What is up with April?
This month has been sooooo slow in sales for me. I normally do very well. No one wants a cell phone. Even people who are interested in them. I can not for the life of me get them to buy. This is not normal!!
Anyone else having this problem? Looking at our numbers this month we all seem to be doing not so well. At least here in the West. Especially with the launch of the new price plans.
😢
Anyone else having this problem? Looking at our numbers this month we all seem to be doing not so well. At least here in the West. Especially with the launch of the new price plans.
😢
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March, April and May are normaly slow months. It will pick up. Does not help that right now USCC has not good promos out there.
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What do you mean, no good promos? A CHOICE for airtime promotions? More anytime minutes than any other company is offering? The choice of free nights and weekends starting at 7 pm? Yes, that's terrible
/heavy sarcasm
Which store are you working at?
/heavy sarcasm
Which store are you working at?
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and it always lags at the start of a new promo...just look back when the last one started , we were all like "this incoming thing sucks, it won't work" and then it picked up a little steam...just give it time lil troopers just give it time....
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Free incoming is not a big deal in most peoples' eyes, as they make far more calls on their cellphone than they receive.
US Cellular should go back to offering Unlimited N&W, like they did a couple of years ago. Verizon is doing very well with their Unlimited N&W and a $40 price point on their national plan (450 anytime minutes). Not everybody needs 800 weekday minutes.
I think US Cellular missed the boat with this current promotion, as well as their boosting of the minimum monthly plan costs.
US Cellular is a REGIONAL carrier, and they should concentrate on their REGIONAL plans, not on national plans. Maybe they were getting their butts kicked in Chicago, but most of their territory isn't like Chicago. Good Regional coverage,...
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US Cellular should go back to offering Unlimited N&W, like they did a couple of years ago. Verizon is doing very well with their Unlimited N&W and a $40 price point on their national plan (450 anytime minutes). Not everybody needs 800 weekday minutes.
I think US Cellular missed the boat with this current promotion, as well as their boosting of the minimum monthly plan costs.
US Cellular is a REGIONAL carrier, and they should concentrate on their REGIONAL plans, not on national plans. Maybe they were getting their butts kicked in Chicago, but most of their territory isn't like Chicago. Good Regional coverage,...
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Maximus,
WOW! Unless you are using the phone in business, you get the Chatty Kathy award for April!
JUST KIDDING!
You are who US Cellular is going after, apparently. No place in their spectrum for people who have lives (other than being on the phone constantly).
-way
WOW! Unless you are using the phone in business, you get the Chatty Kathy award for April!
JUST KIDDING!
You are who US Cellular is going after, apparently. No place in their spectrum for people who have lives (other than being on the phone constantly).
-way
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waywith said:
Maximus,
WOW! Unless you are using the phone in business, you get the Chatty Kathy award for April!
JUST KIDDING!
You are who US Cellular is going after, apparently. No place in their spectrum for people who have lives (other than being on the phone constantly).
Not a businessman. Just lotsa girlfriends 😁
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Maximus,
My hat is off to you. But I am old fashioned, I prefer to BE with my girlfriends rather than talking to them on the phone.
Seriously, folks, I know there are a lot of heavy users, but USCC needs to give some consideration to moderate users with finite budgets.
-way
My hat is off to you. But I am old fashioned, I prefer to BE with my girlfriends rather than talking to them on the phone.
Seriously, folks, I know there are a lot of heavy users, but USCC needs to give some consideration to moderate users with finite budgets.
-way
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here is what USCC needs to do. They obivously are switching gears by offering the national plan the way they are now, meaning they are going to compete with the national carriers, and this is phase one.
Here is what they need to do, offer the national plan, let people use their promo minutes everywhere on the national plan, get rid of the 50% rule. They do that, I am switching to USCC, and so will a lot of other people that I know of. People do not like being limited on where and how they can use their phones. IF a person travels at all, why would they go with USCC, when they can go with cingular or verizon and be able to use their minutes the way they want to, no limits....And not to mention, if a person is not a heavy user, USCC's c...
