[October 04, 2012]

C Spire Wireless Marks One Year Anniversary of Personalized Wireless and New Brand

C Spire Wireless is celebrating the one year anniversary this week since becoming the nation's first and only wireless provider to offer customers a suite of unique and innovative personalized wireless services, tailored for each individual.

The milestone marks a new era in data-centric, customizable wireless services and, according to company officials and industry analysts, has changed the industry landscape and enhanced each customer's experience.

"When C Spire introduced its personalized wireless services last year, it was a game changer for the industry. Not only did we enhance our brand, but we changed the way people experience wireless. Consumers received immediate benefits and continue to see even more through the unique experience C Spire offers them and the positive benefits that come from true wireless personalization," said Suzy Hays, senior vice president of Personalization and Brand Management for C Spire Wireless. "Personalized services that adapt to each individual and put them at the center of everything has become the gold standard in the industry and will continue to evolve moving forward. C Spire Wireless was the first to introduce this kind of individualized wireless experience and continues to lead the industry in providing first-to-market products and services that are customized for each customer."

C Spire's focus on personalized services promises to reap even more dividends as consumers are searching for providers that focus on customer service and better overall value. "As the wireless industry continues to consolidate and become more competitive, each carrier must find their special sauce," said Jeff Kagan, an Atlanta-based wireless and telecommunications industry analyst. "With its brand change and focus on personalized services, C Spire is well positioned to outperform competitors with superior customer service, network connectivity, coverage and a healthy range of advanced devices."

PERSONALIZED WIRELESS

On September 26, 2011, C Spire officially introduced personalized wireless - launching a host of different services, systems and programs that combine to offer a wireless experience that directly reflects and serves each customer's unique needs. Since the launch, customers have experienced this unique personalization in apps and content that fit who they are, personalized wireless plans and services that anticipate their needs, and rewards they get just for using their device in new ways. These unique personalized services include SCOUT, the company's app and entertainment recommendation tool; PERCS, the industry's first consumer engagement-based rewards program; CIRCLE, the company's personalized community, as well as personalized wireless plans and more.

"With personalized services like SCOUT, PERCS and CIRCLE, we're interacting with customers in a more intimate and meaningful way. We're asking the right questions, listening to our customers' answers and then designing services that directly reflect and serve our customers' unique needs," said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for C Spire Wireless. "We're using advanced technology to learn more about our customers, so we can better anticipate their needs and wants, while continuing to put them at the center of everything. We've eliminated one-size-fits-all wireless and made it personal - the way it should be."

SCOUT

C Spire introduced the industry's first personalized app recommendation tool called SCOUT on September 26, 2011 and later improved the service to include personalized entertainment recommendations, including books, movies, music, games and more. SCOUT also offers users unique, experience-enhancing features like App Critics and App Packs, something no other app product offers in the industry. In January 2012, SCOUT was expanded to include Star Users (customers who wanted to be in the App Critics program) and became available on the iPhone.

Today, SCOUT is a one-of-a-kind entertainment recommendations app that has been downloaded by more than 110,000individuals using Android (News - Alert) devices, tablets, and the iPhone. SCOUT also offers app, music, and movie recommendations from more than 500,000 items available on iTunes, as well as one million eBooks on Amazon.com (News - Alert).

"SCOUT gets to know each consumer in a more intimate way and offers app and entertainment recommendations that match their interests and needs - providing content that is relevant, meaningful and more personalized to each customer," Hays said. "No other wireless carrier is taking the time to really get to know each of their customers and offering them a unique personalized experience that is truly tailored just for them."

Hays said recent industry research shows there is an increasing need for app recommendation tools like SCOUT 3.0 with Android and iOS users now accounting for 88 percent of all app downloads. According to "AppNation," a May 2012 study by Nielsen Research, the average number of apps per smartphone has jumped 28 percent in the last year from 32 apps to 41 and app usage increased 10 percent vs. the mobile web.

