Prepaid Reviews Blog » U.S. Cellular

US Cellular introduces LG Wine

Joe — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:00:42 +0000

That there is the LG Wine, the newest addition to the US Cellular handset lineup (hat tip to Phone News). It’s a pretty basic clamshell model, featuring a 1.3 megapixel camera with video, Bluetooth, and GPS support. Most of the material out there focuses on the contract price, which can be as low $29.95 after rebates. However, for you prepaid folks out there, it looks like you can nab it for $179.95. That might be a bit steep for a basic model, but that is the burden prepaid users bear for not signing a contract.

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US Cellular introduces LG Wine

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

US Cellular introduces LG Wine

U.S. Cellular holds Safety Day

Joe — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:30:43 +0000

Boy, aren’t the fellows at U.S. Cellular swell? First the offer talking to kids and parents about wireless safety. It’s part of Wireless Safety Month, a national initiative. It included the U.S. Cellular mascot, a giant — guess what — cell phone, who taught children the basics of dialing 9-1-1.

“Teaching kids to dial 9-1-1 is a simple exercise that could save a life,” said Jack Brundige, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Tennessee. “We all share the responsibility of helping kids learn safe habits and when we can bring the right people together, great things happen.”

Among the safety activities were demonstrations from the local rescue squad, the distribution of DNA testing kits, and…pony rides. Gee, one of these things is not like the other, one of these things does not belong. But hey, it must have been fun for the kids.

So I guess this is two days in row where we can take off the cellular company-aimed snark and praise U.S. Cellular for doing good in the community.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular holds Safety Day

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular holds Safety Day

U.S. Cellular helps out flood victims

Joe — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:09 +0000

We spend a lot of time talking about the evils of cell phone carriers, so I’m glad to give some positive space to U.S. Cellular. As you probably know, there has been some serious flooding in Iowa. To add to the relief effort, U.S. Cell is offering free phone calls from its three Cedar Rapids and two Coralville stores. This is in addition to the free phone calls available at the Red Cross Shelter at Prairie High School.

“During these tough times, it’s important for people to stay connected to their friends and family,” said Rick Thompson, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Iowa.

The company will also provide phone charging at these locations, and as well will supply phone directories. They definitely deserve a pat on the back for this effort.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular helps out flood victims

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular helps out flood victims

U.S. Cellular not sweating competition

Joe — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:00:54 +0000

With Verizon’s purchase of Alltel, it’s only natural to wonder about the fates of other regional carriers. Will other carriers want to consolidate and pick up some more pieces to their spectrum puzzle? If they do, there might be no better target than U.S. Cellular. They are the nation’s No. 6 wireless provider, soon to be No. 5 by default once Alltel is assimilated into Verizon. But they don’t PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular not sweating competition

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular not sweating competition

U.S. Cellular, JumpTap team for mobile search and ads

Joe — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:00:05 +0000

Is this the bit that will lead U.S. Cellular to add data plans to its prepaid service? Once can only hope. The nation’s No. 6 wireless carrier has employed JumpTap for its search and advertising solutions. I have an issue or two with this, but if it brings mobile Web to prepaid for U.S. Cell, it’s tough to complain. But I’m always up for arguing, so let’s go.

I’m not a big fan of combining search and advertising. Normally, it leads to searches that suck. I’m not looking for content that Provider X paid to put in front of me. I’m looking for the query I entered in the search bar. Yet, it appears JumpTap doesn’t care what I’m looking for. It cares about the content producers that pay them.

From the press release: “Additionally, local and national content publishers and advertisers will be able bid on search queries to further hone their target market for each specific ad campaign.”

See? Obviously, this can be good for content providers and advertisers. They can bogart the search queries. As the late, great Russell Shaw said of this year in mobile search: “Mobile Search will still suck.”

