Voce, the luxury mobile virtual network operator, has begun offering its services on a small scale in the L.A. area.
Steve Stanford, Voce’s chief executive officer, described the quiet start as an invitation-only market trial, with participation capped at around 500 people “for whom what we have to offer is compelling.” Stanford said that Voce plans to expand this fall in New York and San Francisco.
Voce’s service runs on Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s GSM network; since Cingular does not offer data services to its MVNOs, Voce does not offer a data service component and therefore is not targeting data users. However, Stanford said that the MVNO would like to offer data services and is exploring the CDMA arena for that component. He said Voce would like to eventually offer both CDMA phones and GSM phones.
Stanford said the company’s target demographic is users between 40 and 60 years old-and obviously affluent, since the service involves a one-time membership fee of $1,000 and a $400 recurring fee each month. Those figures are generally in line with ballpark figures that the company gave RCR Wireless News last year for its prices.
“It’s a segment that’s used to paying a premium for a better experience,” Stanford said.
According to Voce’s recently revamped Web site, the service has no contract and unlimited voice service; the only additional charges are for international calls and international roaming. Concierge services, at-home visits for phone set-up, and access to a private jet service are some of the features currently included in Voce’s offering. Another service, to be offered initially in Los Angeles and then expanded to airports in New York and San Francisco, will involve customers being met at the airport by someone who will present their boarding pass, handle their luggage and then escort them to the front of the security line, Stanford said.
“We recognize that this is not going to be a service for everyone,” Stanford said. In fact, he added, Voce never wants to be a large-scale service provider and plans to keep a cap on its number of customers even after it makes a full launch so that it can keep the quality of customer service high. “Voce is very, very niche,” Stanford said.
Voce is likely to have other service-centric elements when it launches in its additional markets. Stanford said the company is exploring various options during its market trial and is keeping mum on what they might be, in case they opt to pull them prior to launch. The MVNO’s customer care center is in Glendale, Calif., a northern suburb of Los Angeles, and Stanford said that Voce customers will always have their calls answered by a real person within the first two rings.
As for handsets, Voce offers three Motorola Inc. Razr V3s-with black, white or camel-colored leather exteriors-and a Nokia Corp. 8801. The cost of a handset is included in the carrier’s price, and Voce offers annual device upgrades.
