Wireless Dealer Magazine by Wireless Dealer Magazine

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Special Features:

Red Pocket MobileTM 1 in 3 Americans Expected to Use No-Contract Wireless by 2015

Wireless

Science

NASA Launches Smartphones Into Space! PrepaYd Just Got Easier Q&A with CEO Josh Berman, President of PrepaYd Wireless

Wireless Lifestyle Products In Demand on Retailer Shelves!

Pantone 286 Solid Black

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Welcome to Wireless Dealer Magazine, your resource for wireless retail intelligence. We believe in helping our readers grow their business. Our mission is simple: bring exciting wireless products and retailers together.â&#x20AC;? Your industry. Your business. Your Wireless Dealer Magazine.

Michelle James Cheif Marketing Officer W ireless Dealer Magazine

Independent Retail Buyers of Cellular, Electronics and Audio

W irelessDealerMagazine.com | 1-800-862-2609

Independent Retail Buyers of Cellular, Electronics and Audio

W ireless Dealer Magazine Staff W irelessDealerMagazine.com 1-800-862-2609 CEO & Publisher | Kathy Katcher Kathy@W irelessDealerMagazine.com COO | Laurette Veres Laurette@W irelessDealerMagazine.com CMO | Michelle James Michelle@W irelessDealerMagazine.com Art Director | Thomas Vela Thomas@W irelessDealerMagazine.com Graphic Design Elyse Collins Productions, Inc. Advertising & Sales Deputy | D. Kay Gilliland D.Kay@W irelessDealerMagazine.com Email Specialist | David Samuel David@W irelessDealerMagazine.com Research Analyst | Lydia Taylor Lydia@W irelessDealerMagazine.com WDM News Anchor | Chelsea Rogers Chelsea@W irelessDealerMagazine.com Director of Finance | Jane Parker Finance@W irelessDealerMagazine.com 2013 CES Photographer | John Magana Chief L ogistic Officer D utch-Christopher Lindeburg D utch@W irelessdealermagazine.com Contributing Authors Rob Mesirow Steve Swaim Jonathan S. Marashlian Ericsson Consumer Lab Contributing Writers Josh Berman Tony Ross Brian Eremita Joshua Gordon John Harris Expert Analyst: Roger Entner Recon Analytics W ireless Dealer Magazine Headquarters 1217 Prince Street Houston, Texas For advertising or subscription inquiries, please call toll f ree 1 (800) 862-2609 or visit W irelessDealerMagazine.com W ireless Dealer Magazine is published quarterly as an independent, wireless industr y publication in Houston, Texas. Written materials and requests may be mailed to: W ireless Dealer Magazine 1217 Prince Street, Houston, TX 77008 [not responsible for any unsolicited materials] For advertising or subscription inquiries, please call toll f ree 1 (800) 862-2609 or visit W irelessDealerMagazine.com

Dear Readers, Wow. Do we have a lot of product to talk about in this issue! In our W ireless Lifestyle special feature we had the opportunity to review some pretty cool products over the last few months. From products that just have that ever yday cool factor to amazing audio products to fashion for ward accessories and kicking exercise gadgets for the health-conscious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we live in one W ireless Life! We would also like to make a special shout-out to the mobile phone, who turned 40 this spring! Can you believe it? The mobile phone has changed the world. Forever. I just heard a startling fact f rom some research junkies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is estimated that more people have mobile phones now than toilets. Ok, so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ponder that stat too long!! More importantly, we at WDM would like to thank all our retailer and distributor partners for being part of such an exciting business for the past 40 years. Rest assured, this industr y is still in its infancy. We have only just scratched the surface. In terms of news, the tides are turning. Finally, prepaid may soon be the new standard with all the recent carrier announcements and exploding growth among MVNOs. We will be following these developments closely as we head into summer. It sure sounds like retailers are on the winning end of the growing number of prepaid options with even more products and ser vices to offer! For those of you who are with us, attending CTIA 2013 please take the opportunity to stop by and see us! Cheers,

Michelle James Cheif Marketing Officer W ireless Dealer Magazine

Independent Retail Buyers of Cellular, Electronics and Audio

W irelessDealerMagazine.com | 1-800-862-2609

Editorial Index

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Red Pocket - Red Pocket Beieves FREEDOM is the Future

p.58

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Living a Wireless Lifestyle Living a Wireless Lifestyle A Special Feature CTIA 2013

A Special Feature CTIA 2013

W ireless. Living a wireless lifest yle is about being mobile, having any and all information that makes your life work at your fingertips – wherever you W ireless. Living a wireless lifest yle is about being mobile, having any and are. Engaged and entertained while on-the-go is the new standard. Being all information that makes your life work at your fingertips – wherever you productive even while you wait – for anything -- is expected. We all take are. Engaged and entertained while on-the-go is the new standard. Being taking multi-tasking to a whole new level owning multiple devices, loads productive even while you wait – for anything -- is expected. We all take of applications and add-on accessories that accentuate our personalit y, taking multi-tasking to a whole new level owning multiple devices, loads hobbies and work habits. Personalizing, accessorizing and synching have of applications and add-on accessories that accentuate our personalit y, never been so exciting. hobbies and work habits. Personalizing, accessorizing and synching have

NASA

never been so exciting. No longer are new products just for ‘ear ly adopters’ or gadget geeks; cool products reach more, touch more and impact more of us than the customer No longer are new products just for ‘ear ly adopters’ or gadget geeks; cool demographic-labeling people can even keep pace. S ometimes, we crave the products reach more, touch more and impact more of us than the customer new device before they make to our favorite retailer ’s shelves. We scratch demographic-labeling people can even keep pace. S ometimes, we crave the our heads at the many examples where people are more than willing to wait new device before they make to our favorite retailer ’s shelves. We scratch overnight in a f rigid parking lot just to have the first one. Now, that ’s a our heads at the many examples where people are more than willing to wait real testament to what a great industr y wireless continues to be! We’ve overnight in a f rigid parking lot just to have the first one. Now, that ’s a highlighted a few hot products we think might just be worth standing in real testament to what a great industr y wireless continues to be! We’ve a line to enhance your wireless life or stocking your shelves enhancing the highlighted a few hot products we think might just be worth standing in lives of others. Enjoy! a line to enhance your wireless life or stocking your shelves enhancing the

lives of others. Enjoy!

Living a Wireless Lifestyle

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Turtleback - Designed and Manufactured...

1-800-862-2609

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Watch Live Interviews! Meet the People Behind the Brands You Buy! PrepaYd Just Got Easier

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WirelessDealerMagazine.com

Editorial Index

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NASA Successfully Launches Three Smartphone Satellites

NASA’s off-the-shelf PhoneSats already have

Each smartphone is housed in

inc luding fast processors, versatile operating

measuring about 4 inches

many of the systems needed for a satellite, systems, multiple miniature sensors, high-resolution cameras, GPS receivers

and several radios. NASA

Three smartphones destined to become low-cost

engineers kept the total

flight of Orbital Science Corp.’s Antares rocket

for the three prototype

V irginia. The trio of “PhoneSats” is operating

project between $3,500 and

satellites ever flown in space. The goal of NASA’s

commercial hardware and

satellites rode to space Sunday aboard the maiden

cost of the components

f rom NASA’s Wallops Island F light Facility in

satellites in the PhoneSat

in orbit, and may prove to be the lowest-cost

$7,000 by using primarily

PhoneSat mission is to determine whether a

keeping the design and

consumer-grade smartphone can be used as

mission objectives to a

the main flight avionics of a capable, yet ver y

minimum. The hardware

inexpensive, satellite.

for this mission is the

Transmissions f rom all three PhoneSats have

Google-HTC Nexus One

been received at multiple ground stations on

Earth, indicating they are operating normally.

The PhoneSat team at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., will continue to monitor the satellites in the coming days. The satellites

are expected to remain in orbit for as long as two weeks.

Gazarik, NASA’s associate administrator for space technolog y in Washington. “Smartphones offer a

NASA added items a

-- a larger, external lithium-ion batter y bank

onboard computer. Its sensors are used for

a whole new generation of commercial, academic

f rom space. The smartphone’s ability to send and

obser vation.

low-cost, powerful satellites for atmospheric or born applications. They also may open space to

and a more powerful radio for messages it sends

receive calls and text messages has been disabled.

square. The smartphone acts as the satellite’s attitude determination and its camera for Earth

The PhoneSat project is a technolog y

demonstration mission conceived of at Ames and funded by NASA’s Space Technolog y

can work as satellites in space. The spacecraf t

PhoneSat family of systems is part of an overall

their cameras. Amateur radio operators around

technologies for use in small- and nano-spacecraf t

monitoring transmissions and retrieving image

industr y investments in high-quality, mass-

also will attempt to take pictures of Earth using the wor ld can participate in the mission by

space technologies of the future,” said Michael

satellite needs that the smartphones do not have

will send information about their health via radio back to Earth in an effort to demonstrate they

mission make it to orbit -- the high f rontier is the

Android operating system.

Earth science, communications, or other space-

Satellites consisting mainly of the smartphones

ultimate testing ground for new and innovative

smartphone running the

wealth of potential capabilities for flying small,

and citizen-space users.”

“It ’s always great to see a space technolog y

a standard cubesat structure,

data f rom the three satellites. Large images

will be transmitted in small chunks and will

be reconstructed through a distributed ground

station network. More information can found at:

Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. The NASA Ames effort to assess commercial grade

systems to save development costs and leverage produced components. Ames has successfully completed and delivered 8 nanosatellites for launch since 2006.

http://www.phonesat.org

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p.140

p.120

p.90

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p.85

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CTIA 2013

THE Mobile Marketplace

By Robert Mesirow, Vice President and Show Director There are few guarantees in life, but one of

you implement one to maximiz e your return on

innovating new products and ser vices that disrupt

privac y for your customers and your employees?

them is that the U.S. wireless industr y will keep

and improve mobile’s role in our lives. Regard less of your profession, ever yone needs to understand how wireless can enhance our interactions with our customers and our businesses.

Many of you already know that, which is why

you’re attending CTIA 2013. This is the trade

show that will help you succeed by networking with the experts, disruptors and innovators to succeed in the North American market.

Retail: More Profits, More Efficiencies and More Oppor tunities

W ith more wireless devices than U.S. citiz ens today, you have a significant number of

opportunities. For example, smartphone accessor y revenues in 2012 were worth $20 billion, but by 2017, that will almost double in value to $38

billion. Each smartphone user will spend a little more than $56 on accessories per device. That ’s

why we introduced the iZone pavilion, sponsored

by iPhone Life Magazine. In this pavilion visitors will see the newest gadgets, accessories and gear for their Apple products.

W hen consumers visit a store, especially one that sells mobile products, many expect a “ wireless

experience,” but what does that mean? How do

investment? How do you hand le securit y and

That ’s why CTIA 2013 offers the Retail Zone,

which features a full range of products expanding the retail ecosystem, promising profitabilit y and efficienc y – f rom securit y solutions to point-ofsale and mCommerce technolog y to consumer hardware accessories.

mCommerce: W hat to Know Today and for Tomor row

The abilit y for businesses to accept credit cards using their mobile devices for a nominal fee is what most people think of when you talk

mCommerce. But that ’s only the beginning.

W ithin five years, there will be a radical shif t

to using our mobile devices as our wallets. This means that we’ ll do ever ything f rom paying for goods and ser vices to using them as our

identification. O ur wallets will be replaced by our devices.

I believe commerce is the next segment that will

be disrupted, thanks to the ubiquit y of mobile. All retailers will need to adjust to the new realit y of how consumers shop and buy, which means they need to master the best practices and skills in

order to thrive during this shif ting landscape. At

CTIA 2013, we’ve worked with Forrester Research to develop the panel, “ The Changing Face of the

“ Smartphone accessory revenues in 2012 were worth $20 billion, but by 2017, it will almost double in value to $38 billion.” 28

Robert Mesirow, Vice President and Show Director Robertert Mesirow is responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of CTIAâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;The Wireless Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business development activities, including industry interoperability initiatives, Common Short Code registries, certif ication efforts and award-winning tradeshows. In 2010, CTIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship tradeshow celebrated its 25th anniversary as the premier global mobile marketplace.

