EarthVision Newsletter Archive
Back to Archive Home PageSent: Wednesday, October 4, 2000
Subject: EarthVision Cellular Consumer News! Issue #20 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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THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT FOR CELLULAR PHONE CONSUMERS
PROTOTYPE CELL PHONE SHOWCASE AND SURVEY. SEE THE FUTURE DESIGNS!
MERGERS HAVE CREATED SOME VERY LARGE WIRELESS COMPANIES
VC FIRMS DITCH DOT COM COMPANIES AND GO FOR INTERNET WIRELESS
RETAIL STORES ARE NOT SWEATING OVER ONLINE WIRELESS STORES
BUDDA BING BUT A ZING! THE ADVERTISING FLURRY BEGINS
NEW LINE OF ELECTRONIC CLOTHES TAILORED FOR THE WIRELESS PHONE USER
SORRY. CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE IS NOT A PRIORITY TO MOST IN THE INDUSTRY
CURRENT HAPPENINGS AT EARTHVISION CELLULAR
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EarthVision Cellular Consumer News Digest Issue # 20 Volume 2
THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT FOR CELLULAR PHONE CONSUMERS
Thanks to competition the prices of wireless phone plans is dropping. But that isn't all that is making the future bright for cellular phone users. We have more choices than ever! For some it can be a bit overwhelming but as a whole it is a good thing. For example:
Almost 90% of the available markets have at least 3 or more carriers to choose from. Nearly 70% have 5 or more choices, and about 4% have a whopping 7 or more carriers that they can choose. We say available markets because these choices only apply to about 1/3 of the land mass in the US.
Out of that 1/3 of the land mass that is covered by digital carriers, 82% of the area is covered by TDMA technology. 81% is covered by CDMA technology, and 65% is GSM.
When it is put in that perspective, analog phone users that travel the entire US should stick with what they have now. Digital service is going to be a while in catching up with the robust coverage of analog service. Especially with the new 911 law to be going into effect in the near future.
On the other hand, roaming rates are dropping for cellular phone users. If you can live with the limitations of digital service, you can obtain better rates in general. Combine this with the fact that half of the US households now have a wireless phone and the potential for lower rates increases that much more.
Rate plan pricing has been steadily dropping by about 8% on the low end pricing plans to as high as 30% for the higher end pricing plans each year. The more minutes you buy on a pricing plan, the lower the per minute rate. In this case if history continues to repeat itself, cellular phone users are going to be in real good shape.
PROTOTYPE CELL PHONE SHOWCASE AND SURVEY. SEE THE FUTURE DESIGNS!
We weren't kidding when we said that manufacturers were wanting to hear from you. A Swiss company is now conducting a survey on what you would like to see in the new 3G phones and services offered to you as a consumer. You won't believe the number of prototype phones there are for review.
The first survey allows you to look at over 61 different phones on the design block and then cast your vote for which phones you like best. The second survey asks questions on what types of services you think will have the most interest for you. The survey is open to people from all over the world.
This is an incredible opportunity for cellular phone users to have a voice in what the next generation of cellular phones will look like and the functions they carry. It is not every day that you have the chance to shape the future of an entire industry. Take a moment and do it now.
The link for the cellular phone design survey is at http://www.3g-generation.com/prototype.htm
The link for the cell phone services survey is located at http://www.3g-generation.com/survey_in_english.htm
We were asked to contact our subscribers and allow you the chance to cast your vote/opinion on the future design of cellular phones and services that will become available. Your opinion will be taken very seriously so take careful consideration when completing the survey. It is probably one of the most important surveys you will ever complete if you have any interest at all in cellular phones.
MERGERS HAVE CREATED SOME VERY LARGE WIRELESS COMPANIES
Many of the names we used to know no longer exist. Mergers of wireless companies have created new names and the consolidation has allowed many of them. 60% of the US wireless market is now controlled by five major companies. This is the breakdown of the top 5 companies.
Verizon Wireless has 25 Million subscribers (accounting for 1/4 of the US wireless subscribers)
SBC/Bell South has 19 Million subscribers (pending merger approval from the FCC)
AT&T Wireless has 14 Million subscribers (Coverage area is mostly east of the Mississippi)
Sprint PCS has 6.5 Million subscribers (Appears to have a larger footprint than AT&T)
Voicestream has 3 Million subscribers (Barely hanging onto 5th place)There is some concern with wireless companies being this large. Take for example the recent dispute between Verizon and the Washington DC Metro Transit. Verizon landed a deal back in 1993 when it was still Bell Atlantic to build out the DC subway for cellular phone coverage. Accusations are flying that Verizon didn't want to complete the buildout into lower income neighborhoods because it offered them no financial return in doing so.
The gist of the matter seems to be flaunted as an issue of if you don't have the money to spend on wireless phone plans then Verizon isn't interested. If this is truly the case, then rural customers will have a long road ahead of them too. It is a given that the rural population is fairly well spread out and it costs quite a bit to provide coverage in these areas for a minimal return.
