Data with US Cellular

[Cellularific]

Does anyone have any more info on when WAP and BREW stuff will be ready for US Cellular?

[sillybilly]

Great question, I was wondering the same thing!! Someone Help us!!

[jryker]

Mid to late summer. Still in the testing stages.

[Nokiaman18]

I would say a little bit earlier if all goes well. It is working good so far but they need to figure out the allotment for spectrum for CDMA. Since they are currently running three systems on one block of spectrum it makes things a little bit harder than it is for other companies like Sprint or Verizon. Data does take a good amount of spectrum if you have a lot of people doing it, and you don't want to prevent people from being able to make calls out on it to so you have to try and find a happy medium for all the TDMA, CDMA, and analog customers. If I was going to bet I would bet by June at the latest for data services for the general public.

[Cellularific]

Do you think US Cellular will offer a service similar to Verizon's "Get it Now" Service?

[RyanM]

Originally posted by: Cellularific Do you think US Cellular will offer a service similar to Verizon's "Get it Now" Service?

how does get it now work?

[IgorKane]

And whenever they launch it, any idea on pricing? I am not necessarily asking about dollar amounts (but that would be nice [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]), but the general structure. I'd hate to pay per megabyte :-\

[Nokiaman18]

Not sure how it will be since they are currently brining in some phones with the Brew capabilities in them. Also the billing stuff still has not yet really been determined. But I will try and let you know ASAP.

[spanky]

RE: RyanM

how does get it now work?

To the best of my knowledge - Get It Now is basically a pay as you go "on-line" software, games, ringtones, images, wallpaper, etc. shopping portal for wireless.

You basically take your phone - connect to the "BREW Store" and browse all that Verizon has to offer. I know one particualr app. available is Modtones, which then allows you to download poly ringtones from the modtones database - I have no idea as to the price strucutre, but I'm pretty sure its a per item cost - like $1.00 for a ringtone, or $.50 for a certain wallpaper. Connecting to the "Brew Store" also burns up airtime minutes - so it could get spendy! I think Verizon offers a subscription service to Get It Now which lets you download so much per month as well.

It'll be interesting to see how USCC handles this - if the borrow the Verizon model or come up with something new - I know on the VX-10, which I just got - the BREW capabilities are still present from the Verizon model - they even mention Get It Now in the manual - maybe a firmware upgrade is down the line for current BREW capable handset owners with USCC!!!

s.

[Gonz]

Dear Mr. Riley,
Thank you for your response. We are currently developing and testing a wireless web application and are hopeful of offering the feature in the near future.

Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at CustomerCare@uscellular.com or our Customer Service department at 888-944-9400 or *611 from the mobile phone.

Sincerely,
Aaron Grusi
Customer Care
U.S. Cellular

[Gonz]

HEY YOU GUYS, HERE'S A NEW PRESS RELEASE!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

U.S. CELLULAR ANNOUNCES PLANS TO LAUNCH WIRELESS DATA SERVICES BASED ON QUALCOMM BREW SOLUTION

SAN DIEGO (April 29, 2003) QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, and U.S. Cellular (AMEX: USM) announced they have signed a definitive agreement for the wireless service provider to deploy data services using QUALCOMM's BREW solution. This decision follows U.S. Cellular's successful BREW trial in Knoxville, Tenn., and will enable the company to commercially launch BREW on its advanced CDMA 1XRTT data network.

Under the agreement, U.S. Cellular will deploy BREW-based data services in Tennessee in May 2003, and will launch data services across its other CDMA 1XRTT markets later this year. The BREW solution will enable customers to download wireless data applications including news, sports, weather, ring tones, e-mail and games to their wireless handsets.

These exciting services will improve customer satisfaction by enabling subscribers to obtain information such as e-mail, location services, ring tones and games quickly and easily from their wireless phones, said Alan D. Ferber, vice president of marketing for U.S. Cellular. We are excited to commercially launch services based on the BREW solution and are confident this new technology will improve our customer's quality of life by providing access to information, entertainment and communication in a simple, easy-to-use manner.

Wireless service providers can leverage BREW-based services to generate revenue by offering appealing wireless applications to their customers, said Peggy Johnson, president of QUALCOMM Internet Services. QUALCOMM is pleased to welcome U.S. Cellular to the community of wireless operators deploying data products and services based on the BREW solution.

QUALCOMM'S BREW solution is a complete product and business system for the development and over-the-air deployment of data services on wireless devices. The BREW solution provides the necessary tools and value-added services to developers, device manufacturers and wireless operators for application development and distribution, device configuration, billing and payment.

About U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular Corporation, the nation's eighth largest wireless service carrier, provides wireless service to more than 4.1 million customers in 149 markets throughout 25 states. The Chicago-based company operates on a customer satisfaction strategy, meeting customer's needs by providing a comprehensive range of wireless products and services, superior customer support and a high-quality network.

About QUALCOMM

QUALCOMM Incorporated is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company's CDMA digital technology. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2003 FORTUNE 500 company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol QCOM.

Deployments of the BREW solution continue as operators throughout the world join Verizon Wireless, ALLTEL and U.S. Cellular in the United States, KTF in South Korea, KDDI in Japan, China Unicom, Vivo (the joint venture between Telefonica Mviles and Portugal Telecom in Brazil) and Telstra in Australia, in commercializing BREW-based services. More than 40 BREW-enabled handset models have been offered to consumers worldwide and more than 40 device manufacturers have indicated their interest in the BREW platform.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to successfully design and have manufactured significant quantities of CDMA components on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which CDMA is deployed, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2002, and most recent Form 10-Q.


QUALCOMM and BREW are trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright 1999-2003 U.S. Cellular. All rights reserved.