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Mobile Commerce Landscape,” which will address these ver y important issues.

your return on investment. Q uite simply, you’ ll cement your role as a wireless industr y leader.

By attending CTIA 2013, you will know what ’s happening now and what ’s on the horiz on. You’ ll have firsthand knowledge of what ’s next for the industr y, retailers and consumers so that you can determine what makes sense for you to implement at your company. Forrester Research analysts say the future of mobile development hinges on context – the sum total of what your customer has told you and experiences at their moment of mobile engagement. We’ ll help you take this wealth of information to improve your business. You’ ll learn f rom others’ mistakes and improve

I encourage you to become a disruptor. L ook at what is available today and think about how you can make it better. Disruptors are how the U.S. wireless industr y became the envy of the wor ld. But the uniting theme of leaders and disruptors in the wireless industr y is that they attend CTIA 2013. W ith more than 300,000 square feet, more than tens of thousands attendees and more than 1,000 media and analysts, CTIA 2013 is the wireless industr y. I’ ll see you there.

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WIRELESS

SCIENCE

Reaching Beyond Our Wildest Dreams By Kathy Katcher, CEO Wireless Dealer Magazine

TODAY Wireless products are really taking off these days – literally! NASA recently launched a trio of smartphones into outer space as part of its “PhoneSat” project. The goal of the project, according to the national space agency, is to determine whether a consumer-grade smartphone can be used as the main flight controller for a capable yet low-cost satellite. NASA is now sending into orbit the very same wireless devices that consumers use to talk to their friends, family and co-workers on mother earth. This is a remarkable honor to all of us working in the wireless industry as we watch NASA send into space the very same products that we sell at wireless retailers every day. Our industry continues to shape current and future generations at warp speed. Today’s generation will grow up swiping a touch screen to turn pages in online books. Wireless applications are not just about playing games. Kids today will experience the integration of wireless

technology in applications that impact their education, their health care, how they conduct commerce, what they do for travel and leisure – basically everything they touch will have some connection with wireless technology. Even some of the most mundane, everyday activities that we grew up with will become obsolete, eliminated by wireless technology. For example, soon the current generation will no longer even need keys for anything as long as they have their mobile device with them. The products and services in the wireless industry are carving lasting impressions on the youth of today – guaranteed to change behavior forever and well into the future. Think about your role in this industry.

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IMAGINE For example, what if all the handset phone case manufactures did not evolve, re-design, or deploy new phone cases to keep up with the needs of our mobile handsets as fast as the manufacturers produced new models? Would our wireless phones have the protection needed to reach the smartphone intelligence level we have today? Did that step help, even in a small way, bring about the exploding demand for data and phone applications? Thinking about the lifecycle and development of wireless production is the starting point for all of us in the wireless industry. Maybe your career began in the wireless industry ten years ago? Maybe it began last week? Every day is a beginning in this fast-paced environment.

THE FUTURE technology will forever connect us in new ways, some of which are not even yet dreamed. The foundation has been built as the next generation continues to apply wireless technology in ways we never thought possible. A whole new world of wireless awaits us all.

The consistent thread between all of us, in every stage of development in our industry, is the thought process behind bringing new ideas and products to market. To be successful in this industry, we all must be fast thinkers, smart developers, and very accomplished marketers.

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NASA Successfully Launches Three Smartphone Satellites Three smartphones destined to become low-cost

satellites rode to space S unday aboard the maiden flight of Orbital S cience Cor p.’s Antares rocket f rom NASA’s Wallops Island F light Facilit y in V irginia. The trio of “PhoneS ats” is operating in orbit, and may prove to be the lowest-cost

satellites ever flown in space. The goal of NASA’s PhoneS at mission is to determine whether a consumer-grade smartphone can be used as

the main flight avionics of a capable, yet ver y inexpensive, satellite.

Transmissions f rom all three PhoneS ats have been received at multiple ground stations on

Earth, indicating they are operating normally.

The P honeS at team at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., will continue to monitor the satellites in the coming days. The satellites

are expected to remain in orbit for as long as two weeks.

Gazarik, NASA’s associate administrator for space technolog y in Washington. “S martphones offer a wealth of potential capabilities for flying small, low-cost, powerful satellites for atmospheric or

Earth science, communications, or other spaceborn applications. They also may open space to

a whole new generation of commercial, academic and citiz en-space users.”

S atellites consisting mainly of the smartphones

will send information about their health via radio back to Earth in an effort to demonstrate they can work as satellites in space. The spacecraf t

also will attempt to take pictures of Earth using their cameras. Amateur radio operators around the wor ld can participate in the mission by

monitoring transmissions and retrieving image “It ’s always great to see a space technolog y

mission make it to orbit -- the high f rontier is the ultimate testing ground for new and innovative space technologies of the future,” said Michael

data f rom the three satellites. Large images

will be transmitted in small chunks and will

be reconstructed through a distributed ground

station network. More information can found at: http://www.phonesat.org

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NASA’s off-the-shelf PhoneS ats already have

Each smartphone is housed in

inc luding fast processors, versatile operating

measuring about 4 inches

many of the systems needed for a satellite, systems, multiple miniature

a standard cubesat structure,

sensors, high-resolution cameras, GPS receivers

and several radios. NASA engineers kept the total cost of the components for the three protot ype

satellites in the PhoneS at

project between $3,500 and $7,000 by using primarily commercial hardware and keeping the design and mission objectives to a

minimum. The hardware for this mission is the

Google-HTC Nexus One smartphone running the

Android operating system. NASA added items a

satellite needs that the smartphones do not have

square. The smartphone acts as the satellite’s

and a more powerful radio for messages it sends

attitude determination and its camera for Earth

-- a larger, external lithium-ion batter y bank

f rom space. The smartphone’s abilit y to send and

receive calls and text messages has been disabled.

onboard computer. Its sensors are used for obser vation.

The PhoneS at project is a technolog y

demonstration mission conceived of at Ames and funded by NASA’s S pace Technolog y

Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. The PhoneS at family of systems is part of an overall NASA Ames effort to assess commercial grade

technologies for use in small- and nano-spacecraf t systems to save development costs and leverage industr y investments in high-qualit y, mass-

produced components. Ames has successfully completed and delivered 8 nanosatellites for launch since 2006.

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“S martphones’ abilit y to tolerate vigorous

use makes them able to withstand the launch and space environment; and their compact,

modern electronics components make them work in the vacuum of space more easily.

Af ter we realiz ed this, we set out to explore

whether smartphones can be used as the core

components of a satellite ,” said J im Cockrell, PhoneS at project manager at Ames.

For more about information about NASA’s S mall S pacecraf t Technolog y Program and the PhoneS at mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/smallsats The P honeS at mission is a technolog y

demonstration project developed through

the agenc y ’s S mall S pacecraf t Technolog y

Program, part of NASA’s S pace Technolog y

Mission Directorate. The directorate is

innovating, developing, testing and flying hardware for use in future science and

exploration missions. NASA’s technolog y

investments provide cutting-edge solutions for

our nation’s future. For more information about

NASA’s S pace Technolog y Mission Directorate, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech

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Red Pocket Believes

FREEDOM is the Future

One prepaid brand. Two wireless technologies. Thousands of device choices. Infinite possibilities. By Michelle James

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Freedom is the Future™! So declares Red Pocket Mobile as it ushers in a new era in wireless with

contract-f ree Bring Your Own Device support on both GSM and CDMA networks.

Red Pocket ’s Freedom is the Future™ nationwide

Freedom has finally come to wireless!

campaign is sweeping the country and taking

no-contract wireless to the next level. Now, Red Pocket subscribers are not only liberated f rom a contract, they can bring any phone f rom the

best wireless networks in the US to Red Pocket Mobile. With no need to unlock their phone, a

customer can simply activate any one of thousands of devices with Red Pocket Mobile and save up to half off the price of a contract plan. It ’s that easy.

What does this mean for wireless dealers? Freedom to earn more profits! With one convenient Red

Pocket Mobile portal, a store can now easily serve anyone who walks through their door with one

branded prepaid service, whether the customer’s

needs are best met on a GSM or CDMA network. From a single dealer location, a customer can now choose his or her device, choose a no-contract

prepaid plan that fits his or her usage needs, AND have choice of network. That makes for bettertrained salespeople, shorter lines in the store,

and more satisfied customers who will refer their f riends and family.

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“ One portal, one training, multiple networks... That ’s f reedom!” “With Red Pocket Mobile, there is one portal, one

The no-contract approach to wireless has long been

salesperson training, and multiple networks to offer,”

dominant outside the US. According to the New

said Don Hendrickson, Red Pocket Mobile’s VP of

York Times, almost half of mobile phone customers

Sales. “No more switching between portals for the

in the largest European countries do not have

salesperson. No more training on multiple terminals

contracts with wireless carriers and switch phones

just to help a customer. That makes for happier

f rom one network to another with ease. In Italy,

customers and more sales!”

for example, prepaid wireless boasts 90% market share among wireless users. Prepaid subscribers also make up the vast majority

their wireless habits and are

of all wireless users in Latin America

beginning to look more like

and Asia. Judging by the size of prepaid

consumers in other parts of

wireless in Europe, Asia, and Latin

the world who have been long

America, the US no-contract wireless

accustomed to prepaying for their service. Of the phones purchased last year, 27% were prepaid, according to market research firm NPD Group, a growth of 8% f rom a year earlier. Demand for flexibility is fueling this trend in the US. The New Millennium Research Council predicted last year that the ‘middle-class mainstreaming’ of prepaid wireless would push 1 out of 3 US consumers to no-contract mobile phones and plans.

U.S. Mobile Phone Market

Americans are shifting

market is just beginning to boom!

of USA “Wireless Contracts” Up for Grabs!

of U.S. phones purchased last year were prepaid

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“ N o-contract wireless is the fastest-growing segment in the industry” “No-contract wireless is the fastest-growing segment in the industry,” said Roger Entner, Lead Analyst and Founder of Recon Analytics. “By 2015, at least 30% of wireless consumers in the USA will be on a no-contract plan. All indications are that this shift by American wireless consumers towards no-contract plans will continue for the foreseeable future.” Prepaid growth overseas has been fueled in part by how easy it is to switch operators. Nearly all overseas wireless markets are dominated by GSM technology that utilizes SIM cards. With some of the largest operators in the US using CDMA, however, switching between carriers traditionally hasn’t been so straightforward. Because CDMA networks do not use SIM cards, switching to a CDMA network usually meant having to acquire a new phone – and getting locked into another restrictive two-year contract. By introducing contract-f ree, Bring Your Own Device options on both CDMA and GSM networks, Red Pocket looks to unleash a disruptive change in the wireless market in the US that could prove tremendously beneficial to both wireless consumers and to wireless dealers. Red Pocket’s long history of success with BYOD on the nation’s largest GSM network makes the company uniquely well-qualified to bring this same approach to CDMA.

“Red Pocket Mobile is proud to be pioneering a new level of wireless f reedom on both GSM and CDMA networks,” said Red Pocket Mobile President Joshua Gordon. “Freedom is at the core of our national values, and it ’s time to bring that same sensibility to our wireless service.” Bring Your Own Device also makes sound environmental sense. The majority of consumers in the US, once their typical two-year contract is completed, have old phones sitting in a drawer or worse still, discarded. Why not activate those and use them among f riends and family? Red Pocket Mobile is a great option for utilizing existing equipment that is no longer tied to a contract – giving it life again in the hands of a f riend or family member at a f raction of the cost of a contract plan. No-contract wireless is unquestionably the future. With Red Pocket Mobile now offering ContractFree service, BYOD on both GSM and CDMA, we are convinced – f reedom is the future! And the future is Red Pocket Mobile.

