I'm Cellular

Sighted!!! Wireless Calling Name

Wireless CNAM just launched in the US, so each of us is a bit closer to the availability of the most popular wireline feature on our wireless phone. As previously discussed, this feature has been available to mobile operators for over 5 years, but operators are just warming up to delivering it. MetroPCS just launched the service to their 5 million subs (see their press release, and some press coverage from WirelessWeek here and a story on the official release, below), so we can hope that as people try it and like it, other operators will turn up the service, too. 

Previously, T-Mobile included Calling Name for @Home subs (for wired phones attached to their @Home router, not for mobile subs). And a watered-down version of Calling Name was offered by Verizon Wireless, but it doesn’t seem to be of much value (so why bother?): it provided the Caller’s City and State. Big deal. I don’t want to have to guess at the identity of the caller, I want to know exactly the Caller’s Name to decide if I need to answer the call on my mobile. Kudos to MetroPCS for bringing this feature to market!

Here’s a clear description of the benefits of this service, from their press release:

“MetroPCS … launches Screen-it, a service that displays the calling party’s name on a subscriber’s wireless phone. Screen-it allows consumers to more successfully manage incoming calls to their phone by seeing the caller’s name before answering the call. Call screening is drastically improved when unknown caller names are shown that are not already stored in the phone’s personal contact list. 

Consumers and businesses rely on a name and number to identify the caller. Automatically matching a name to the incoming telephone number and displaying it on a callerID device or on the phone has been a common feature of landline telephones since 1984. This feature has never been available on wireless phones in the United States. With Screen-it, for the first time wireless consumers will see the name of who is calling them before they answer the call, even if it’s an unknown caller. 

“The new Screen-it service is a core part of MetroPCS’ landline replacement strategy as it offers our customers the same standard features that they enjoy on the landline telephone,” said Tom Keys, chief operating officer for MetroPCS. “Being the first to introduce this service demonstrates MetroPCS’ commitment to providing the best wireless service to its customers.”

——-

MetroPCS Launches Next-Gen Caller ID

By Evan Koblentz

WirelessWeek – October 16, 2008

MetroPCS is putting a new twist on traditional Caller ID. The contractless carrier’s new service, Screen-it, is intended to display a caller’s name and number, when available, even if it appears as “unknown” to the regular Caller ID service. ”This feature has never been available on wireless phones in the United States,” the company said in a statement today. Names will remain hidden if callers choose to block that information. Screen-it will be included in MetroPCS’ $50 per month service plan and available for $2 per month with the $35, $40 and $45 plans.
http://www.wirelessweek.com/MetroPCS-Next-Gen-Caller-ID.aspx