AT&T Wireless is making an aggressive move to become the No. 2 wireless company. They intend to accomplish this by picking up indirect dealers that are not affiliated with AT&T Wireless. A setback to their public image in this regard was the recent outage in New York that left thousands of subscribers without service for hours. That, and the phones they offer to subscribers are just plain ugly.
VC FIRMS DITCH DOT COM COMPANIES AND GO FOR INTERNET WIRELESS
If you are a dot com company looking for VC funding to go public, you may as well close your doors now because it isn't going to be coming. In fact, you will find a couple of well renowned websites that are all about dot coms going into the dead pool.
Presenting a very ironic situation. VC firms have somewhere in the neighborhood of over a billion dollars to invest in companies that are seeking to develop WAP applications for cellular phones and Palm devices. It bodes well for consumers with knowing that WAP will be advanced to the edge of technology in the near future.
You can count on it being business as usual. The larger companies will be the target of these startup WAP software application companies. Then again small businesses are outnumbered by a margin of 3 to 1 as companies who would be able to utilize this service.
This time it is the heavyweights in the telecom and wireless industry moving VC dollars into these ventures. Undoubtedly, Sprint PCS helped to create an incubation firm for this purpose of which they have an interest. A very wise and strategic move on their part. Others include Qualcomm, Lucent Technologies, Ericsson, and former executives of Microsoft and other telecom giants.
Dot com companies planning on doing mobile commerce or offering information content are going to find their companies placed in the dusty archives of old news. This will soon become an industry that is going to require a fast and furious pace to create and offer unique innovations on a consistent basis.
The current trend on the internet is to attempt to "clone" successful business models. The introduction of new WAP applications and the upcoming 3G technology is going to open up a whole new horizon that will make this practice a day late and more than a few dollars short.
RETAIL STORES ARE NOT SWEATING OVER ONLINE WIRELESS STORES
Brick and Mortar stores really have nothing to fear with the saturation of startup wireless stores online on the internet. A majority of them go under in about 2 years' time and for those who have the stamina to remain beyond that time, they can't give new wireless customers what they want most. The personal touch.
The normal business procedure is for stores to sell cellular phones to customers at below cost because they will make it up on the commission for the activation and airtime use by the cellular phone subscriber. Carriers are changing the way business is done on these deals.
Dealers are being paid less and less on commission for the activation of new subscribers. And if the subscriber cancels service within 6 months then that dealer has just lost money because they are not paid a commission unless the subscriber is active for at least six months.
[More good news for consumers!] Because of the fact that they don't get paid if you cancel, brick and mortar dealers are working that much harder not only to earn your business but to keep it. Verizon Wireless being the biggest is also the most attentive to the specific need of dealers to be educated.
Verizon Wireless offers dealers and agents more formal training than the other carriers, offers advanced training, and manufacturer's classes. What is even better than having an educated person who can answer all of your questions? A follow up call to ensure they answered your questions. They make sure you understand the service, the billing, and even the cellular phone.
In the matter of 20 minutes, they can help you with picking out a phone that will suit your needs along with the right calling plan. Walking into the store allows you to feel the phone in your hands and look at it very closely while comparing other cell phones right next to it.
This article may look like we are encouraging the B&M stores to batter our doors down and take away business. We are merely educating you on what is out there and the options available to you as consumers. It is a two way street for our company. You may decide to buy from them or maybe you want to think about it and then decide to purchase online instead.
BUDDA BING BUT A ZING! THE ADVERTISING FLURRY BEGINS
Did you know that the small market of only 1 million WAP phone users is considered a lucrative market? That is what Zing Wireless would have you believe when reviewing their website.
The ad being sent out via email claims that you will get a free earbud microphone valued at a whopping $29.95 each. Not sure where they got that price from. It is free but you have to pay $5 for the shipping and handling and purchase your own adapter for the earbud microphone if it doesn't fit your phone. You also have to wait about a month to a month and a half to get it.
Basically, you would also be giving them permission to sell your information to the advertisers. They encourage you to encourage friends and family to sign up for the service too. The advertisers who have agreed to take part in the wireless phone advertising isn't very impressive. Mainly because it is severely lacking in selection even if you were looking to promote via this type of campaign.
There is a link for "Why wireless advertising" which doesn't look very promising either. They are quoting statistical projections of the increase in WAP phone users on a global basis. Some of the statistics are older and need revisions. They also include projections for 10 years from now.
For the advertising hungry mega corporation what is presented looks so good you can taste it. For those who are a bit more familiar with the wireless industry and marketing in general, the information leaves you in a state of extreme skepticism as an advertiser.
They claim that their form of advertising is more cost effective than any other type of advertising online or offline. That would be a matter of perspective. They focus on direct mail marketing as the comparison. Apples to oranges comparison here. How many direct mail pieces are sent by most businesses to teenagers as a targeted audience?