To join the future of wireless, visit: GoRedPocket.com/dealers

“ F reedom is at the core of our national values, and it’s time to bring that same sensibility to our wireless service.”

~Joshua Gordan, President & CEO Red Pocket Mobile

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Spree Sets New Standard in Mobile Health Technology

Revolutionary f itness device now available for independent wireless retailers By Steve Swaim

Spree, the first fitness monitor on the market to track body temperature, movement and heart rate without using a chest strap, is widely expected to become the new “must have” workout companion for serious athletes. The smart device stands apart f rom other

fitness monitors, such as those worn around

the chest or arms, by analyzing the three most

important variables in every fitness routine – body temperature, movement and heart rate. The sleek and comfortable headband unit captures all the

real-time data needed to optimize every workout and achieve ultimate performance, then streams

the information to an easy-to-use smartphone app that charts exertion and provides visual indicators when each activity ’s goal is reached.

Spree also addresses widespread complaints

about chest straps, which can restrict breathing

and move around during exercise. Women are

especially resistant to chest straps, which are often

considered uncomfortable, awkward and restraining.

Arm and wristband units tend to be the least reliable. “We’ve all seen examples where two wrist devices were used side by side with drastically different

results in both distance traveled and calories burned, even up to 200 calories difference,” said Peter

Linke, President of Dallas, Texas-based Hothead

Technologies, Inc, which developed the proprietary technology in Spree.

Placing its advanced Performance Optimization

Device, or POD, securely in the headband allows for the most accurate body temperature reading, since the forehead is one of the best areas to measure blood flow.

“Traditional bracelets, armbands and chest straps are fine for tracking heart rates and other basic

information, but they ignore the critical element

of body temperature,” explained Linke. “Knowing the temperature at which your body reaches peak

performance is a huge advantage, and Spree is the only device that does it.”

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The POD also alerts you when you are

sufficiently warmed up prior to working out, and serves as an important line of defense against over-heating and heat stroke.

Spree measures body temperature, distance

traveled, speed, time, heart rate and calories

burned, and combines these data points into simple graphs that indicate when your body

is hitting its optimal zone. Armed with this information, you learn where your body is

burning the most calories, when it is building

the most muscle mass and at what pace you are achieving maximum endurance.

Wireless Bluetooth technology relays real-

time information f rom the headband device to the smartphone app. All the data is stored in

the unit for later download, for those without smartphones.

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“ We use the phrase ‘On Your Mark’ to describe

how Spree directs you into the ideal zone for an

optimal workout,” said Linke. “There’s simply no better way to learn how to maximize your body’s physical performance which, after all, is the ultimate goal of fitness training.”

For serious athletes committed to maximizing

their training results, Spree is the smartest fitness monitor to date. As your body adjusts to your training regimen and typical pace, it becomes

an invaluable tool. The smartphone app offers fingertip access to real-time information that

runners heretofore have never had. And though your training will still be challenging, Spree

guides you to your optimal performance zone so you feel much more in control of your progress.

Having this information can help you push your

limits every time you work out. If you knew that

yesterday you ran exactly 3.2 miles in 22 minutes, wouldn’t it be nice to have that information in

real time to go a little further, in a little less time? That is the goal. To keep challenging your body, to get a little better and a little stronger every

time you work out, regardless of whether you are doing aerobic or anaerobic exercise.

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Those tracking calorie burn will find that Spree delivers the most accurate reading

possible. Most traditional fitness devices,

including equipment commonly used the gym, rely on predetermined estimates of calorie burn based on height, weight, gender and

age. The flaw in this formula is that every

individual is unique and each person’s body

reacts differently to exercise. The POD in the Spree headband measures three key metrics during your workout to provide accurate

calorie burn data. Heart rate with motion (step count, etc.) and body temperature combine to provide a more accurate indicator of calories burned than formulaic estimates. When a

variance of 100 or 200 calories can be the difference between maintaining or losing weight, accuracy matters.

In a brief time, Spree has caused a stir in the marketplace.

In February, the cutting-edge device was named runner-up in the global M2M

Challenge Innovation competition at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona. Spree was a finalist in the

Consumer Electronics category, which

recognized novel applications “demonstrating the huge innovation potential in the world of

machine-to-machine (M2M) communication.”

More than 200 submissions were received f rom contestants in 44 countries covering energy, healthcare, mobility, security and consumer electronics.

The international accolades followed Spree’s debut to rave reviews at the International

Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas January 8-11.

“The fitness industry and global technology leaders alike have recognized the gamechanging potential of Spree, which has

compelled us to accelerate and ramp up

production to meet expected demand,” said

Linke. “It now seems clear that Spree is set to become ‘the next big thing’ in fitness.”

Available in six headband colors and powered by an advanced rechargeable battery with

eight hours of activity life, Spree also includes a built-in music control feature that enables

users to monitor their activity while enjoying digital music tracks.

For more information,

visit www.spreesports.com.

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Designed and manufactured in the good oleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; USA By WDM Staff

A discussion with Turtleback Case: An LA-based accessory manufacturer building tough products for those who work and play in a rugged environment

Even with the abundance of really sleek and smart imported products in the wireless accessories space, we are equally in awe at the quality manufacturing that is still being conducted inside the USA.

an you tell our WDM readers a little C backg round on Tur tleback?

Turtleback Case has been in the cellular case business for over 12 years. We design and manufacture all our products here in the USA. We work with several types of materials including leather, nylon, ballistic materials, metals and plastics. O ur mission is to provide our customers with superior product and g reat ser vice.

Turtleback Case is a great example. We spoke with Brian Eremita, President at Turtleback Case, to find out how he is able to keep pace with demand and competition for quality accessories in the wireless industry. From the constant new handset form factors, to the customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; changing needs of different fabrications in cases, and the pressure to remain cost competitive, Turtleback has a very interesting product offering we wanted to highlight for our readers in this issue. They are in hot pursuit to grow their distribution channels this year in the US and Canada as well as expanding abroad seeking distribution partners in South America, Asia and Europe.

W hat makes Tur tleback cases special? How would the Tur tleback team identify the lifest yle of their core customer seg ment?

Turtleback Cases are made for the individual working or playing in a rugged environment. O ur cases are form f itted for ease of use and provide quick access to communication devices. O ur heavy-duty cases are manufactured with a tough metal clip to withstand the elements and the rigors of the outdoors.

Turtleback will be exhibiting at CTIA 2013 in the iZone Area, booth #7160 if you are in Vegas you can see their rugged cases for yourself!

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How do you keep up with new product

risk of being stuck with idle inventor y, we

a retailer/dealer should stock at any one

need, when they need it, and allow us to

models? W hat is a good number of skus

recommend our customers purchase what they

– and the various categories of cases? A:

maintain and manage inventor y.

W ith the constant int roduction of new phone

W ith regards to new product models, we

maintain an inventor y be fore the model

days of a device’s launch; we are constantly

models, our customers f ind it diff icult to

typically will have a new model within 10

becomes obsolete and old inventor y becomes

int roducing new models to the market. To

idle. To minimize the

further our commitment to our customers, we commit to a 10-day NEW MODEL turnaround. and welcome and promote customer suggestions for new models. Q:

W ith so many accessories on the market, how do you separate yourself f rom the competition? O ur readers will be ver y

interested to hear more about your 2-day

Free S hipping polic y, can you share more about that? A:

As a basis for our wholesale prog ram, we understand our customers need product

FAST. O ur wholesale prog ram guarantees

our customers’ orders will be shipped via a

2-Day FREE Shipping policy anywhere in the US. We guarantee that orders placed in

the AM will be shipped the same day. Since we maintain a constant level of inventor y, customers’ orders can be processed, fulf illed and shipped in only a few hours. Q:

Can you expand on your product offering

and what you see coming in the near term

for accessories? W hat do your distributors

say about the ser vice they receive f rom the team at Turtleback?

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O ur cellular case line of product is quite

extensive and covers all car riers. We recently

responded to several suggestions for a heavyduty iPad/Tablet case, 2 way radio cases and other similar products.

I have been fortunate enough to speak with

almost all of our dealers. They often praise our teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to deliver high-quality product in short time f rames. Many of these dealers also complimented us on our g reat customer ser vice. Q:

W here can our readers find Turtleback cases today? Can you share some details with our readers about your distribution plans and expansion plans for 2013?

A: Readers may contact us directly at 818-833-8822 or through our website www.Turtlebackcase.

com. Turtleback cases are available through our

dist ributors or directly f rom us. We are cur rently expanding our dist ribution to South America,

Asia and Europe. We welcome all questions about our products and dist ribution prog rams. Q:

W hat excites the Turtleback team about

the accessories side of the wireless business

today? And, what do you see for the future?

We are ver y excited about the current line

of products, the new products scheduled to

launch, and the substantial growth through our distributors. The Turtleback Case

distribution program is simple, fast and

effective. O ur distributors are extremely

satisfied with the product line, fulfillment and high level of customer ser vice.

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Any new announcements planned while you and the team are at the

Yes, we are launching the new Turtleback Heavy D ut y Universal iPad/Tablet

CTIA W irelessÂŽ 2013 here in Las Vegas?

designed for individuals on the move. The Turtleback iPad/Tablet Universal Case will fit all 10-inch tablets available on the market. It is a heavy-dut y, screen protected, water-resistant, dirt-resistant, accessible case designed for individuals on the go. It â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designed specifically for

outdoors sporting individuals, warehouse environments, field environments and students.

C heck out the wonder ful selection of products at Tur tleback Case at

www.tur tlebackcase.com, or email

at info@tur tlebackcase.com, phone 818-833-8822.

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Spotlight on URGE Mobile

An interview with Tony Ross, President & CEO of URGE Mobile By Michelle James

As one of the strongest national Master A gents in the US, we have been fans of the team over at URGE Mobile and have been following them for the past few years. T his spr ing we sat down with their president & CEO, Tony Ross, for an update to see how things are going and to discuss the business as a whole. Tony and his team have sustained success year over year g rowth and was able to shed some light on how they have been able to do so in the prepaid arena. T heir retailer and distr ibutor prog rams seem to be really working. We hope you take the oppor tunit y to visit them dur ing this year ’s CTIA 2013 in Vegas @ Booth # 1870. Q:

Tony, g reat to catch up with you again! Okay, straight to chase… W hat has URGE Mobile been up to lately?

Michelle, it ’s always a pleasure. Wow, where do I begin? From the amazing launch of

all the TracFone Suite of P roducts (Simple

Mobile, TracFone Wireless, Net10 Wireless, Telcel America & SafeLink Wireless) to our dealer rewards ‘SPLURGE®’ Debit Master

Card)… So much has been going on! URGE Mobile has been doing what it does best… P repaid Distribution! URGE Mobile

continues to grow with month-over-month

“ ...we’ve doubled our URGE Mobile support team since this time last year.”

equally with all the programs we offer. We

have been onboarding independent retailers in such large masses that we’ve doubled our URGE Mobile support team since this time last year.

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You mentioned a ‘SPLURGE®’ Debit Master Card, can you share with our readers what that is all about?

The ‘SPLURGE®’ card is an amazing

prog ram we just launched with our retailer

/sub-dist ributor network; we now provide our retail / sub-dist ributor partners the option

to earn ‘ THEIR’ money (SPIFFS, Residuals & Bonuses) quicker and right onto their

‘SPLURGE®’ card. We are working with

some of our MVN O partners and will soon be

dist ribution space… Apparently

incentives (activation contests, Points-for-

car riers) decided that anyone who said they

providing special ‘SPLURGE®’ card holder ’s Sims prog ram and much more!). Another

card holder bene f it is retailers can use their ‘SPLURGE®’ card to purchase any URGE Mobile products without any fees! Q:

W hat about competition? It seems like ever yone’s a Master A gent these days, what makes you different?

