AT&T is updating the brand name for their wireless pre-paid service from AT&T GoPhone to AT&T Prepaid. I spoke with Bob Bickerstaff, Vice President of Wireless Voice and Prepaid Products about the change and he share the thinking and plan for AT&T Mobility moving forward. There are several reasons, but I think this is a very smart move in what I call the master-brand strategy.
AT&T is one of the strongest, best known, most trusted and oldest master brands in history. It has grown and changed many times over many years, but the brand remains one of the strongest master-brands ever.
Fifteen years ago, pre-paid existed, but was not that important in the wireless industry. It was a way to hang onto the customer who walked into an AT&T store, but had credit problems. Pre-paid was the best way to let credit challenged customers get a cell phone without having them walk out the door empty handed. This was good for the customer and the carrier.
Pre-Paid Wireless Matures and Grows
Yesterday, prices were higher, there were data limits and the phones were not the hottest and newest models, but at least everyone could get wireless service. Over the years, pre-paid has been changing. Today, it’s a rapidly growing sector, and not only the credit challenged.
Many users find pre-paid pricing is often lower than traditional post-paid service for the way they use wireless, plus they can get all the data they want and the newest smartphones like Apple iPhone, Google Android, Samsung, LG and ZTE. In fact, any phone that works on AT&T Mobility will work on AT&T PREPAID. And no long-term contracts. Pre-paid is a month-to-month plan.
These are some of the reasons why pre-paid is growing in popularity. Carriers generally offer both a post-paid and pre-paid version. However, pre-paid is one of the strongest and fastest growing sectors of the wireless world today.
AT&T is one of the oldest, best known, most respected master brands in business today. As pre-paid only gets more important, this move should make it easier for them to not only communicate their messaging in the pre-paid world, but to increase sales as well.
AT&T Master Brand One of Strongest Brands in the World
AT&T Prepaid uses the AT&T Mobility network, giving users access to the same top-quality service every other customer enjoys. The service, quality, reach and speed will stay the same. Only the name will change.
Pricing is also very attractive. Not only is it low. Not only does data range from 1 Gbps to unlimited data depending on the plan. But, AT&T is offering a nice surprise. They will pay 2 months of the first year. They will pay the bill for month 3 and 12. That’s what, one sixth of the entire first year?
Bickerstaff says, “AT&T Prepaid is our branded prepaid product for customers looking for ease of use, no contract and convenience. This two month’s free offer is our best promotion to date.”
This is the right move for AT&T. It puts everything under a master brand and makes it easier for customers to understand. This also shows how pre-paid is growing in importance. Yesterday, it was a way to solve a problem and keep customers with poor credit ratings. Today, it’s a growing market segment in the wireless space.