A lot of hype and very little substance is all we could find. As a service we would recommend that the small or medium sized business continue with the more traditional methods of advertising and marketing. Your chances of a higher return on your investment are much greater sticking to the basics.
NEW LINE OF ELECTRONIC CLOTHES TAILORED FOR THE WIRELESS PHONE USER
A hot product line for the upscale stores such as Neiman Marcus and others. There are some fairly funky clothes being designed with the cellular phone user in mind. Jeans with another pocket stitched in to hold a cellular phone, a variety of coat designs made with additional pockets for cellular phones and a lot of other accessory items.
They even have a name for these products. The terms are "Wearable Electronics" or "Electronic Clothing" depending on who you ask. Clothing such as this is going to cost a fair amount of money though. Levi Strauss created an electronic jacket that is just too cool. Going for $900 each and allows for the users to have an MP3 and cellular phone device.
We will stop here and list a couple of sites for your review. There is now way we can describe it in words and you need to see it for yourself.
www.ufunction.com
www.ninewest.com
www.charmed.comYou are going to find some unique items to be added to your Christmas shopping list.
SORRY. CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE IS NOT A PRIORITY TO MOST IN THE INDUSTRY
We did our best to get the word out to our peers in the industry that this is a subject of which all of us involved in the telecom industry need to address. No names will be mentioned but we will tell you that those who can have an impact have been ignoring our comments and suggestions on this subject.
Repeated attempts to get them to address this issue with our peers in the industry have failed. It is no wonder that we have been getting contacted so often by other parties that have no interest in the telecom industry in general. It looks like it is going to be up to the mainstream to bring the subject up into the light.
That isn't to say that we have given up on our fight on introducing Cellular Phone Etiquette to the public. Not by a long shot. Yes, it is a social issue and from a business perspective, it is one that impedes the progress of cellular phone use. Because it is a social issue, it will only be a matter of time before more talk shows such as the Montel William's Show begins to have airings on the subject. The first question that is going to be asked is why the telecom industry wasn't proactive in this area.
Arguments could be made that the limits of responsibility end at a specific point. Our rebuttal to that would be that liability would have a limitation. A social issue such as this one is the responsibility of everyone especially for those of us who are fostering and nurturing the growth of the wireless industry.
In one of our discussions with the Montel William's Show, we told them that we had no idea why our peers in the industry weren't at least reminding consumers to use etiquette when using cellular phones.
Speaking of which. We could only wonder how many of you have had experiences similar to the person who submitted their story to us for publication in the last newsletter. For those of you who may have missed it, we put it in the latest issue in the archives.
We have no choice but to put our peers in the industry on notice. We are breaking ranks and we will be quite frank with the media about this very subject should they contact us. It isn't about brow beating people or our peers in the industry. It is as simple as providing reminders to people which doesn't take much effort. Somebody has to step up to the plate and we are doing that.
CURRENT HAPPENINGS AT EARTHVISION CELLULAR
We would like to begin by apologizing to our customers and visitors if we failed to respond in a timely manner last week to your questions and comments. A situation came about where we were ruthlessly spammed with thousands of messages and we had to sort out and delete many of the messages which was very time consuming. We have taken steps to ensure it doesn't happen again.
To those of you who provided us with legitimate feedback, you have our sincere thanks and we would encourage you to visit again. As you can see we have spent a lot of time and effort into developing a quality website for our visitors.
We have added a few new products to the Business Products page including a range of speakerphones. Very reasonably priced too. Small business owners may find them to be of interest.
Revisions of the Ebook are already underway. This industry changes so fast, that we will need to have an update completed within the first quarter of next year just to keep up.
Prepaid Cellular Phone Dealer Listing. We are reviewing applications for prepaid cellular phone dealers. It is expected that we will create a page that will list dealers who offer our prepaid cellular phone products to the public so that you can purchase a variety of renewal airtime cards directly from them. When that will happen has yet to be determined but it will take place.
This is the first issue of our new fiscal year and officially marks our entering our 6th year of doing business. It has been a long and interesting road. We want to thank all of our customers for the honor and privilege of being able to provide you with our services and products. THANK YOU!
Our reputation as a source for information to consumers and other industries has been steadily growing. We hope to continue to develop solid strategic alliances and further our reputation as the most comprehensive source for information in the wireless industry. Check our website often because it is always changing. Enjoy!
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND ASSOCIATES ABOUT OUR NEWSLETTER. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IN MAKING OUR NEWSLETTER A SUCCESS.If you want your name to vanish from our list because our newsletter is just too boring or someone else signed you up, let us know. We will reluctantly take you off of our newsletter list. And we still reserve the right to make faces at you when you aren't looking. If you want your name to vanish from our list because our newsletter is just too boring or someone else signed you up, let us know. We will reluctantly take you off of our newsletter list. And we still reserve the right to make faces at you when you aren't looking.