Sprint/Nextels unlimited plan is hard to beat

I got a call from a potential client a couple weeks ago. They were looking for a Blackerry roll out and because they are high end users, wanted unlimited usage on all of them. Initially they had mentioned they were partial to Verizon wireless services. That is fine Verizon wireless has a great product. But the unlimited Verizon plan runs at $129.99 monthly without any text messaging included. My consultative voice inside of me had to ask them. "Why are we not considering Sprint?"I was told that because Sprint was losing subscribers that this customer would not consider them. I found this extremely odd. Sprint has a very thorough national digital network. Is it as good as Verizon's, maybe not but the Verizon network is not worth another $40 plus dollars per month per subscriber in this example? Especially in these times. On a 2 year contract, this was a huge difference in price over the 2 year term. But at same time, this same customer was extremely worried about the cost of the handsets. It did not add up for me. To set the record straight, Sprint offers THE most complete unlimited plan in this business. There are carriers that still do not offer or have an unlimited plan. Sprint includes unlimited voice calls, unlimited data which means e-mail and Internet browsing, unlimited texting and even GPS navigation. Recently Boost Mobile which uses the Nextel network offered their unlimited plan for $50. In a time when car manufacturers are offering unique plans for laid off workers, both consumers and businesses alike need to recognize this great value being offered by Sprint.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Alltel gets a victory

Have you noticed Verizon adds for "Friends and Family"? It was Verizon's answer to the Alltel gang in Arkansas pushing to keep some things the same. Verizon is a big beast, not always interested in listening to the small guys. Their purchase of Alltel was a delicate subject for all the dedicated folks in Little Rock. This time they used better judgement and offered Alltel's version of My Circle. I had many many Alltel customers asking about this feature, and guess what, it is here to stay. Verizon is not the least expensive service on the block. But allowing this free mobile to mobile feature add was a wise move. I have to admit, this time they got it right. The story of this merger though is only beginning.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Smartphone features

I notice market share increasing every so slightly for Blackberries/I-Phones, Windows Mobile devices. People are catching on. But do not fall too far behind if you still carry that old boring flip phone. They find a handful of useful features that make their lives or work that much easier.

Synchronize your phone with Outlook. Taking notes on a device, going paperless. Utilizing a full QWERTY keyboard for easy text. Texting to a Twitter account is a cutting edge idea. Managing media files like pictures or video is becoming easier on a smart phone. How about surfing the web, tracking the stock market portfolio real time (well not quite like a broker but close!) How anyone can do without e-mail on the fingertips is beyond me.

Find features for your business that increase productivity. Make sure that your office encourages the use of the features and even offers training on how to utilize them. These devices will bring value to your everyday affairs if they are used consistently.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Keep insurance on those Blackberries

Have you ever had to purchase a replacement phone for one that was lost or stolen or damaged beyond repair? It is not cheap. The retail value of these phones we all buy has gone up. We demanded Bluetooth, cameras, Smart phone technologies and so the cost of the phones was driven up. When we sign a new 2 year agreement or have an upgrade available to us, we can get a discount off of the new phone so it is not as expensive to buy. But if you are replacing a phone and you are not eligible for a discount, you will pay handsomely for it.

Consider this: The retail value of the new Sprint Nextel Curve Blackberry is $569. The Motorola Q9C retails for $399. The Treo 800w retails for $599! Heck most nice flip phones retail for well over $200.

Keep a spare phone or 2 handy. It is tempting to sell those old phones that we have but wise to keep them for backup purposes, especially if they are still in decent shape. You can have a current address book loaded in them and ready for that untimely moment when the phone is lost or damaged. Most of our business clients keep a drawer full of phones handy. If an emergency pops up then we can move a phone line to the spare right away and avoid any downtime. I have purchased phones from e-bay. I have had clients purchase them from e-bay. It is a cheap alternative. But buyer beware, I can also give you examples of you get what you pay for! If you want to replace an expensive phone with a new expensive phone, then you should carry insurance.

