Upload
passy-hearst
View
216
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
First stage of review of EZ Connect Telecommunication's User Services.
Citation preview
EZ Connect and User Services 1
Organization Makeup and User Services for
EZ Connect Pre-Paid Phone and Internet Service Provider
Pasquale J. FestaUniversity of Texas at Austin
INF382C – Dr. Chen14 February, 2007
1. Company Overview
EZ Connect is an Austin based phone and Internet service provider that offers
telecommunication services for citizens of the state of Texas in over 300 cities (“EZ Connect,”
n.d.). The company currently has approximately 1,200 customers with a current monthly growth
rate of about 80 net customers. EZ Connect expects to double its net growth rate within 6
months. EZ Connect consists of five home office locations (J. Esdorn, personal communication,
February 8, 2007). The company works on a pre-paid basis and will provide services to users
regardless of credit history or past payment difficulties with other phone and Internet providers.
EZ Connect and User Services 2
EZ Connect does not require deposits, credit, or past payment checks. In addition, ID checks and
Social Security Numbers are not required to gain access to the company's services The EZ
Connect mission statement reads as follows, "To offer affordable, reliable and high quality
telephone and Internet service to the under-served citizens of Texas" ("EZ Connect," n.d.).
2. Company Organization
EZ Connect employs four full-time workers and has one contract employee. A number of
the company's organizational needs are out sourced to other companies and contractors.
According to EZ Connect CEO and primary office employee Jason Esdorn, each employ works
out of his or her personal home or office and due to this the company is considered to have 5
physical office locations. EZ Connect's main office is located in Austin (personal
communication, February 8, 2007). Deregulation of the telephone industry allows EZ Connect
to purchase lines from local phone companies and resell them. EZ Connect's line service is
provided by the Southwestern Bell telephone company. EZ Connect is regulated by the Public
Utility Commission of Texas ("EZ Connect," n.d.).
3. Services Offered
EZ Connect offers local and long distance telephone service on a pre-paid basis to
residents in over 300 Texas cities. With payment of a connection charge and purchase of the
package plan, users are given unlimited local calling. Other services provided with the package
include call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling, speed dialing, call blocking, call
returning, caller ID, anonymous call rejection and call waiting ID. For additional charges users
may have other services such as a non-published number, priority calling, and selective call-
EZ Connect and User Services 3
forwarding. Long Distance services are offered on a pre-paid basis and may be purchased in
minute increment blocks of 100, 200, 300, 500, and 1000 (Table 1). Based upon the number of
minutes purchased, Domestic Long distance prices to any of the 48 continental states vary.
100 and 200 Minute Service 9 cents per minute300 Minute Service 8.5 cents per minute500 Minute Service 8 cents per minute1000 Minute Service 7.5 cents per minute
Table 1: EZ Connecting National Long Distance Rates
EZ Connect also offers pre-paid international long distance service to its users at varying
rates based upon the country and locality being called. EZ Connect offers flexible payment
options to its users which include the ability to pay via Western Union or electronic check or
credit card by phone or mail.
General inquiries and support services are offered via both telephone and Internet in both
English and Spanish languages. Emergency support services are offered through 24 hour phone
support by company CEO Jason Esdorn ("EZ Connect," n.d.). EZ Connect is in the process of
looking to start offering pre-paid DSL service to its users in the near future (J. Esdorn, personal
communication, February 8, 2007).
4. Users Overview
EZ Connect services users in over 300 cities and towns throughout Texas. The company's
user group is made up of individuals from diverse economic, ethnic and local backgrounds. A
large number of users come from a Spanish speaking background and require personalized
assistance that can accommodate their particular linguistic needs. The vast majority of users
EZ Connect and User Services 4
come from households with incomes less than $30,000 per year and have past problems in
regards to credit history, the timely payment of bills, and difficulty living up to contractual
agreements (J. Esdorn, personal communication, February 8, 2007).
4.1 Income Level
According to Jason Esdorn approximately fifty percent of users come from a household
with an income level below $20,000 a year. Thirty-five percent come from a household with an
income between 20 and 30 thousand per year and the remaining fifteen percent come from
homes with an income of over $30,000 a year (personal communication, February 8, 2007) (Fig.
1).
Fig. 1: EZ Connect User Population categorized based on income (Feb. 2007)
4.2 Ethnic and Linguistic Background
The EZ Connect user group is diverse in its ethnic and linguistic background. The
majority (40%) of EZ Connect's users are African American. Users with a Hispanic background
come in second making up 35% of the user group. Caucasian users make up approximately 20%
EZ Connect and User Services 5
of the EZ Connect customer base and 5% of the user pool reports its ethnic background as
"Other" (personal communication, February 8, 2007) (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2: EZ Connect User Population categorized based on ethnic background (Feb. 2007)
4.3 Locality
While EZ Connect can offer services to over 300 cities throughout the state of Texas, its
user group can be divided into four major metropolitan areas. The majority of users (45%) reside
in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. Customers from Houston make up the second largest
geographic region in terms of users at 30%. Fifteen percent of users live in the Austin area and
the remaining ten percent of users come from areas of Texas other than these three principle
locations (personal communication, February 8, 2007) (Fig. 3).
EZ Connect and User Services 6
Fig. 3: EZ Connect User Population categorized based on locality (Feb. 2007)
5. Staff Overview
EZ Connect currently employs four fulltime workers and one contract employee. Line
maintenance and other technical aspects (computer maintenance, network maintenance, etc.) are
out sourced to other companies due to lack of employees and time constraints in regards to
taking care of such issues. All employees on staff are bilingual, speaking both English and
Spanish. Each employee works out of his or her own personal home or office and each is situated
in or near the principle metropolitan areas listed above. EZ Connect CEO Jason Esdorn lives and
works out of the central office located in Austin (personal communication, February 8, 2007).
Prominent services offered by the EZ Connect staff include setting up new accounts, offering
advice for maintaining phone service in the face of economic hardship, offering affordable pre-
paid national and international long distance services, answering questions and inquiries
regarding services and payment plans via phone and Internet in both English and Spanish, and
offering a way for economically burdened Texas residents to have telecommunication services
EZ Connect and User Services 7
despite past credit history, lack of citizenship and without contractual agreement. EZ Connect's
services are made available to potential users through advertisement in both print and television
forms (J. Esdorn, personal communication, February 8, 2007).
6. Key Observations
· The EZ Connect user group is comprised of a diverse number of individuals coming from
varying economic, ethnic, linguistic, and local backgrounds who have a broad range of
needs in terms of both technical and support services.
· EZ Connect's services are meant to help under-served individuals in the state of Texas
have access to today's much needed telecommunication tools. EZ Connect as a mediator
between contractual telephone companies and customers who have illustrated difficulty
in meeting their financial obligations to such companies.
· EZ Connect's utilization of the Internet, telephone, print, and television to market their
business, provide information in terms of their services, and offer customer support
allows for a broad range of users and potential users to be exposed to the company and
the services it offers.
EZ Connect and User Services 8
References
EZ Connect (n.d.). Retrieved on February 10, 2007 from http://www.ezconnecting.com.