Do you think this will work?

[Steve]

This is an iteresting offer. Do you think it will take off?

Alltel to offer subscribers unlimited free calls to and from up to 10 people regardless of what network they're on. The catch: You have to have a $59.99 monthly plan.

CNN (http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/20/news/companies/alltel/index.htm) - Alltel, the nation's fifth largest wireless phone company, has fired the latest volley in the cell phone price wars.

The company is announcing a new plan for customers on Thursday called My Circle that will allow people to make and get unlimited calls for free from up to ten people regardless of which phone company the other person is using.
Alltel, the nation's fifth largest wireless carrier, is launching a new wireless plan that allows people to make unlimited free calls to people out of their networlk.
Alltel, the nation's fifth largest wireless carrier, is launching a new wireless plan that allows people to make unlimited free calls to people out of their networlk.
Shares of wireless company Alltel have risen lately on speculation that it could get taken over as the telecom industry consolidiates.
Shares of wireless company Alltel have risen lately on speculation that it could get taken over as the telecom industry consolidiates.

Customers who have at least a $59.99 monthly plan with Alltel (Research) will be able to list ten phone numbers (wireless or land line) that they want to be part of their "circle." Alltel group president of operations Kevin Beebe said that customers can change the numbers in the plan as often as they like through the company's My Circle web site.

[tiedeman]

I personally don't think that it will take off. *For example, I pay $39.99 right now through Nextel for unlimited incoming, unlimited direct connect, and 500 cell minutes. *I usually only use about 70 mins a month. *Let's say you break down the Nextel thing per friend (10) that you would call compared with the Alltel plan. *Based on 500 mins a month with Nextel, you would have each friend at 50 mins a month, approx 1.6mins a day.

Yes, I do realize that people are dropping their land lines and using just cell phones, but people use direct connect more than anything else. *I use approx 250 mins of direct connect a month, and that is to approx 6 friends. *So each friend is getting 41.6mins a month, 1.38 mins a day. But the kicker is, the direct connect is unlimited

[Steve]

Do use this as your primary business line or do you use a land line for that?

[tiedeman]

I have a seperate land line for the business. I have always said, that if someone can not get ahold of me, or say that they tried calling me then they are lying. The reason being I have numerous communications and ways knowing that someone called.
1. Cell Phone (with voice mail & caller id))
2. Business Land Line Phone (voice mail, caller id)
3. Personal Land Line Phone (voice mail, caller id)
4. Email

[Steve]

Very interesting!

How many other LCOs do you know who just use 1 cell phone and that's it?

[tiedeman]

I know of one guy in particular, whom I sub-contract out all of my hydroseeding to, and he basically just uses his cell phone to contact customers.

[Steve]

It is pretty neat the technology has gotten to the point where you can do that.