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Push-To-Talk in Rural America. Damian Sazama Vice President, Sales & Marketing Bluegrass Cellular, Inc. RCA Marketing Conference Lake Tahoe, Nevada Oct. 2-4, 2005. Who is Bluegrass Cellular?. Started in 1991 by five Local Exchange Companies Serves approximately 1.4 million pops - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Push-To-Talk Push-To-Talk in Rural Americain Rural America
Push-To-Talk Push-To-Talk in Rural Americain Rural America
Damian SazamaVice President, Sales & Marketing
Bluegrass Cellular, Inc.RCA Marketing Conference
Lake Tahoe, NevadaOct. 2-4, 2005
Who is Bluegrass Cellular?
Started in 1991 by five Local Exchange Companies
Serves approximately 1.4 million pops
Operates a TDMA and CDMA 1X network
Began offering PTT in November 2004
Why the need for PTT? Began seeing some churn due to Nextel Studies show that 60% of U.S. subscribers
are interested in PTT (source: InStat Group 2005)
We felt that with our network coverage compared to Nextel’s, our PTT service would be superior.
Always want to add services that increase ARPU!
Why we chose Kodiak Could use current technology (CDMA 1X) and
current network Could use current roaming agreements to
offer a nationwide service with Kodiak’s roaming gateway
Better voice quality and without the latency issues that IP-based PTT services face
Best Feature set in the marketplace Same number for PTT and wireless Real-time contact availability Toggle between PTT and wireless calls Free group calling and online contact management tool
Coverage Areas
Bluegrass Cellular PTT coverage (reflects roaming partner coverage)
Sprint/Nextel PTT coverage (limited - cannot use other voice networks)
Chart of ComparisonFeatures BlueWorks
Push-to-TalkSprint/Nextel
Direct Connect
Cellular/PTT call waiting
Yes No
Voice Latency
150ms 700ms
Quality of Service
ConsistentHandoff
Lacks Handoff
Web Group Provisioning
Free Charged
Real Time Contact Alerts
Yes No
Same Number forWireless/Walkie Talkie
Yes No
Group Calling
Free Charged
PTT Online Tool
Marketing Market to Retail, with
focus on families and BTB. BTB is strongest segment, particularly when attracting Nextel customers
Price: $15 per month,
unlimited PTT calling nationwide
$19 per month, standalone PTT (no cellular)
Referral Program $35 to each PTT
customer and to new PTT referral
Competes directly with Nextel
Print Advertising
Outdoor
Newspaper
How is it going? Service is working fantastic; we can
compare it with Nextel service in front of customers and there is no difference
Currently have approximately 2k subscribers
Low churn with PTT subscribers
Major Issues