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Here is what they need to do, offer the national plan, let people use their promo minutes everywhere on the national plan, get rid of the 50% rule. They do that, I am switching to USCC, and so will a lot of other people that I know of. People do not like being limited on where and how they can use their phones. IF a person travels at all, why would they go with USCC, when they can go with cingular or verizon and be able to use their minutes the way they want to, no limits....And not to mention, if a person is not a heavy user, USCC's c...
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trucksmoveamerica said:...
here is what USCC needs to do. They obivously are switching gears by offering the national plan the way they are now, meaning they are going to compete with the national carriers, and this is phase one.
Here is what they need to do, offer the national plan, let people use their promo minutes everywhere on the national plan, get rid of the 50% rule. They do that, I am switching to USCC, and so will a lot of other people that I know of. People do not like being limited on where and how they can use their phones. IF a person travels at all, why would they go with USCC, when they can go with cingular or verizon and be able to use their minutes the way they want to, no limits....And not to mentio
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Well, If USCC would get in the game like verizon and cingular, they could do this. Those companies are doing that exact thing and are surviving. IT is called Roaming agreements, and if USCC would make them, USCC customers would be using verizon's, cingulars, whoever's towers while their customers would be using USCC's, and at the end of the month, it would not cost that $340 per customer. I am sorry, if verizon, cingular, or alltel can allow their customers the ability to use their promo minutes everywhere without the 50% rule, so can USCC, after all, USCC is trying to get into the national plans.
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USCC has very good roaming agreements with Alltel and Verizon. Their problem is one of network footprint. It is highly unlikely that a Verizon or Cingular customer will use even 50% of their minutes on another network. A real world figure from Sprint is that their customers use over 95% of their total minutes on the Sprint network. This would not be true of USCC customers who often travel to metro areas to do business. Examples would be in the NW clusters where USCC customers in Longview, WA go to Portland-Vancouver for shopping and pleasure, Centralia customers go to Olympia, WA, Ellensburg, WA customers go to Seattle and Bend, OR customers go to Eugene or Salem. How about the Missouri customers who go to St. Louis or Kansas City, the India...
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well, your post makes more sense, USCC did not and is not going for the metro markets, that is where verizon and others made the winning decision, they went after the metro areas where rural carriers such as USCC, Midwest wireless, ect, want to offer their customers, so that makes it easier for verizon to make roaming agreements, by offering the metro areas and getting the rural area covered by roam agreements.
I will tell you, that, it is very likely that a verizon customer uses over 50% of their minutes on another network, I do, and I know of a lot of people that do.
I would have to look it up, but, I think I read somewhere on phonescoop that verizon has a roaming agreement with Alltel for something like six cents a minute, and I don...
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I will tell you, that, it is very likely that a verizon customer uses over 50% of their minutes on another network, I do, and I know of a lot of people that do.
I would have to look it up, but, I think I read somewhere on phonescoop that verizon has a roaming agreement with Alltel for something like six cents a minute, and I don...
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roaming agreement with verizon is .08/minute. i'm not sure about alltel
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uscc does have romaing agreements or the uscc phone would not work outside of its area. and what is a good business decision for cingular and verizon is not necessarily a right decision for uscc.
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Waywith...you make a good point, but you have to understand, that yes, it would be a good idea to offer a package with less minutes and unl N&W like Verizon, for ppl that don't talk a whole lot, but the competition in the industry is about the people who want more minutes, not less. The majority wins in this case. Also, from my own personal experience in selling these promos, having the customer add unl N&W isn't a problem at all. Most people just pay the extra $5.95 to have it all (A lot of min, free inc, free m2m, and free n&w after 7pm). The price in the end is still the same as what competitors (at least in the chicago market) are offering for not as good of a deal. I will admit though, when we first got these promos a while back, it was...
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depending on what market you are in, 800 nationwide minutes ARE only 39.95 not $50. 😉
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As I understand it, the 800 min for $39.95 applies ONLY to the Chicago market. Everywhere else, it is 800 National minutes for $49.95.