Michelle, there is not much competition at

all in what we do. In fact, the opportunity is t remendous for quality Master Agents like URGE Mobile

to bring value, support and

opportunity to the thousands of independent retailers and sub-

dist ributors across the count r y. The fact is, ever yone thinking and being a Master Agent

are two completely different things. Ever yone thinks

were a ‘master agent ’… was. Now, we are

seeing many MVN O’s & car riers realize the

mistake that was made, build & support the t rue ‘Master Agents’ and flush out all of the basement, garage, 1-man-show operations. SIM slinging just doesn’t work. Retailers

and Car riers alike deser ve and need more. At URGE Mobile, we pride ourselves on

building and g rowing relationships. From

commission’s management to logistics… O ur

state of the art dist ribution facility provides

“ From commission’s management to logistics… Our state of the art distribution facility provides a ton of support for all retailers.”

a ton of support for all retailers. Retailers are tired of working with dist ributors that aren’t

set up to properly support their business. At URGE Mobile,

we in fact work with quite a

few Sub-Master Agents (subdist ributors) and provide

them with our White Label

Dist ribution Solution P rog ram;

they’re a ‘Master Agent ’! We joke at the off ice

we handle all their back-end logistics (dealer

the prepaid

boarding of retailers, etc.) and allow them to

regarding the explosion of ‘Master Agents’ in

many MVN O’s (and even some major

commission payments, shipping, returns, ondo what they do best… sell.

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How has URGE Mobile kept pace?

ver y good for its cur rent Master Agents,

Would it be considered rude or ar rogant if I

has set it ’s target on the indirect channel and

was to say that URGE doesn’t ‘ keep pace’… we set it! Michelle, look at life in general and how much changed over a 10 year

period… Consumers consume differently.

We are living in an amazing time, a time

where only the most innovative, agg ressive and supportive originations prevail. We are seeing it in ALL

indust ries. URGE Mobile appreciates each and ever y

relationship. We t reat our customers like gold… we

make sure there updated,

t rained and stocked with

all the latest and g reatest.

O ur network of loyal dealers

Unlike, traditional MVNO’s, TracFone is

huge company. Today, TracFone ser ves over

21 million customers across 5 brands. Their revenues are now over $4 Billion and the

company has been prof itable since 2001. In

1999, they became a subsidiar y of America

Movil (NYSE: AMX), who is

one of the largest communication companies in the world and

the dominant ser vice provider in Mexico and most of Latin America. At the end of June

2012, America Movil had 252 million wireless customers and

over 313 million total customers

enjoys weekly ‘ Get URGEd ’ conference calls,

(wireless, landline and TV ). They have

and now Wordivate text mobile dealer

Verizon combined. TracFone has scale, they

updates. At URGE Mobile we don’t just sell phones and offer wireless ser vice… we build relationships!

From your perspective, has the TracFone

acquisition of Simple Mobile changed the business and if so, how?

has made it clear, it will own the channel.

“ The TracFone acquisition of Simple Mobile is very good for its current Master Agents, Retailers and Sub-Distributors...”

email communications, Facebook, twitter

Retailers and Sub-Dist ributors. TracFone

G reat question, you really have been

following the business haven’t you… The

TracFone acquisition of Simple Mobile is

more wireless customers than AT&T and

are well capitalized, prof itable and they have signif icant wholesale relationships with all

4 of the major US car riers (AT&T, Verizon,

Sprint and T-Mobile). They deliver customers ser vice on the “same networks, provide

customers with the same phones, all at a much lower cost ”. Sor r y if I ’m rambling… perhaps

I should have just said, yes; the acquisition is

Simple Mobile by TracFone is a good thing for URGE Mobile – Cur rently we are one of the largest distribution partners for TracFone.

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Any new announcements planned while you and the

Michelle, we are discussing our ‘SPLURGE®’ Debit

team are at the CTIA Wireless® 2013 in Las Vegas?

Master Card for our dealer network at CTIA as well as unveiling our URGE Mobile StoreInABox™ program! The URGE Mobile ‘StoreInABox™’ program offers

retailers a onestop source for opening a new mobile

store. We walk a potential retailer through from A-to-Z; from the legal structuring of their business entity to their lease negations. We provide effective retail plan-o-grams as well as successful sales strategies. We recognize in this highly competitive business and with all of the changes

and confusion. Retailers truly need a partner to succeed;

For more infor mation about URGE Mobile, visit www.URGEmobile.com. CTIA Booth # 1870.

not just a distributor. At URGE Mobile, we strive to be the very best partner for all our retail channels.

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Wireless Workshop: Flashing Forward By Michelle James This spring, 114,000+ people petitioned the US

government to re-legaliz e unlocking cell phones

allowing customers to use their existing wireless devices, inc luding tablets, to move between carriers of their choice. Now, the O bama

administration and FCC have responded to the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request and have asked Congress to

implement a legislative solution to this issue. The over whelming response f rom the people

is a testament to the popularit y of cell phone unlocking and flashing. Consumers demand

the right to take their handsets to the carrier of their choice, making unlocking and flashing an excellent opportunit y for wireless retailers to

provide this ser vice to consumers who wish to move between carriers.

W hat is flashing?

F lashing is to CDMA phones what Unlocking is to GSM phones. F lashing is the term used for changing a CDMA phoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s settings to

work with a different carrier. For example, if a

customer has a Veriz on phone and they want to make it work with Cricket ser vice, the phone needs to be flashed with special sof tware.

C hoosing a flashing sof tware par tner W ireless Workshop has 30 years of combined

flashing, unlocking, sof tware development and

wireless retail experience. Chris Fox, president of W ireless Workshop, and his partners have been in the trenches since the ear ly days of flashing and know what dealers need to be profitable and productive.

W ireless Workshop was founded out of a need

to address concerns with other flashing sof tware companies that have fallen behind in supporting new models and lack proper technical support. The W ireless Workshop team is dedicated to model support and technical support, adding new models of ten.

Most phone models c an be ful l y flashed, meaning that WEB and MMS wil l work

correctl y on the ne w c arr ier. S ome phones c an onl y be basic flashed, meaning that it wil l suppor t Talk and Text onl y. W ireless

Workshop str ives to pro vide dealers the most ful l y flashed models.

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How to use flashing ser vices to g row your business

Chris adds, “I thought the same thing at first,

designed to help dealers maximiz e their profits

problems. Most dealers either flash phones

as wireless dealers and phone flashers enables

This leads to extra stress and cost that can be

The W ireless Workshop sof tware has been

per week flashing, researching and fixing flash

and increase productivit y. Their experience

themselves or have one flashing employee.

them to bring independent wireless retailers a

eliminated by W ireless Workshop.”

F lashing is becoming more and more popular as smartphones increasingly penetrate the market.

How many times have you lost a flash sale because you didn’t know how to flash that new model?

and want to take their expensive smartphones

consider selecting a flashing par tner wh o is

to their product offering because W ireless

you lost a flashing sale bec ause you weren’t

with its simple and easy to use interface.

up? Dealers should select flashing sof t ware

S ome dealers, who already know how to flash,

use to assist customers.

great choice in automated flashing.

Customers want f reedom of choice in carriers

This is the pr imar y reason dealers should

with them. Dealers can quickly add flashing

up to date on models. How many times have

Workshop greatly reduces the learning cur ve

available or your “flashing guy ” didn’t show

might ask why they need W ireless Workshop?

then I realiz ed that I was spending 15+ hours

that e ven their most junior sales person c an

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How does automated flashing work?

Craigslist with excellent results. We flash an

the right flashing sof tware. The W ireless

extra monthly income of $4,000 or more per

F lashing phones is much less complicated with

average of 3 phones per day and that adds an

Workshop flashing solution is a fully automated

store to our bottom line. F lashing is growing in

web-based sof tware sold as unlimited monthly subscription or pay-per-use. Their solution

popularit y because more customers want to save money by keeping their existing smartphones.

boasts the fewest keystrokes, simple user

I recommend that ever y wireless dealer look

models are preloaded inside the sof tware

more reliable than ever before with W ireless

interface, and takes only minutes to use. All

into phone flashing, it is easier, faster and

making it fast and easy to ser vice customers in

Workshop.”

little training, and is fully supported by live

chat online and by phone with their experienced customer support team.

For more information about flashing and W ireless Workshop, visit www.wirelessworkshop.com

In addition to the automated flashing tools,

Ar tic le references:

store. W ireless Workshop sof tware requires ver y

W ireless Workshop also offers an Advanced

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_ Business/2013/db0304/DOC-319250A1.pdf

and repair features to fix Android issues.

“FCC Chair Genachowski calls for action on cell phone unlocking.”

Workshop to find SPC and user lock codes to

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/its-time-legaliz ecell-phone-unlocking

CDMA tool for advanced flashing options

S ome rec yc ling companies even use W ireless

c lear data f rom used rec yc led phones. Dealers

collecting rec yc led phones can easily erase data

“ W hitehouse response”

by finding lock codes, SPC or MSL (master subsidy lock) to reset phones.

F lashing phones is both an excellent business

opportunit y and environmentally responsible, helping keep thousands of phones out of landfills.

Marketing flashing ser vices

Here’s a tip: W ireless Workshop suggests dealers should all be advertising flashing

availabilit y at their stores using Craigslist for f ree! According to Chris Fox, president of

W ireless Workshop, “Phone flashing has been a huge part of my business for the last 10 years.

My Cricket stores advertise phone flashing on

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PrepaYd Just Got Easier

More commissions, more promotions, more plans. An interview with Josh Berman, president of PrepaYd Wireless By WDM Staff

PrepaYd W ireless, a wireless ser vice provider offers ‘no contract ’ wireless plans on the nationwide through the S print Network. Their prepaid monthly plans are a great alternative in the growing trend to buck traditional postpaid plans. PrepaYd W ireless has become an established brand and has gained popularit y with many wireless dealers af ter the release of Bring Your O wn S print Phone. We sat down with Josh Berman, president and founder at PrepaYd W ireless to inquire what is new in this exciting growth area, and what ’s coming next. Q: How BYOSP has changed PrepaYd W ireless? A: Things couldn’t be more exciting for us! I ’d like to thank our Sprint account management team and the entire Sprint Wholesale Group which has been phenomenal with the innovation and partnership approach we’ve had with programs like BYOSP which has now become a fundamental part of our business. When we were selected to be one of the f irst Sprint MVNOs to offer Bring Your O wn Sprint Phone, we knew we had a golden opportunity before us. Flashing Sprint Phones to other CDMA Car riers and MVNOs has been around for years but it ’s been a historical policy to not allow any type of BYOD onto the Sprint Network. Since there’s no unlocking or flashing required, BYOSP is a cheap and less-risky way to activate customer’s phones on P repaYd. What has changed with P repaYd is we’re no longer the new guys in wireless. We knew we had a nar row window of time to set the standards for Sprint BYOP so instead of waiting for the documentation and lessons learned, we took it upon ourselves to be the leader and master the process. We did this overnight by creating our own software, scripts, approval algorithms, and internal policies for troubleshooting thousands of new compatible Device SKUs. In fact, we cur rently have a Database with over 2500 known Device SKUs compatible with BYOSP with information on programming, incompatible features, tutorials, and troubleshooting steps and tips. We know these little things go a long way and that providing a reliable, user f riendly experience is absolutely critical for our Dealers and Customer ’s demands and is probably the reasons why we’ve had such good feedback and success with BYOSP.

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innovative ser vices, and to take P repaYd W ireless to the next level. Through our partnership with epay, we’ve started offering dealer ACH spiffs

in March, RTR payments in April, and will be Q: How the DMCA affects PrepaYd Wireless?

