency call to another 911 operation. They actually have to think about this one? Amazing!
There is a law that requires carriers to provide emergency service to all subscribers in their area of service. The concern with compliance comes from wireless carriers. Where there is no cell phone coverage, there is no 911 service available. For the moment they wouldn't be able to comply with the law.
In order to do this, wireless carriers will need to focus on building up tower placements in established markets rather than trying to expand into new markets with sporadic coverage. Digital wireless carriers will probably have the biggest challenge to face. Most of them claim national coverage, however, there are major gaps in the coverage areas available to subscribers. AT&T Wireless was severely beaten up by subscribers in New York by going this route. (They are still doing it anyhow.)
Sprint PCS, for example, has mediocre coverage up until the Mississippi River and then it skips to the west coast with mostly southern California as the coverage area for their claim of nationwide service. AT&T Wireless coverage is even less than that of Sprint PCS.
Carriers won't be able to drag their feet forever either. The FCC may not be able to impose cost requirements but they can set deadlines for carriers to comply with the law. Cell phone subscribers are already paying for this service so it isn't like they are doing a favor to customers.
You can bet that you are going to be paying for the network buildout in some form or another besides the 911 service charge you see on your bill. It is very possible that you will pay an extra $5 or $10 on that new cellular phone and/or they may decide not to lower prices on calling plans by another 5 cents a minute.
By no means is it our intention to beat up the wireless carriers. We are just trying to point out that wireless service still has a long way to go and there are things that you as consumers need to be aware of when using a wireless service. There is hype and then there is the truth.
VIDEO OVER WIRELESS PHONES IS COMING TO THE USA!
Hot from Europe where the wireless market is considerably more advanced than here in the USA, comes Pedagog Limited, the world leader in video over mobile phones. Pedagog (www.pedagog.com) has been selling into this market for over 2 years now and boasts a host of blue chip clientele including Lucent Technologies, British Telecom, Vodafone Airtouch, France Telecom, Deutsche Telecom, etc.
With applications in the Entertainment, Video Conferencing, CCTV, Transport Telematics, Domestic/retail and Alarm Verification markets, the company has a suite of products across GSM, HSCSD, GPRS and UMTS networks spanning 9.6 kbps through to 384 kbps wireless data rates.
To coincide with the winning of a $500,000 license contract to the entertainment company www.entertechmedia.com, the Oscar winning Hollywood film company, Pedagog is establishing its U.S. office in L.A. with a roll out of products on CDMA and AT&T's CDPD which operated at 19.2 kbps across 50% of the U.S. Earlier this year the company opened an office in Australia (www.vom3g.com.au) on the back of substantial orders for wireless solar powered CCTV cameras.
Many of Pedagog's solutions are based around Windows CE pocket PCs both for transmitting from an onboard camera through to receiving video on a PDA from across the world. We are proud to represent this company here in the U.S.
This is definitely a company with a vision for the future and they are on the leading edge of technology. When they proposed a strategic alliance with EarthVision Cellular it just wasn't an offer we could resist. Take a look at their website and you will see what is coming to the U.S. via EarthVision Cellular in the near future. This new technology is going to be a fantastic opportunity for North America.
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