I understand that US Cellular wants to go after the "heavy users", but MOST of their customers across the country are NOT heavy users, they are moderate users. US Cellular seems to be writing these people (the $35 to $40 a month crowd) off.
Where I live, a "local" plan isn't feasible because ten miles away in the next county, is NOT part of the US Cellular "local" area. So you need at least a REGIONAL plan for decent geographic coverage around here. It is plainly US Cellular's intention to discontinue the Regional Plans, altho not maybe right away.
Up to now, US Cellular had a clear advantage f...
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I understand that US Cellular wants to go after the "heavy users", but MOST of their customers across the country are NOT heavy users, they are moderate users. US Cellular seems to be writing these people (the $35 to $40 a month crowd) off.
Where I live, a "local" plan isn't feasible because ten miles away in the next county, is NOT part of the US Cellular "local" area. So you need at least a REGIONAL plan for decent geographic coverage around here. It is plainly US Cellular's intention to discontinue the Regional Plans, altho not maybe right away.
Up to now, US Cellular had a clear advantage f...
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you must live in my part of the woods, in NW Iowa.
The only thing I wanted to point out, is that verizon does still offer a local plan, at least in this area.
The only thing I wanted to point out, is that verizon does still offer a local plan, at least in this area.
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trucksmoveamerica,
Nope, I live in New Hampshire. They offer "local" plans here too.
But US Cellular has a company retail store in Manchester, and 4 or 5 miles down the road, it is not local any more, it's roaming (off a local plan). One needs to buy a Regional Plan to get coverage in that nearby area. And we are not talking the backwoods, Rockingham County (the roaming territory I speak of) has a population of a couple hundred thousand. Thats why we will continue to need Regional Plans, but apparently USC is planning on dropping them soon.
Most folks here don't travel nationally, and from discussions I have had with friends and associates, nobody is going to pay for a National Plan on USC just to get the adjacent county. The...
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Nope, I live in New Hampshire. They offer "local" plans here too.
But US Cellular has a company retail store in Manchester, and 4 or 5 miles down the road, it is not local any more, it's roaming (off a local plan). One needs to buy a Regional Plan to get coverage in that nearby area. And we are not talking the backwoods, Rockingham County (the roaming territory I speak of) has a population of a couple hundred thousand. Thats why we will continue to need Regional Plans, but apparently USC is planning on dropping them soon.
Most folks here don't travel nationally, and from discussions I have had with friends and associates, nobody is going to pay for a National Plan on USC just to get the adjacent county. The...
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I sell in the area you live, waywith. (Right now I'm in Portland, ME - used to be in Keene, NH) The Rockingham/Stratham counties are an issue for some customers, but we find that most of our market in Eastern NH/Southern ME are fine on a local plan. We don't sell to people who live in those counties, and many customers are only in those areas for a day or are passing through on their way somewhere else. The only people with a consistant problem are UNH students.
And it's a little more than 4 or 5 miles until you hit roaming - there is service through Auburn, Candia and even parts of Deerfield.
And it's a little more than 4 or 5 miles until you hit roaming - there is service through Auburn, Candia and even parts of Deerfield.
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we have that same issue in Indiana....the "hubs" if you will of the Eastern side of the local network (south bend, elkhart, goshen, and Fort Wayne) while populous areas , do not provide 1x service in the adjoing little towns, some just 2-5 miles away..also MI is just 6 miles from South Bend, and is Full blown roam...
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froggirl,
Thanks for your comments, but I hit ROAMING in the northern fringe of Londonderry, and that is less than 5 miles from the store on South Willow St., Manchester.
The Rockingham/Stafford county situation is a problem for anyone who works in Londonderry or Derry or Salem and lives in Manchester or Nashua (or vice versa). The FCC considers Rockingham part of the Boston market, but it has much more affinity with Manchester and Nashua than with Boston. Until USCC bites the bullet and gives us those counties as part of LOCAL, not all that many people around here (Manchester) are going to buy a Local plan.