What does this mean for the wireless community? A: The non-renewal of the unlocking cell

phone exemption hasn’t negatively affected our activations or our BYOSP P rog ram. In fact,

BYOSP is in full compliance with any regulations

for unlocking handsets. We technically don’t unlock handsets and have an ag reement with Sprint

gaining car rier approval for each handset that

epay Terminals by summer. It ’s been exciting times for us to say the least. This is just the beginning.

There are more innovative ser vices coming down the pipeline this year! Another reason we’ve

partnered with epay has been to increase out

visibility with dealers and dist ribution channel

partners allowing us to provide an unparalleled level of dealer support.

is activated on BYOSP. There are limitations to

Q: There is such a big play now across carriers to

for Sprint-branded handsets only. We do not have

PrepaYd Wireless create your own dealer niche?

Devices. ESN/MEIDs reported as lost, stolen, or as

A: Being the new breed of the Sprint MVN O in

MEIDs that are cur rently active with an MDN

have been so concent rated on GSM and with other

BYOSP though, Bring Your O wn Sprint Phone is

approval to activate iPhones, Blackber ries or PT T f raudulent are not approved in addition to ESN/

within the Sprint Network (Sprint Retail, Boost,

V irgin, P repaYd, etc.). We do hope that regulation changes again soon. We are not successful if our dist ribution partners cannot maintain

prof itability with their entire product lineup. The

new rest rictions on unlocking cell phones can make it harder for some dealers to keep the lights on. I f

regulation doesn’t change, we believe other MVN Os will be offering similar car rier approved BYOP prog rams.

foster and build the prepaid business, how does

itself is our niche! Dealers and master agents

CDMA coverage products that, at times, we f ind ourselves making the business case for why they

should start car r ying a Sprint coverage product again. Sprint coverage products have car ried a negative stigma with many master agents and

dealers due to the former lack of BYOD rest rictions and limitations on which handsets could be sold

by dealers. For those that did sell them, odds are they only sold Boost or V irgin Mobile. When

those car riers started changing their policies and

Q: We understand PrepaYd W ireless just

compensation st ructures for multi-car rier dealers,

your dealer channels?

dealer-f riendly approach is where word of mouth

A: We have st rategically partnered with epay to

the word about how P repaYd represents a new

in order to improve our rate st ructures, offer more

start selling a Sprint coverage products again!

mig rated to epay. W hat does this mean for

manage the payments for our retail dist ribution

offering P repaYd W ireless Activations through

it was the f inal st raw for many. BYOSP and our has been our ally lately as Dealers are spreading

breed of Sprint MVN Os giving them a reason to

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Q: Knowing dealers have a lot of choice when

handling both dealer and customer ser vice calls,

choose to alig n themselves with, what makes

dealer support and for Spanish customer ser vice.

it comes to which car r iers and MVNOs they PrepaYd different?

A: By being the best at what we do and always looking for ways to improve and working f rom

the g round up. We consider our dealers and master agents to be our colleagues and the insight we’ve

gained f rom them has been invaluable to us. As a

dealer once told me, there tends to be a new MVN O that launches ever y 20 minutes so being the best

however we use our Tier 2 customer ser vice for

In addition to always having live customer ser vice available, we provide SMS notif ications to

subscribers, Live Chat and an interactive Support Help Desk in which our customers and dealers can open t rouble tickets without having to call us. Q: Can you expand on the details of your pr icing strateg y?

at what we do is mission critical. O ur dealer

A: P repaYd W ireless st rives to offer fair,

the best sales tools to promote and support their

compromising quality. We assure our customers and

success formula is to offer a prof itable product with customers. We take g reat pride in our dealer portal, which is loaded full of t raining resources, dealer

tools for activations, self-customer care, resource

guides, a retail shop, and t ransparent reporting for all parties.

Q: Tell our readers about how you approach your customer ser vice.

A: Customer ser vice is absolutely critical for us.

Customers have too many options when selecting a

prepaid wireless car rier and we have to constantly work on improving our customer ser vice especially as we’re g rowing and adding new enhancements. I f the customer experience was always per fect,

there would be no reason to have live support, so we use customer ser vice as a data mining tool by

monitoring calls and chats to learn how to improve our communication, t raining, policies and our

ser vice. O ur live customer ser vice operates out of

two call centers; Tier 1 Customer Ser vice is located in the Philippines, which is open 24x7x365, and Tier 2 Customer Ser vice located in our cor porate

off ice in California and is open 6 days per week. Both call centers are t rained and capable of

competitive, and g reat value pricing without

dealers that they are getting what they pay for by ensuring we can provide high usage thresholds,

incor porate any applicable taxes, and have enough margins to continue to compensate our dist ribution fairly. It ’s funny when thinking back to when we

launched our $35 Unlimited Talk and Text Plan we got a lot of

attention for being so low. W ill our prices stay the same? P robably not. As our costs go down we pass the

savings through to our customers

and we’re cur rently re-evaluating our plans to see where we can

make some adjustments. Now over the past year, there’s been a lot of

desperation f rom some of the newer ent rants that enter the prepaid

market with a new MVN O launching ever y month with prices lower than the MVN O that launched the month be fore. One newbie even markets

Unlimited Talk and Text as low as $16 per month but stacks taxes and worse, adds some myster y

technolog y and recover y fees. What is considered unlimited with these newer ent rants is the real

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myster y. 4,000 voice minutes and 2GB data caps

is not unlimited by our standards. O ur customers want assurance there phone numbers won’t be

disconnected and our dealers care too much about

their reputations with the brands they sell which is probably the key reason these newer ent rants haven’t been able to gain any momentum with their activations.

Q: We heard a little r umor, you now have ILD plans available, is that tr ue?

A: Yes it is! We’ve been excited to offer an ILD add-on since be fore launching P repaYd. We’ve

partnered with an ILD provider so we can offer Unlimited International Calling to over 50

count ries for $10 per month. We have a Custom

Dialing Code of *626 to initiate ILD Calls f rom

Q: PrepaYd only offers Unlimited P lans Today, will PrepaYd offer any other t ypes of P lans?

A: As part of our service upgrade, we will be releasing Pay-as-You-Go Plans for PrepaYd Wireless! We’ve held back from offering Pay-as-You-Go in the past so we wouldn’t spread ourselves too thin. The prepaid market continues to move towards no contract unlimited plans, however as a niche product we have to be a onestop shop for multi-carrier dealers when it comes to their Sprint product and we’re now in a position to offer competitive pay-as-you-go rate plans without compromising quality. Since April we’ve started offering Customers and Dealers femtocell Devices which can be added as a free add-on service to any PrepaYd Wireless Plan to enhance reception at homes and Dealer Locations. We’re also researching and planning future add-ons for handset insurance and broadband plans.

any P repaYd Phone. Most count ries are limited

Q: W hat does Josh

is unlimited. We also have ILD Pay-Go that can

not working?

to Landlines only with this plan but the usage

be purchased in $10 increments for calling 100+ count ries with rates are under .01/minute for many destinations.

Q: W hen will you expand to inc lude LTE

coverage and what will that mean for your dealer par tners?

A: 4G LTE will be made available to all P repaYd

W ireless customer and dealers by end Summer 2013! LTE is being released by us as part of a larger

ser vice upgrade we’re in the process of releasing.

Ber man do when you are

A: I ’m a travel and

adrenaline junkie! My

goal is to make at least one trip per year to somewhere

new. I just got back f rom South Af rica and did

some amazing Great White Shark cage diving! I

did the world ’s highest bungee swing by jumping off the world cup stadium in Durban and am planning to do my f irst solo skydive this summer. I won’t be breaking the sound bar rier any time soon though!

Sprint LTE Coverage is becoming available in most urban markets this year and we see great

opportunities to offer great quality coverage at

P repaYd prices. One of the benef its of us being a Sprint MVNO is that we’re not restricted f rom

certain Sprint In-Network Coverage and are given access to 4G LTE and 4G WiMAX Data Coverage.

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For more information about PrepaYd W ireless. visit www.PrepaYdW ireless.com.

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Consumer Electronics Association

A Tale of Two Techs By Danielle Cassagnol

Control the air conditioner unit f rom your smartphone. Turn off the porch light f rom your tablet. From appliance control, to healthcare devices, to automobiles- consumers are seeking to understand and capitaliz e on the benefits of â&#x20AC;&#x153;the internet of things,â&#x20AC;? and wireless connectivit y is quickly becoming an important requirement in consumer â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives.

2013 CES Photographer | John Magana

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As seen at the 2013 International CES and CTIA

smartphones to take pictures (92 percent) or get

center stage on the consumer electronics (CE)

use their device to play games (78 percent) and

2013, it is c lear wireless technolog y has taken

stage. And it shows no signs of slowing down.

directions (85 percent) while tablet owners mostly watch videos (66 percent).

Although the t ypes of activities conducted on

smartphones and tablets tend to var y, the t ypes of apps used on a regular basis are relatively consistent across the two devices - social

networking, games and weather. Apps geared

toward more time-intensive activities such as games, books and education are more likely

to be found on a tablet than on a smartphone where navigation and photo/video apps are

more popular. O verall, individuals purchase or download approximately 13 apps on their

smartphone and 15 apps on their tablet upon purchasing the device. Regard less of when CEA research finds smartphone sales will see

continued growth in 2013 and will remain the

primar y revenue driver for the industr y. S hipment revenues for smartphones are expected to reach

$37 billion in 2013, with more than 125.8 million units shipping to dealers, up 16 percent f rom

2012. Tablet computers also are expected to see

phenomenal growth. In 2013, unit sales of tablets are projected to sur pass 105 million (up 54

percent), resulting in $35.6 billion in shipment revenue, up 22 percent year-over-year.

approximately 28 apps downloaded on their

device, using an average of nine of those apps regular ly.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shipment revenues for smartphones are expected to reach $37 billion in 2013, with more than 125.8 million units shipping to dealers, up 16 percent from 2012.â&#x20AC;?

The incredible smartphone and tablet sales growth

S martphone owners indicate their use of some

all times. According to the CEA study A Tale of

that â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say their single task devices are

illustrates consumers desire to stay connected at

Two Techs: S martphone and Tablet Adoption and Usage, the majorit y of consumers are adopting

smartphones and tablets in order to browse the internet (85 percent of smartphone owners, 92

percent of tablet owners) and to check email (89

percent of smartphone owners, 83 percent of tablet owners). S pecifically, most consumers use their

104

they purchase, most consumers currently have

standalone devices has decreased. However,

being replaced entirely. For instance, among 80 percent of smartphone owners who were

using or are presently using a digital camera, 44 percent report using their digital camera less

af ter purchasing a smartphone, while only seven percent have abandoned the device altogether. The standalone devices feeling the greatest

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impact of abandonment among mobile device

technolog y per vasive throughout the show.

devices and camcorders. S martphones and tablets

across the mobile-connected universe, inc luding

owners are portable MP3 players, portable GPS are among the top CE products mobile device owners indicate they plan to purchase in the

coming year with 39 and 20 percent planning to purchase them respectively. W hile there is

evidence that consumers are gravitating towards

multi-pur pose devices, they still see the benefits

for using standalone devices for particular tasks.

At least one in five mobile device owners indicate

plans to purchase HDTVs (25 percent) or a laptop

or netbook computer (22 percent) in the next year. Consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; desire for ubiquitous connectivit y was in full evidence at the 2013 CES with wireless

CES exhibitors unveiled wireless technologies

advancements in accessories, the c loud, e-books, embedded technolog y, smartphones and tablets. W ith more than 1,200 exhibitors showcasing

wireless technologies, it was a record year with keynote addresses, supersessions, conference

tracks and TechZones all dedicated solely to future trends in wireless technolog y.

W ireless connectivit y can provide immense value in consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives and mobile connected devices

are driving the CE industr y as consumers seek to stay connected anywhere, anytime.

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Your Wireless, Your Way. Chit Chat Mobile,

Breaking the Price Barrier By WDM Staff

Chit Chat Mobile offers unlimited talk and text for as little as $19.99 plus taxes per month. Customers can hardly believe it. Where’s the catch? We didn’t find one.

