ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Furthering its goal of becoming a complete communications provider, Metrocall Inc. announced an alliance with Covad Communications as the first step in providing high-speed Internet services through the newly formed Metrocall.net division.
Through Covad, Metrocall will provide digital line subscriber services to those customers requesting bundled high-speed Internet service with their paging accounts.
The division is expected to market bundled services solutions to home offices and small to mid-sized businesses. Services include broadband Internet access, wireless e-mail, filtered content, unified messaging and other applications and services.
According to Mike Scanlon, Metrocall senior vice president of marketing, the company recently completed an in-depth review of its customer base to increase customer loyalty. Current accounts were divided into three tiers-Silver, Gold and Platinum-and efforts were made to find ways to meet the needs of each category.
“We realized we have hundreds of thousands of small business customers,” Scanlon said. “These businesses have between 25 and 250 employees and they are very, very loyal customers. We decided to find out what else they need that we can provide.”
In particular, high-speed Internet access was high on that list. Scanlon said Metrocall resolved to meet that need because the company wanted to retain these customers. “We asked ourselves `Are we in the business of solving communication problems?’ The answer is yes, we are.”
Metrocall’s focus on Internet services also is attributable to its location in northern Virginia, known as a hotbed of Internet and high technology businesses.
Tom Matthews, current senior vice president of corporate and business development, was chosen to lead the new venture.
In other news, Metrocall partnered with Tessco Technologies Inc. to market cellular and personal communications service phone accessories it its 92 stores nationwide. Products include phones, batteries, cases and power adapters.
Called Wireless Solutions, the program with Tessco also includes custom packaging and merchandising, consultant services, field training and reporting capabilities.
The Tessco announcement adds to Metrocall’s agreement with AT&T Wireless Services, under which the paging carrier provides wireless phones and service in its stores nationwide. AT&T also resells Metrocall products and services in its retail locations.
In more of a traditional paging light, Metrocall formed what it called a permission marketing agreement with discount shopping service HitMeNow.com, under which Metrocall subscribers will get a free membership to the personalized shopping services.
Metrocall subscribers who wish to receive the service will fill out a profile listing their preferences of sports, entertainment or travel interests. HitMeNow.com then pages the subscriber whenever a match for that preference is made, the company said. The service was developed specifically for Metrocall messaging customers.
