RICHMOND, Va.-Triton PCS Inc., which recently negotiated itself out of an AT&T Wireless Services Inc. affiliation following Cingular Wireless L.L.C.’s acquisition of AWS late last year, launched a new advertising campaign that the carrier said would stress its SunCom brand and include a “Truth in Wireless” tagline. In support of the new tagline, SunCom has adjusted its rate plans to include all taxes and fees in the pricing as well as providing the option for month-to-month contracts.
“If a customer’s advertised service plan is $39, the customer will be charged $39-with taxes and fees already included,” SunCom explained.
SunCom also introduced its “Our No Small Print Guarantee” that the carrier said includes “straightforward language” that will be in the same-sized type as other information in its advertisements. That straightforward language includes telling customers that they will be charged $200 if they terminate service while under contract and that SunCom will terminate a customer’s account if they use an above average amount of calling minutes compared with other customers in the area on its unlimited calling UnPlans.
Similar to other rebranding efforts, SunCom has also signed a celebrity spokesman in Harry Connick Jr. to appear in its $30 million advertising campaign. The campaign will include television commercials-directed by acclaimed Hollywood figure Robert Altman-as well as radio, print, outdoor and online advertising.
Triton’s agreement with Cingular included network and spectrum swaps that provided Triton with a stronger presence in North Carolina and South Carolina in addition to a network covering Puerto Rico in exchange for Triton’s network in Virginia. The deal also allowed Cingular to offer service in Triton’s markets, which AWS was not allowed to do as part of its affiliation agreement.