Customers can purchase any Adroid phone of their

Chit Chat Mobile is able to pack a punch on a

deductible on a cost-basis if customer damage.

nationwide backbone and the reliability of the Sprint network. Consumers are in constant search for low cost unlimited voice and text and with Chit Chat Mobile they can have just that. For customers who need to read their email on the go, update their Facebook or surf the Internet using high speed bandwith, Wi-Fi access is available in most locations. For an extra five bucks, customers can even purchase a data package of 100MB (3G/4G depending upon location) for those who must have data in their pocket at all times.

106

choice, smarphone or feature phone, and pair it with the Chit Chat Mobile plans. Additionally, Chit Chat Mobile offers manufacturer factory refurbished phones at a f raction of the cost of paying full retail with other providers. Chit Chat Mobile also offers handset protection for $3.99 per month available for all devices purchased f rom Chit Chat Mobile. These plans include no deductible if manufacture defect and small Customers can also purchase Chit Chat Mobile phones on Amazon and Ebay. The owners of Chit Chat Mobile have been in the wireless business for more than 15 years – they know price is a barrier to any service plan. That’s why at Chit Chat Mobile they focus on the enduser – not the wireless bill! Consumers get to choose how much they want to use their phone, and pay for as much as they need, whenever they like.

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Currently, there are more than 300 dealers

Chat Mobile to give our value-conscious customers

nationwide selling Chit Chat Mobile service plans.

peace of mind knowing they will never lose their

The company has plans in action to grow that

data.” There are two CWSSecureDrive® payment

number to 2,500 dealers, with subscribers topping

options available to Chit Chat Mobile customers:

100,000 this year. Now, that ’s an aggressive

12, 24 and 36 monthly payment plans starting at

growth plan! How will they make this possible?

$3.95 per moth or the best priced 1, 2 and 3 year

For starters, Globalgroup Investment Holdings

single payment plan starting at only $39.95 per year.

(GIHI), a developmental supplier of proprietary technology solutions for payment and collections,

In summary, Chit Chat Mobile is carving a

inked a deal this spring to become a Master

valuable niche with the value-conscious consumer

Dealership for Chit Chat Mobile services within

by offering some of the lowest unlimited talk and

Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas metro areas. GIHI

text we have seen to date. Plus, they are offering

plans to open several stores in the DFW area this

added-value services, also at remarkable pricing, to

year as well as convert existing metro prepaid

help even the most value-conscious consumer

wireless dealers into Chit Chat Mobile

know their data is safe and secure.

dealers. Just in this one metro market, this will boost the Chit Chat Mobile subscribers by 6,000!

With locations nationwide including DFW, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso

Another area of growth Chit

just to name a few, Chit

Chat Mobile has expanded is

Chat Mobile is actively

their data protection services.

looking to grow their

They have aligned with Computer Warranty Services

dealer network in Phoenix, Los Angeles and Denver.

to offer customers the option to protect their data, music and

There is no fee to start. Dealers

videos accessible directly f rom

make money on the f rontend. Sprint

their smartphone or tablet.

being a semi-open market, dealers have a huge advantage. If you are interested in seeking more

108

This service is called CWSSecureDrive® and

information about how to become a Chit Chat

operates as an unlimited cloud backup and storage

Mobile dealer today, contact their team at dealer@

functionality using a simple portal. According

chitchatmobile.com or reach them by phone

to James Gentry, Director of Operations of Chit

weekdays between 9am 6pm CST at

Chat Holdings, USA, “CWSSecureDrive® is an

1-855-440-3464. Check out our website

important addition to the services offered at Chit

at www.chitchatmobile.com

109

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Building an Online Wireless Accessories Store

Thinking about extending your brick and mortar store to capture a completely different audience online? Or maybe you would like to better service your existing store traffic using access to online inventory to avoid potential out-of-stock scenarios? Check out these tips, hints and ‘how to’s’ from Bazoing! By WDM Staff

Do you depend on foot traffic for your wireless retail store … Really?

The same rapid advancements in the products you sell have put a legitimate e-commerce

website, fully linked to your local operation,

easily within your reach. You don’t need a chain

of warehouses or a block on the main boulevard

If you’re still depending on foot traffic and

to compete for customers online. W ith

you’re getting all the digits you should f rom

dealer websites, for instance, you could be up

print ads, you may want to ask yourself whether

S outhern California-based BaZoing! wireless

your digital business.

and running with your own website - rivaling

There’s no shame, and you’re not alone, but it ’s

little as $50 a month.

21st Centur y. Because today ’s consumers, if they

BaZoing! actually creates your own instant

going to ask your advice, instead they are going

on handsets and rate plans f rom your wireless

time to get serious and get into business in the

your wireless carriers’ web offerings - for as

are not standing in your store, they are not

website with automatically loaded information

to Google.

carriers. It also comes with opt-in email lists,

And it doesn’t take an orac le to know that your

importantly of all, your store and location

signage storef ront has no chance for that sale,

down-low price.

case, you are putting yourself at a distinct and

“ There’s no shame, and you’re not alone, but it ’s time to get serious”

foot-traffic-dependent, print-ad buying, nice-

the latest industr y news and, perhaps most

information. It packs a lot of upside for a ver y

because you don’t have a website. If that ’s the

unnecessar y disadvantage. There is, of course, good news. In fact, there’s nothing but good news, because if you have little or no online presence, there is nowhere to go but up.

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Go for some f ree upgrades and you’ve got yourself a

Imagine that hard-to-please customer just about

of a ton of products you never have to touch or

because you don’t have the specific Bluetooth they

wireless accessory store that makes you the retailer shelve. It comes pre-loaded with more than 8,000

came in search of at your store. With BaZoing!

cases, Bluetooth headsets, car chargers and power

customer is still in your store, and have it delivered

the new EVAP solution to rescue a wet smartphone.

for them to drive anywhere else other than home.

but not eating into your inventory dollars.

you probably couldn’t deliver without the help of

of the hottest new products. We’re talking iPhone

you can help them find it on your site, while your

adapters and even some nifty new eye-catchers like

to their home or office. No bag to carry, no reason

All of these products are loaded on your website,

You’ve done them – and yourself – a huge service

It basically gives your sales personnel access to

a gigantic inventory in a network of warehouses

minus the worry of managing indivdual skus. It ’s

the perfect scenario: no risk, all reward. You only pay for the products you sell. BaZoing! helps

you dial the whole thing in for your bottom line. You don’t need to build a bunch of relationships

with importers or warehousing partners. For the

e-commerce accessory store, BaZoing! partnered with a leading wireless accessories manufacturer

and distributor, iCella. They fulfill all the orders for BaZoing! dealers by blind drop-shipping directly to your customer.

116

to leave your store, money still in their pockets,

something like BaZoing!

BaZoing! recommends promoting your web address pretty much everywhere, from your POS receipts,

business cards, to your print advertising and email

campaigns. Some dealers fly banners to get the web

address out there. After all, if they see the address as they pass in the daytime, they may just check it out

later. Why stop selling just because the store is closed? Another great detail that comes with the ecommerce store option: You set the prices.

Determine your margin. And you’re not limited to the pre-loaded inventory, you can put your

own stock online, right there with your drop-ship

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shadow inventory. Dealers that sell unlocked GSM

processing fee that eats away at a merchant’s

particularly appealing.

phone at 2 a.m. anyway. Properly managed, your

phones or other electronics may find this option

The revenue potential doesn’t stop there. How

about another little sliver of the prepaid phone

market? That’s right, BaZoing! can cut you in on the 30-day “top up” action. BaZoing!, it seems,

hates to pass up a revenue opportunity. But then again, who does? Major carriers like Cricket,

profit. But you weren’t going to “top up” someone’s commissions f rom this service alone could cover

your monthly BaZoing! fee. BaZoing! got off the

ground back in 2008 at Wireless Dealer Magazine’s very first Expo. Founder, Tom Hanberg, likes

to point out his custom site-building company,

Skyhound Internet, has been around since 1998.

Simple Mobile, T-mobile , AT&T and Verizon are

He says it was his experience owning and running

to add Boost, Metro and other prepaid carriers.

for BaZoing!

currently participating. BaZoing! says it is working

Their partnership with Clear Line Mobile and Cell Partners brings a complete airtime refill option

to your website. Your customer can go online any time of the day and add minutes to their phone. The phone numbers are authenticated before

the customer is charged (in case the customer

accidently enters their home phone number or

an incorrect number) and the minutes are loaded in near real time. Dealers will make a generous

commission f rom every top up just like they would

two wireless retail stores that gave him the vision

“Solid solution, reasonable price,” according to Tom Hanberg, “It really is as simple as that.” You be the judge. Test drive BaZoing! They are offering a 5-day free trial redeemable at www.bazoing.com or by calling 800-927-3074. Wireless Dealer Magazine readers can save $50 on the initial setup fee by entering referral code WDMS when signing up.

in store. The only obvious drawback is the online

117

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118

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Because there is more than just one handset...

Griffin’s most popular accessories come in all shapes and sizes. The iP hone collection of accessories of ten grabs the head lines, which is understandable since iOS has grown to an impressive 39% of the overall US handset market share. However, the other 61% of the

marketplace still needs accessories to fit Android, Blackberr y, W indows and other platform products too. In steps Griffin with their exciting f resh lineup of S amsung Galaxy S4 accessories, plus a few new developments in their already robust iOS accessor y offering.

Gr iffin Technolog y, one of the wor ld ’s foremost creators of innovations for ever yday life,

introduced their line-up of cases and chargers for the

new S amsung Galaxy S4 this spring. Griffin has created a

variet y of st yles and colors to suit users’ needs, along with wall and car chargers featuring Griffin’s ChargeS ensor technolog y.

L eading the line-up is the

S ur vivor Militar y-

D ut y Case, Griffin’s most protective case.

Designed to meet or exceed US Department of Defense S tandard 810G, S ur vivor is built on a shatter-resistant

polycarbonate f rame and c lad in rugged, shock-absorbing silicone. This combination of materials protects against dirt, sand, rain, shock, vibration, and a host of other

environmental factors. S ur vivor for S amsung Galaxy S4

comes equipped with a belt c lip and will be available in black, pink, and blue.

“...innovations for everyday life...” 120

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ultra-thin, hard-shell design protects, yet adds only 1.6 millimeters in thickness, with slim rubber edges that

cushion and grip. Reveal for Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in black, purple, and blue.

With its clean lines and functional design, Griffin’s

Midtown Wallet case is

appropriate for any occasion. The Midtown Wallet holds the Samsung Galaxy S4, cards, cash and

paper, keeping everything protected and organized. This compact, one-piece folio flips open to reveal the Samsung Galaxy S4 touchscreen, then closes for privacy and protection.

Samsung Galaxy S4 will get the perfect charge

PowerBlock Universal AC charger with Griffin ChargeSensor technology. PowerBlock

with Griffin’s low-profile

works with any AC power source f rom 100 to 240

volts, delivering safe, efficient 10 watt charging for smartphones, tablets, and e-readers. ChargeSensor technology determines the charging needs of any

S ur vivor S kin for S amsung Galaxy S4 is a tough, resilient silicone case that is

perfect for absorbing impact and vibration. It

is protective enough to pass militar y-standard

tests, yet slim enough to fit easily into a pocket. S ur vivor S kin for S amsung Galaxy S4 will be available in black, pink, and blue.

The sleek one-piece design of Griffin’s

Reveal case

lets the beauty of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 shine through,

even as it shields the phone from the outside world. The

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connected device and delivers appropriate charging levels.