-way
Thanks for your comments, but I hit ROAMING in the northern fringe of Londonderry, and that is less than 5 miles from the store on South Willow St., Manchester.
The Rockingham/Stafford county situation is a problem for anyone who works in Londonderry or Derry or Salem and lives in Manchester or Nashua (or vice versa). The FCC considers Rockingham part of the Boston market, but it has much more affinity with Manchester and Nashua than with Boston. Until USCC bites the bullet and gives us those counties as part of LOCAL, not all that many people around here (Manchester) are going to buy a Local plan.
-way
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The agents in this area wont even sell the local plans unless the customer insists just because here, you go 2 miles east, roam, 6 miles south, roam, so to avoid upset customers, they sell the regional plans so the customer can use their phones.
Now they are forced on to the national plan, and the cheapest is $50 a month, which is a way for USCC to force customers to the competition again, exspecially for the low end user. And then the people see that if you live in Chicago, you can get the 800 minute plan for $40 a month, and that just angers people even more, if they can give it to the chicago area for that price, then why not the rest.
Now they are forced on to the national plan, and the cheapest is $50 a month, which is a way for USCC to force customers to the competition again, exspecially for the low end user. And then the people see that if you live in Chicago, you can get the 800 minute plan for $40 a month, and that just angers people even more, if they can give it to the chicago area for that price, then why not the rest.
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Don't know what you've been told, but when I last checked, you can still sell the old local, regional and SpanAmerica plans.
Also USCC is likely going to alow existing customers to renew on the regional plans for as long as the customer wants to. You just need to talk to the right people. Heck it is still possible to renew people on the old digital packs if they ask.
Also USCC is likely going to alow existing customers to renew on the regional plans for as long as the customer wants to. You just need to talk to the right people. Heck it is still possible to renew people on the old digital packs if they ask.
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DDA,
You're right. I should have kept my old NH Home State Plan (2001) which gave me all of NH (incl Rockingham and Strafford Cos) as well as all of Eastern Mass. as part of "Local." But I stupidly gave it up to get a discount on a CDMA phone in Oct. 2003.
-way
You're right. I should have kept my old NH Home State Plan (2001) which gave me all of NH (incl Rockingham and Strafford Cos) as well as all of Eastern Mass. as part of "Local." But I stupidly gave it up to get a discount on a CDMA phone in Oct. 2003.
-way
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trucksmoveamerica said:
And then the people see that if you live in Chicago, you can get the 800 minute plan for $40 a month, and that just angers people even more, if they can give it to the chicago area for that price, then why not the rest.
Because there are more users in Chicago, revenue can be made up due to increased volume. Additionally, it makes sense to offer plans at a lower cost in Chicago-- competition in that market is greater than any other.
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Mister_Zero's answers make sense, although we may not like the situations he describes. A Regional Carrier does have some limitations on what it can do vs. the National carriers.
All the more reason why USCC should (a) continue to offer Regional Plans for the foreseeable future and (b) offer plans at lower price points (a National Plan for $40, and a local plan UNDER $40). USCC can't afford to write off the moderate users.
Sure they can shoot for the heavy users -- I don't blame them a bit. But the 50% rule and the "In-Minutes" only applying in the local market are two reasons why they really can't compete very well in the heavy user National Market.
Around here, USCC has always been viewed as a lower-cost alternative to Verizon...
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All the more reason why USCC should (a) continue to offer Regional Plans for the foreseeable future and (b) offer plans at lower price points (a National Plan for $40, and a local plan UNDER $40). USCC can't afford to write off the moderate users.
Sure they can shoot for the heavy users -- I don't blame them a bit. But the 50% rule and the "In-Minutes" only applying in the local market are two reasons why they really can't compete very well in the heavy user National Market.
Around here, USCC has always been viewed as a lower-cost alternative to Verizon...
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waywith said:...
Mister_Zero's answers make sense, although we may not like the situations he describes. A Regional Carrier does have some limitations on what it can do vs. the National carriers.