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular, JumpTap team for mobile search and ads

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular, JumpTap team for mobile search and ads

U.S. Cellular to get faster, expanded network

Joe — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:02:21 +0000

Good news for all you U.S. Cellular prepaid customers. The nation’s No. 6 wireless carrier has signed a deal with Alcatel-Lucent which will give them a larger and faster network. Any maneuver that helps improve service is huge for regional carriers like U.S. Cell. They’re up against enormous national networks with tens of millions of subscribers. The only question is whether this is enough to allow them to grow along with the larger carriers.

“We have the potential to deliver download speeds that are seven to eight times faster than today and uploads speeds that are twice as fast,” said Mike Dienhart, U.S. Cellular’s senior director of national network equipment.

The faster speeds will bring with it mobile video, audio, and other multimedia services. These kinds of services are almost necessities for carriers at this point if they want to remain competitive. It’s the way the industry is trending. Good to see U.S. Cellular doing what they can to keep up.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular to get faster, expanded network

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular to get faster, expanded network

U.S. Cellular to boost mobile network

Joe — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:30:31 +0000

If you follow cell phone network news (which you are, I guess, if you’re reading this site), you might be familiar with a company called Nortel. They provide communications technologies to, among other businesses, cell phone service providers. They’re usually hanging around CDMA companies, offering their solutions. U.S. Cellular is their latest contract, as the nation’s sixth-largest wireless company will use Nortel’s services to make it’s CDMA network more powerful.

The deal will allow U.S. Cellular, the sixth-largest wireless company in the United States, to keep adding subscribers and provide services such as web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging and gaming. U.S. Cellular has 6 million subscribers in 26 states.
…
U.S. Cellular will buy Nortel’s CDMA switching, base stations and software. The pact also includes emergency technical support, performance monitoring and other services.

It’s tough to comment on deals like this, since I’m not too familiar with Nortel’s competitors. Still, they are the largest telephone equipment company in North America, so it’s tough to go wrong…I guess. It’s seemingly working out for Cricket.

[Reuters]

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U.S. Cellular to boost mobile network

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular to boost mobile network

U.S. Cellular continues rural push

Joe — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:33:50 +0000

Last week, we learned that U.S. Cellular had been granted the status of Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in West Virginia, which enables them to use the federal Universal Service Fund to create a rural wireless infrastructure in the state. Now the Chicago-based company is doing similar work right in its own backyard. The Illinois Commerce Commission has also deemed U.S. Cellular an ETC. This will allow them to do the same thing they plan to do in West Virginia: Build a network that will reach areas pretty much ignored by larger cell companies.

U.S. Cellular plans to use the USF to build 121 new cell sites throughout rural Illinois over the next five years. Estimates have this covering 2.3 million residents in the state, which is quite a number.

“As Chairman of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, one of my primary concerns is the number of people in Illinois who lack adequate telecommunications services,” said [Illinois] Lt. Governor Quinn. “Wireless telecommunications is no longer a luxury to be enjoyed only by our urban residents; it is a fundamental necessity for personal and public safety, tourism, economic growth and long-term infrastructure development. We are proud to welcome U.S. Cellular’s continued investment in our rural communities.”

Couldn’t agree more on that statement. It might not be profitable as networks in more populated areas, but since when is profit more important than the people of this country? U.S. Cellular is one of the only companies stepping up and taking advantage of the Universal Service Fund, which I commend.

However, we might be seeing a cap put on this fund in the future. The FCC has been considering this for a few months, even though it would upset public safety advocates. Of course, the major telecoms would love to put a cap on it, as to reduce their contribution. U.S. Cellular president and CEO John E. Rooney is none too happy about this:

“It is clear that states are doing their part to access this desperately needed federal support, but if the cap goes through, the federal funds necessary to help us expand Illinois’ rural networks could be significantly reduced or indefinitely delayed. It’s up to the FCC, now, to do right by rural Americans and continue to provide USF support at sufficient levels so that we can bring the same benefits to Illinois that we have brought to every state where we have received USF support.”

We can only hope that the good guys win on this.

[CNN Money]

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U.S. Cellular continues rural push

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

U.S. Cellular continues rural push