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PowerJolt Universal with ChargeSensor sports a low-profile plug for the car ’s 12 volt accessor y outlet and a powerful 10 watt

charging circuit to charge S amsung Galaxy S4 and other compatible mobile devices quickly and safely. An LED

power indicator glows to signal that the device is ready to

charge, and its internal S martFuse circuit breaker, protects

against power fluctuations with no need to ever replace fuses. Griffin’s new cases for the S amsung Galaxy S4 will be available in June

2013. PowerBlock and PowerJolt Universal chargers with ChargeS ensor are available now.

Go ahead. Take the plunge. And take your iPhone with you. The

Sur vivor + Catalyst Waterproof Case is

Griffin’s new waterproof case for iPhone 5. And you’re going to love

what it lets you do. They combined beautiful, waterproof design with

the easiest-to-use functional case you’ve ever met. Designed and built for f reedom near and in the water, Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof is

ready to go whenever and wherever adventure calls. Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof keeps the water away f rom your iPhone in water almost 10 feet deep, without sacrificing the ability to grab photos and video, take calls, surf, listen to audio ... even plug in to recharge your batteries.

Wherever life’s adventure takes you, your iPhone is going to capture and share the experience. Keep it all safe and dry with Survivor + Catalyst

Waterproof Case. The Survivor + Catalyst partnership brings together

Catalyst Lifestyle’s innovative design & development team in consumer lifestyle accessories with Griffin’s 20 years of experience as one of the most established companies in the iOS accessory space, to bring the

world’s best waterproof cases and related accessories to the market, that are superior in design, quality, functionality, and usability. Griffin will be featuring exciting

choices, ingenuity and a plethora of designs

onsite during CTIA 2013. Stop by and see

their team!

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About Griffin Technology Founded on Paul Griffin’s kitchen table in 1992, Griffin Technology Inc., is today one of the world’s foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile, and personal technology. Unique products such as iTrip®, PowerMate®, iFM®, iMic® and Evolve® Wireless Speaker System have broken new ground

in consumer electronics and created loyal fans the world over. Today, Griffin products are conceived,

designed and developed in-house and continue to push the envelope of the industr y they helped create. Learn more about Griffin’s entire range of ingenious designs at www.griffintechnology.com, www. facebook.com/griffintech and on Twitter, @griffintech.

124

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Device from Palmer Stops Retail Phone Theft By Mike Kiefer

Combatting the thef t of live smartphones and tablets on display is a major challenge for wireless retailers. Ironc lad securit y and alarm-based solutions are expensive, cumbersome, require special power adapters, and can leave residue or scratch phones. As a result, many retailers limit the number of live devices on display which can result in lost sales opportunities.

To solve this problem, Palmer Retail Solutions has developed a new patentpending system that virtually guarantees the end of stolen devices. Their CELLMATE and TabletVAULT securit y

According to J im Palmer, founder and president

a unique, acr ylic Cellblock surrounded by a

supporting the wireless dealer communit y with

systems lock live and powered devices into

steel f rame in such a way that customers can experience all the features of the displayed

devices, yet there is virtually no possibilit y that the devices can be stolen. As an added benefit, phones are powered with the manufacturer ’s cord not a proprietar y connector ; wire management is built-in.

of Palmer Retail S olutions, “Palmer has been retail store fixtures, merchandising displays

and kiosks for over a decade. D uring this time we have developed c lose working relationships with dealers f rom most of the carriers and

their universal issue is device securit y. It is

unanimously agreed upon by my c lients that the recoil-based, high-tech securit y systems

do not offer adequate device protection.” J im also notes, “Many of my c lients are reluctant to display live devices at all, even knowing

full well that having live devices on display

translates into more sales. The rapid rise in the

value of smart phones and tablets has outpaced

the effectiveness of traditional securit y systems. As a result, the current trend in securit y is to revert to a more secure mechanical solution and CELLMATE is at the foref ront of this movement.”

126

“ TabletVAULT securit y systems lock live and powered devices into a unique, acr ylic Cellblock surrounded by a steel f rame...”

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While there are no quantitative studies that can

definitively measure the overall value of stolen devices in the wireless industry, ask any dealer and they will

the system,” explained Jim.

tell you the problem is epidemic. The dealer locations

The dealer feedback has been so strong that many of

corporate stores for many reasons. Dealer stores are

live devices on display and stocking more tablets as they

are often more prone to being targeted by theft than

typically minimally staffed and may have less sophisticated surveillance systems making them easier targets – and

Palmer’s clients are significantly increasing the number of can now safely merchandise them.

harder to prosecute for theft. These factors leave the

Palmer Retail Solutions is vigilant in keeping their

“Being experts in supporting the dealer community by

at retail by accommodating new models with a simple

majority of the theft to the dealer community. Jim adds, providing quality store fixtures for over a decade, we

understand their plight so we developed a solution that is easy to use, cost effective and virtually foolproof. A

little understood fact about the industry theft problem is that a good percentage of thefts occur when the

stores are closed. CELLMATE’s ease of operation and the lack of any messy adhesive pads or complex wiring

allows the dealers to simply remove their live devices at night and place them in a locked cabinet or safe much

like a jeweler removes their products nightly.” The open

visibility of empty phone displays on the fixtures reduces the likelihood of a store being attacked at night. “One additional unintended benefit from the CELLMATE

solution easy to update as new devices are launched retro-fit. The most popular mobile devices from

Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC and others are

supported by custom-machined acrylic blocks, specific to their dimensions. As new phones are introduced,

Palmer Retail Solutions will have additional Cellblocks ready to accommodate the devices. CELLMATE and TabletVAULT frames last for years and are reusable.

Updating a phone or tablet only requires the purchase of an inexpensive acrylic Cellblock insert and pop-

in replacement takes less than a minute. Investing in

CELLMATE theft protection is affordable and almost guarantees to add to the bottom line.

system is that since it does not leave any marks or tape

CELLMATE and TabletVAULT are manufactured by

rotated and sold as new phones as opposed to being sold

palmerretailsolutions.com.

residue on the displayed devices, the demo phones can be

128

at a steep discount. This feature adds additional value to

Palmer Retail Solutions. For more information visit

STOP DEVICE THEFT CELLMATE Security Solution from Palmer Retail Solutions • CELLMATE is compatible with just about any fixture design • The most secure system on the market today

• Cellblocks are available for all popular devices

• Tough, affordable and very easy to use

• Custom Cellblocks are available upon request with quick turnaround

• Cellblock pop-in replacement takes less than a minute

• TabletVAULT solution for tablets and iPads

EXPERIENCE CELLMATE • http://bit.ly/cellmate

a division of Palmer Promotional Products

800.444.1912 www.palmerretailsolutions.com 129

130

Personal information Economy Consumers and the evolution of commercial relationships

February 2013

131

Contents W D M

“The alarm on Becky’s smartphone wakes her up half an hour earlier than expected. HIsTorIcaL ouTLooK 3 The reason is that her flight to London has InFormaTIon as an assET 4 been canceled. In order for Becky to still5 THE unaWarE consumEr make it vs. for rIsK her London meeting she needs BEnEFIT 6 toTHE take an oF earlier flight. The phone also 7 ruLEs EnGaGEmEnT informs her oF about the current travel time8to ImPorTancE Eco-sysTEms the airport, well as gives her the option BaLancE THEas conTroL 9 Today toBusInEss directlyoPPorTunITIEs purchase the train ticket on 10 EmErGInG BusInEss oPPorTunITIEs 11 the phone.”

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

001011001

1110100010 1011011

1st unumers’ ices ties eams commy.

and insuch a stemic

nce e . rket

with s and

132

“The alarm on Becky’s smartphone wakes her up half an hour earlier than expected. The reason is that her flight to London has been canceled. In order for Becky to still make it for her London meeting she needs to take an earlier flight. The phone also informs her about the current travel time to the airport, as well as gives her the option to directly purchase the train ticket on the phone.”

001011001

regulations with regards to the collection, control and use ofIntroduction personal data. There is a corresponding need to broaden Personal has been called the “oil” of the con21st and deepeninformation the perspective to also include individual century. The digital and mobile revolution has brought unsumers. precedented possibilities of collecting and using consumers’ personal information to develop new personalized services How do consumers understand and perceive the value of (e.g.personal Becky’sinformation? story above).Which It has are alsothe brought possibilities their sensitivity isof monetizing this information, finding new streams sues and risks involved with an increased userevenue of personal and increasing profits. Personal information is the key cominformation by enterprises, governments and consumers ponent in the evolving themselves? Thestill purpose of Personal the studyInformation has been toEconomy. describe consumers’ understanding, needs, behaviors and attitudes Efforts havetobeen madeinformation by businesses, and inwith respect personal as angovernments asset. stitutions to understand and define the conditions for such a market. These efforts have largely been focused on systemic aspects such as legal rights, technical standards and

1.1 billion people. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used, and hundreds of hours are spent with consumers Ericsson consumerLab has more than 15 years experience from different cultures. of studying people’s behaviors and values, including the way they and think about IcT products To be close to theact market and consumers, Ericssonand services. Ericsson consumerLab consumerLab has analysts in allprovides regions unique where insights on market and consumer trends. Ericsson is present, which gives a thorough global understanding of the IcT market and business models. Ericsson consumerLab gains its knowledge through a global consumer All ConsumerLab reportsresearch can be program found at based on interviews with 100,000 individuals each year, in more than 40 countries and www.ericsson.com/consumerlab 15 megacities – statistically representing the views of

2 ErIcsson consumErLaB PErsonaL InFormaTIon Economy

1110100010

regulations with regards to the collection, control and use of personal data. There is a corresponding need to broaden and deepen the perspective to also include individual consumers. How do consumers understand and perceive the value of their personal information? Which are the sensitivity issues and risks involved with an increased use of personal information by enterprises, governments and consumers themselves? The purpose of the study has been to describe consumers’ understanding, needs, behaviors and attitudes with respect to personal information as an asset.

1.1 billion people. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used, and hundreds of hours are spent with consumers from different cultures. To be close to the market and consumers, Ericsson consumerLab has analysts in all regions where Ericsson is present, which gives a thorough global understanding of the IcT market and business models. All ConsumerLab reports can be found at www.ericsson.com/consumerlab

PERSONAL INFORMATION PERSONAL INFORMATION PERSONAL INFORMATION PERSONAL INFORMATION –– HISTORICal OUTLOOK HISTORICal OUTLOOK –– HISTORICal HISTORICal OUTLOOK OUTLOOK W D M

In the history of relationships between consumers and businesses, a vendor’s gathering of information about its the In customers history of in relationships order to improve between services consumers is far from anda businesses, novel concept. a vendor’s gathering of information about In history of between consumers anda businesses, a vendor’s gathering of information about its the customers in relationships order to improve services is far from novel concept. In history of between consumers anda businesses, a vendor’s gathering of information about its the customers in relationships order to improve services is far from novel concept. its customers in order to improve services is far from a novel concept.

“Face to face” “Face to face” “Face to face” Pre-Industrialization “Face to face”

commercial trade before industrialization was Pre-Industrialization predominately conducted face-to-face meaning commercial trade before industrialization was Pre-Industrialization personal information was shared all the time, parpredominately conducted face-to-face meaning commercial trade before industrialization wasover ticularly in reoccurring and tailored services. Pre-Industrialization personal information was shared all themeaning time, parpredominately conducted face-to-face time, the local vendor came to know a customer’s commercial trade before industrialization wasover ticularly in reoccurring and tailored services. personal information was shared all the time, preferences. Hence personal information was parpredominately conducted face-to-face meaning time, theinlocal vendor came to knowservices. a customer’s ticularly reoccurring and tailored over gathered, but on a scale limited and comprehenpersonal information was shared all the time, preferences. personal was partime, to thethose localHence vendor came toinformation know a customer’s sible involved. ticularly inbut reoccurring and tailored services. over gathered, on a scale limited and comprehenpreferences. Hence personal information was time, thethose localinvolved. vendor came to know a customer’s sible to gathered, but on a scale limited and comprehenpreferences. Hence personal information was sible to those involved. gathered, but on a scale limited and comprehensible to those involved.