All the more reason why USCC should (a) continue to offer Regional Plans for the foreseeable future and (b) offer plans at lower price points (a National Plan for $40, and a local plan UNDER $40). USCC can't afford to write off the moderate users.
Sure they can shoot for the heavy users -- I don't blame them a bit. But the 50% rule and the "In-Minutes" only applying in the local market are two reasons why they really can't compete very well in the heavy user National Market.
Around here, USCC has always been viewed as a
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It is very possible that USCC WILL add other price plans later on this summer- the new plans that just launched are apparently just stepping-stones to a whole new set of plans coming out June-ish. 🙂
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Justpeachy,
I hope you are right. What works in Chicago won't necessarily work in Maine, or North Carolina, or Iowa.
Maybe they need to poll their customers. A bill insert could do that, along with a postage paid envelope.
-way
I hope you are right. What works in Chicago won't necessarily work in Maine, or North Carolina, or Iowa.
Maybe they need to poll their customers. A bill insert could do that, along with a postage paid envelope.
-way
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I know I'm right in that we're getting new plans around June. I just hope they expand the current lineup! We could really use a $39.95 National plan, otherwise it's going to hurt- Look at New England, or Indiana. Unless they come up with a lower nationwide plan we're going to lose tons of business there without any regional plans to back it up, because of the crappy local coverage area.
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I'll remain happy as long as you keep giving my "local" plan with 1,000 anytime minutes plus either N/W or free Incoming for $39.95. Heck, my local area here in Wisconsin includes most of Wisconsin and Illinois and Iowa and Oklahoma plus significant areas of Indiana and Missouri. Now if only you'd get the same phone line-up as Verizon... 🙄 Oh well, soon the 6255i will be out. 😁
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Mister_Zero said:trucksmoveamerica said:
And then the people see that if you live in Chicago, you can get the 800 minute plan for $40 a month, and that just angers people even more, if they can give it to the chicago area for that price, then why not the rest.
Because there are more users in Chicago, revenue can be made up due to increased volume. Additionally, it makes sense to offer plans at a lower cost in Chicago-- competition in that market is greater than any other.
not to mention, in larger cities, (Chicago) not only does us cellular have more customers to build revenue but so does US cellular's roaming partners, which results in US Cellular being charged less ...
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Yes, but when USCC offers service for people in areas such as NW Iowa, or people close to roaming areas, USCC should offer a competitive national plan to get customers in the door. Otherwise people might as well get verizon so they are not roaming 4 miles out of town.
Most people will use most of their minutes in the home town they live in, but when they see that if they go 4 miles out of town and will roam, where next door at verizon, you will NOT roam, where do you think they will go. I have an agent that fights this every day, if they dont sign up right away, go shopping at verizon, they dont see that person back. Give these areas a better deal on the national plans and maybe USCC would have a chance against verizon. I will tell ...
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Most people will use most of their minutes in the home town they live in, but when they see that if they go 4 miles out of town and will roam, where next door at verizon, you will NOT roam, where do you think they will go. I have an agent that fights this every day, if they dont sign up right away, go shopping at verizon, they dont see that person back. Give these areas a better deal on the national plans and maybe USCC would have a chance against verizon. I will tell ...
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all of you are missing the point here. we cannot all have our cake and eat it too. if you want the world and think that national carriers are so much better than what uscc is, then why dont all of you go and work for them.
uscc will get to where it needs to be when it needs to be if a merger does not take place first. as far as what chicago has, remember that it is usccs home market and has the highest level of competition in the industry. the plans that were available are still available even though they are not being advertised, and there will be more up to date plans released in june as mentioned.
if i am missing anything...enough said.
uscc will get to where it needs to be when it needs to be if a merger does not take place first. as far as what chicago has, remember that it is usccs home market and has the highest level of competition in the industry. the plans that were available are still available even though they are not being advertised, and there will be more up to date plans released in june as mentioned.
if i am missing anything...enough said.
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