PERCS

With the introduction of PERCS, C Spire became the first wireless provider in the nation to offer a consumer engagement program that rewards customers for personalizing their wireless experience. Users can earn PERC reward points by simply interacting with the company and doing things like sharing their views on the company's community social forum, being a loyal customer and engaging in activities on their way to personalizing their wireless experience.

Since its inception, C Spire customers have taken full advantage of PERCS' benefits, with more than 262,727 members, including more than 45,290 non-customers, earning more than 100 million PERC reward points. The company is adding an average of 1,000 new members every day and continues to grow its offerings by allowing quick access to all kinds of rewards, including device and accessory discounts, easier upgrades, exclusive deals and more. To date, customers have redeemed their Status PERC points for more than 200,000 rewards and the company recently added the capability to redeem reward points for Amazon gift cards.

C Spire's PERCS program is working because customers, other wireless users and industry experts are all talking about it. Recently, Sheryl Kingstone of Yankee Group (News - Alert) said, "All loyalty programs offer some form of reward, but many don't fully connect with members. C Spire's PERCS program sets a new industry standard. C Spire's program is transparent, engaging and makes a better customer experience and service part of the value proposition."

Beginning this week, C Spire launched a new program as part of PERCS to raise up to $20,000 for breast cancer research. PERCS with a PURPOSE allows members to share PERC reward points to benefit the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative. In addition to points shared, C Spire will match the amount raised up to $10,000.

CIRCLE

C Spire engages consumers in a two-way conversation and listens to what they have to say through online panels, focus groups, user generated initiatives and more. This gives the company the ability to create unique consumer experiences based on customer's feedback. With more than 28,200 registered users and over 2 million views, CIRCLE has become the place where C Spire customers and non-customers go to openly share ideas and opinions, participate in unique contests and educational forums and truly interact with their wireless provider - becoming active participants in their own experience with C Spire.

CIRCLE Blitz, a ground-breaking program C Spire recently kicked off on CIRCLE, offered college football fans unprecedented access to the coaches of some of the largest universities in the region, including University of Mississippi, Mississippi State, University of Memphis and more. Fans were able to directly interact with the coaches of these programs during live Q&A sessions on CIRCLE - something completely new in the wireless industry.

C Spire has also developed other consumer-engagement programs on CIRCLE that allow customers and non-customers to learn more about devices and how to use them safely through its wireless safety program, as well as ongoing, weekly discussions and forums all geared to enhance each customer's experience with C Spire and maximize their wireless personalization.

PERSONALIZED 4G LTE NETWORK

Most recently, C Spire Wireless announced the official launch and deployment of its 4G LTE (Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution) high-speed mobile broadband services. The new service provides 4 out of every 10 consumers and businesses with wireless data speeds up to 10 times faster than currently available, allowing C Spire to be the first provider to make these services widely available. The first 37 initial markets receiving C Spire's advanced 4G LTE network cover 2,700 square miles, a population of 1.2 million and 364 cell sites.

"C Spire's amazingly-fast 4G LTE network allows for even greater personalization opportunities for our customers," Hankins said. "Our 4G LTE network and our new 4G device offerings will enhance our personalization tools and services, making the wireless experience at C Spire second to none."

For more information about C Spire Wireless and its personalized wireless services, go to www.cspire.com or www.personalizedwireless.com.

About C Spire Wireless

C Spire Wireless is a diversified wireless communications company passionately committed to helping customers by personalizing wireless services designed just for them. The company is the first wireless provider in the U.S. to personalize customers' experience by offering apps that fit who they are, services that anticipate their needs, and rewards for using their phone in new ways - all with seamless ease and at amazingly fast speeds. This news release and other announcements are available at http://www.cspire.com/news/. For more information about C Spire Wireless and its products and services, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook (News - Alert) at www.facebook.com/cspire, Twitter (News - Alert) at www.twitter.com/cspire or Google+.

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