Insurance runs between $5-$7 per month per phone. I have always maintained that if you carry a nice phone, you better carry insurance. Asurion Protection Services is the insurance company that writes policies for most of the carriers. As of April of this year, deductibles on Smart phones like a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile device will go up to $100 per incident. All other phones carry a $50 deductible. You can make 3 claims per year, per phone number. They will overnight the phone to you and you will be up and running in no time at all. All it takes is one claim to pay for several years’ worth of monthly fees.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

President Obama, we need short term lending!

I watched President Obamas address to congress lastnight very closely, with optimism that we will begin our upward journey. Some things were positive, some were not. He is an encouraging figure no doubt but I keep wondering where all this bailout money is coming from?

Then I follow up with 2 more customers this morning that want GPS services for their fleet but do not have the cash flow to invest in a technology that will return savings to them. Now what is wrong with that picture?

Ask or work with enough small businesses and you will hear it from all of them. The banks are not lending. You know the $750 billion dollars that all of us taxpayers approved to bail them out so they could supposedly start lending again? Yeah those banks that President Obama knows we are all so frustrated with because they kept our bailout money for their own agenda. Why would we consider another dollar of bailout for them, the transparency of the original $750 billion has not been disclosed. He acknowledged that "he gets it" Yet he may want to bail them out even further. The solutions that are in the stimulus bill are long term in scope. But I ask myself where are the short term solutions to these lending issues? The fact remains as I speak to my clients, if the lending does not start and start soon, the results will not change. If our small business community does not have the means to invest in technology to reduce their expenses, or hire their staff back, how will they operate at all? How will they flourish?

A note to the banks- Lend that money that we gave you now, develop your own layoff agenda, thin out and stop the golden parachute dilemma. Families and small business have had to stop spending, reduce expenses, so should our bailout recipients and our Government.

Please President Obama, congress, tell me again, do you get it? The taxpayers demand a better solution, a short term solution.

Welcome to the Future
Mike

Blackberry versus I-phone market share

Well, the data is hot off the press: Smartphone purchases in the US shot up 68% in 2008. We now buy smartphones in greater quantities than our Western European counterparts. It is not just a phone anymore, it is mobile e-mail, mobile web, mobile applications for data, navigation, synchronization with Outlook, calendars, contacts, notes, QWERTY keyboard for text. There are endless features that present themselves in the form of a smartphone.

Research in Motion still holds a convincing 46% market share while Apple and its I-phone hold an impressive 21%. Palm, Samsung, and Nokia are on the radar for market share but it is clear that RIM and Apple are our leaders. RIM has agreements with all the major domestic carriers, even ATT. The Apple I-phone on the other hand is sold exclusively through ATT. It is impressive that Apple is on this list like this in such a short time. But I believe this exclusive agreement will prevent ATT from expanding its market share much more dramatically. The fact is, ATT is not known for its network. If the professional consumer (who predominantly is purchasing these smartphones) does not have adequate choice or coverage, ATT will struggle to overcome RIM. Make no mistake, both of these devices have brought a win win to the consumer and the carriers. The consumer has a more intelligent advantage to do business and work while the carriers are collecting the data fees from month to month. I believe though that RIM and Apple will have a hard time sustaining growth and demand for smartphones like we saw from 07 to 08.

I find it promising to see another American company pick up the slack for sluggish Motorola and compete with this giant from Canada (RIM)and the likes of Korean international vendors such as Samsung or LG. I just hope on the next I-Phone generation that Apple will unlock its technology away from an exclusive arrangement with ATT. Verizon which has now merged with Alltel, and Sprint Nextel are powerful domestic partners to grow their share with.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Congrats to The 2008-9 Cardinals

I posted a blog a week back about how excited I was about the Arizona Cardinals being in the Superbowl. They did not dissapoint me at all! No they did not win, the Steelers made a heroic finish, but I could not be any more proud of my guys. A team I had followed for years. Terrible losses, years of football agony, all thrown to the wayside by this current roster. They showed the true courage that it takes to be a champion in any capacity. The few fans that stuck by their side, now rewarded beyond belief. There is a hope that miracles, great things can happen, but only through optimism and hard work. What does this have to do with technology, nothing! But my life does not only encompass technology.

Welcome to The Future!

Mike