“Can you hear me now? Hello? Hello?”
According to a report from In-stat:
Fully 9.4 percent of the 193 million wireless subscribers today have made it their primary phone, In-Stat said. That percentage is expected to increase from 23 percent to 37 percent in 2009, when the number of wireless subscriber in the United States is expected to reach 240 million
I’m one of the millions whose wireless is now also my only home number. Which seemed like a good idea. Recently, however, reception in my house has gone from bad to worse on most days.
And, the quality of the reception anywhere is inversely proportional to the importance of the call (natch.) Yesterday, I was ready to throw my cute widdle phone out the car window.
But enough ranting. All of this reminds me of my suggestion to the CEO of AT&T (when I cancelled service with them a few years back for bad service and worse customer support). Offer simple, clause-free plans with good consistent service (and bills that don’t require a tri-fold guide on how to read them). I’d be willing to bet my cute widdle phone that the wireless companies could quit their vicious cycle of “smash and grab” marketing. Customers wouldn’t keep leaving them.
One final note re the service - as an old telecom tech geek, I know the “gotchas” of cellular technology. I’d suggest that the millions T-Mobile spends on advertising would be better spent on technology improvements. And, as gorgeous as Ms. Zeta-Jones is - I seriously doubt she’s the reason anybody signs up with T-Mobile, much less stays with them.
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October 27th, 2005 at 4:33 pm
You just had to bring up T-Mobile didn’t ya -
I don’t know how much of the problem is that T-Mobile doesn’t have very good coverage (there’s a reason they give away so many free mintues - you can’t use them!), and how much of the problem is my swanky new Blackberry phone - but I almost never get clear calls.
I admit - I’m a phone-whore - I’ve got it free through work - so I’ve been trying to live with it. but after multiple complaints from clients and the fact that it didn’t even work at La Guaradia airport (right outside of New York city - if you can’t get coverage there…geeez) I gave up.
Don’t get me wrong - I still have my free phone - but I now have a second cell phone from good old Verizon. It’s not nearly as fancy or pretty as my Blackberry - but it works.
I also agree Catherine Zeta Jones is stunning - but not terribly effective. I give very high marks to the new Verizon commercials - it’s all about the network - right on big V!
Holly
October 28th, 2005 at 6:41 pm
I resisted getting another mobile phone (I really think that’s a new oxymoron - since most of them only work in certain areas while you’re NOT moving.) Back when I had “real jobs” I was one of those obnoxious people - still bellowing into my phone re “page 5, paragraph 2, line 8″ on some life or death, career killing con call as I stuffed my baggage into the overhead compartment. (Small saving grace, I DID apologize after I hung up to all around me.) So, when I didn’t really need one - it went. But, if you’re going to road trip around the wide open state of NM, as I’m increasingly doing, it’s a must.
And, I never understand the dead zone between Philly and NYC - I had a (then) Bell Atlantic phone, in BA territory, in one of the busiest business corridors of the world…on the train, talking away (often about such things as “Page 5, paragraph 2, line 8″ - yes, again) - and buh-buh…
Which all comes back to - regardless of the business, we should all focus on quality of service (whatever it is) BEFORE we spend a gazillion bucks on advertising hoo-ha.
October 28th, 2005 at 6:42 pm
Oh, and I have Verizon now. Best coverage, best price and it still leaves a lot to be desired. Oh well!
Good luck with the Blackberry, Holly!