“Consumerism” “Consumerism” “Consumerism” Industrialization “Consumerism”

“Engagism” “Engagism” “Engagism” Post-Industrialization “Engagism”

Industrialization removed the customer from the Industrialization producer, creating mass markets and economies Industrialization removed the customer from the Industrialization of scale. The familiar customer became an anonyproducer, creating mass markets and economies Industrialization the customer from the mous consumer.removed Later in this era, businesses Industrialization of scale. The familiar customer became an anonyproducer, creating mass and started building brands inmarkets an effort to economies re-connect Industrialization removed the customer from the mous consumer. Later in this era, businesses of scale. The familiar became an had anonyand create a sense ofcustomer personalization that producer, creating mass markets and economies startedconsumer. building brands an effort to re-connect mous Later ininthis era,ofbusinesses been lostThe duefamiliar to the emergence the mass of scale. customer became an anonyand create a sense of personalization that had started building brands in an effort to re-connect marketconsumer. and middle men. mous Later in this era,ofbusinesses beencreate lost due to the thethat mass and a sense ofemergence personalization had started building brands in an effort to re-connect market and middle been lost due to themen. emergence of the mass and create a sense of personalization that had market and middle men. been lost due to the emergence of the mass market and middle men.

key findings key findings key findings > Consumerfindings awareness still low key > Consumer – big data awareness not an issuestill low

> most Consumer still low areissue aware that their personal – bigconsumers data awareness not an > most Consumer awareness still low – big data not an issue information consumers is collected are aware for commercial that their personal purposes –more bigconsumers data not an issue are aware that –most information than is 50% collected believe for so.commercial Buttheir why,personal how purposes or ex-

most consumers are aware that personal information for commercial purposes –actly more what thanitis 50% iscollected used believe for is so. obscure Buttheir why, to most. how or exinformation is collected for commercial purposes –sensitivity more than 50% believe so. But why, how or exactly what of it ispersonal used forinformation is obscure to should most. be –sensitivity more than 50% believe so. But why, how orofexactly what it is used for is obscure to most. understoodofprincipally personal information from the perspective should be actly what it is used for is obscure to most. sensitivity of personal information should be the individual understood principally consumerfrom andthe notperspective from a vendor of sensitivity ofprincipally personal information should be understood from or usage the individual perspective; consumer anonymous andthe notperspective from big adata vendor isof understood principally from the the individual consumer and notperspective from vendor rarely or usage perceived perspective; as a big anonymous issue. big adata isof the individual consumer and not from a vendor or usage perspective; anonymous big data is rarely perceived as a big issue. or usage perspective; anonymous big data is rarely perceived as a big issue. > Value creation over risk prevention rarely perceived as a big issue. > IfValue the consumer creationcan over see risk a clear prevention and desired > Ifbenefit Value creation over risk prevention the consumer from sharing can see personal a clear information, and desired > Ifbenefit Value creation over risk prevention the consumer can see a clear and desired concerns from about sharing sensitivity personal diminish. information, If the option If the consumer can see a clear and gaining desired benefit from sharing personal information, concerns is betweenabout sharing sensitivity information diminish. and If the option benefit from sharing personal information, concerns about sensitivity diminish. If the option something is between on sharing one hand, information and guarding and gaining informaconcerns about sensitivity diminish. If the option is between sharing information and gaining something tion to avoid onrisk oneonhand, the other, and guarding many consumers informais between sharing information and gaining something on one hand, and guarding information will go to avoid for sharing. risk onmore the other, than 40% manyare consumers willing something onrisk oneonhand, and guarding information to avoid the other, many consumers will to “trade” go for sharing. personal more information than 40% for personalization. are willing tion to avoid risk onmore the other, many consumers will go for sharing. than 40% are willing to “trade” personal information for personalization. will go for sharing. than 40% are willing to “trade” personalmore information for personalization. to “trade” personal information for personalization.

The mass-market still prevails, however digitalPost-Industrialization ization has enabled vendors to gain supreme The mass-market still prevails, however digitalPost-Industrialization knowledge about the buyers’ individual traits due ization has enabled vendors to however gain supreme The mass-market still prevails, digitalto their digital footprints and sharing of personal Post-Industrialization knowledge about thevendors buyers’toindividual traits due ization has enabled gain supreme information. In the days of Big Data, the digitalconThe mass-market still prevails, however to their digital footprints and sharing of personal knowledge aboutcomprehends the buyers’ individual traits due sumer no whatsupreme is shared, ization haslonger enabled vendors toData, gain information. In the days of Big the conto whom their digital footprints and personal to or about how itthe is used. Bysharing insteadofutilizing knowledge buyers’ individual traits due sumer no longer comprehends what the is shared, information. In the days offair Bigmanner, Data, conpersonal information in a the quidto their digital footprints and ofutilizing personal to whom or how it is used. Bysharing instead sumer nologic longer comprehends what is shared, pro-quo pre-industrialization can information. Inofthe days offair Bigmanner, Data, the conpersonal information in a the quidto whom or how it is used. By instead utilizing be re-established. sumer no longer comprehends what is shared, pro-quo of pre-industrialization personallogic information in a fair manner,can the quidto whom or how it is used. By instead utilizing be re-established. pro-quo logic of pre-industrialization can personal information in a fair manner, the quidbe re-established. pro-quo logic of pre-industrialization can be re-established.

> Permission, transparency and value > Permission, transparency and forward value sharing – pre-requisites going > Permission, transparency and value Involving –consumers by asking for forward permission sharing pre-requisites going > Permission, transparency and value sharing – pre-requisites going forward Involving increasesconsumers trust and willingness by asking for to share permission persharing –consumers pre-requisites going forward Involving by asking for permission increases sonal information. trust andTransparency willingness toimproves share per-

> > > >

Involving consumers by asking for permission increases trust and willingness toimproves share perattitudes sonal information. towards the Transparency commercial applications increases trust and willingness to share personal information. Transparency improves of personal attitudes towards information. the commercial Lack of transparency applications sonal information. Transparency improves attitudes towards the commercial applications invariably of personal causes information. suspicion. LackValue of transparency creation for attitudes the commercial applications of personal information. LackValue of value transparency one invariably partytowards causes should correspond suspicion. to creation beingfor of personal information. LackValue of value transparency invariably causes suspicion. creation shared one party with should the other. correspond to beingfor invariably causes suspicion. Value creation one party should correspond to value beingfor shared with the other. one party should correspond to value shared with the other. The value of personal information being shared withof thepersonal other. information The is in value relationships The value of personal information The value of personal information will lie is inprimary relationships The value of personal information is in relationships The in itsprimary potential value to build of personal strong relationships information will be-lie is inprimary relationships The value of personal information will tween in its potential consumers to build and businesses. strong relationships used acbe-lie The primary value of personal information will in its potential to build strong relationships be-lie cordingconsumers tween to consumer andpraxis, businesses. personal used informaacin its potential to build strong relationships between consumers and businesses. used action can:toimprove cording consumer user praxis, experience, personal increase informatween consumers and businesses. used according to consumer praxis, personal informaloyalty tion can: and improve increase user sales. experience, increase cording toimprove consumer praxis, personal information can: user experience, increase loyalty and increase sales. tion can: improve user experience, increase loyalty and increase sales. loyalty and increase sales.

ErIcsson consumErLaB PErsonaL InFormaTIon EconomY 3 ErIcsson consumErLaB PErsonaL InFormaTIon EconomY 3

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The unaware consumer The gathering, storage and use of personal information is still an area that is relatively obscure to people in general. There is a basic awareness that personal information is actively or passively shared and that information is gathered by companies, but not to what extent this is happening.

Figure 2: consumer awareness of personal information gathering

consumers are most clearly aware of the fact that mobile phone operators and different applications on smartphones are collecting personal information in different ways. on a general level, it is clear that people today view the sharing of personal information as a pre-requisite for participating in society, both socially and commercially.

other IT companies like Yahoo! and microsoft

The average person has difficulty fully understanding exactly how their personal information becomes valuable to companies. consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; general understanding of the personal information value exchange is illustrated in figure 3.

social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn

companies that make apps for smartphones and tablets 39%

41%

39%

21%

38%

21%

35%

23%

apple and Google 43%

52%

30%

19%

27%

20%

mobile phone operators 53%

I think they use my personal information I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think they use my personal information

source: Ericsson consumerLab, analytical Platform 2012

Figure 3: consumer understanding of personal information exchange

Commercial application: advertisments and offers

PERSONAL INFORMATION (obscure when, what and why)

Perceived benefit: Personalized services

source: Ericsson consumerLab: Personal Information Economy study, 2013

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The rules of engagement Ericsson Disclamer

tions ked society consumers’ view on the issue of ownership of personal “It would be great if my refrigerator could is the world’s leading rules provider of communications dy, work andEricsson information and consequent for vendors to use that tell me what I needed to restock. But if it services. Webased are enabling networked society nd the world.technology informationand is flexible and on the the relationship with the with efficient real-time solutions that allow us all to study, work and would tell me what I needed less of, that vendor at hand. ucture withinlive our lives more freely, in sustainable societies around the world. would be creepy!” om operators clearly, when it comes to personal information generated through a specific service, e.g. viewing habits on video — Female, 23, student, san Francisco e world’s our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within streaming services, consumers grant vendors at least Information and communications Technology telecom operators support partial ownership of that information. Partialfor ownership in Today more than of the world’s ubscribers. and theother senseindustries. that it is ok for vendors to 40 usepercent that information to develop andgoes personalize servicenetworks and even usewe it support for other mobile traffic throughthe Ericsson and commercial purposes such asmore targeted But the customers’ networks servicing than advertising. 2.5 billion subscribers. 0,000 people. important requirement is that this is done transparently and olm, sweden. with a degree of control on behalf of the user, granting him We in 180 countries and than n (usd or operate her the opportunity to opt in employ or out ofmore using the100,000 service people. in 1876, Ericsson is headquartered in stockholm, kholm and Founded under these conditions. It is apparent that consumers aresweden. Inmost 2011willing the company hadthe revenues of sEK (usd to accept collection and 226.9 use ofbillion their personal information in those cases where this is perceived toand 35.0 billion). Ericsson is listed on nasdaQ omX, stockholm be done within the confinements of a particular service. More than 40% would allow companies nasdaQ, new york stock exchanges.

to use their personal information when an offer is personalized to them, to improve current services and develop new ones.

Transparency and respect, offering the ability for consumers to opt in or out of a service and returning user value will increase consumer engagement and strengthen the relationship.

Figure 5: For what purposes would you allow companies to use your personal information?

To personalize offers to you

44%

To use the information in order to improve their current services or develop new services

41%

The content of this document is subject to revision withoutpurposes none of these notice due to continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use of this document.

29%

To personalize advertisements to you

22%

To charge you depending on your level of usage of the service

19%

To charge everyone individually according to their ability to pay

Ericsson EaB-13:000691 uen sE-126 25 stockholm, sweden © Ericsson aB 2013 Telephone +46 10 719 00 00 To sell the information to other companies Fax +46 8 18 40 85 www.ericsson.com

13%

EaB-13:000691 uen © Ericsson aB 2013

source: Ericsson consumerLab, analytical Platform 2012

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Growth of Prepaid Wireless Catches Eye of State & Local E-911 Authorities:

911 Regulations Evolving to Eliminate Loopholes and Exemptions for Prepaid By Jonathan S. Marashlian

Most states require wireless telecommunications

to be collected on a monthly basis, listed on

service providers to collect E911 fees f rom their

customer invoices, and sourced to a particular state

customers and remit funds to various state and local

based upon the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s billing address. But,

911 administrators. State and local government

many prepaid providers neither request customer

agencies use these funds to diffuse the cost of

addresses nor issue monthly invoices. Most prepaid

enhanced emergency assistance (911) service. Many

plans are sold by third-party retailers that do not

state statutes imposing E911 fees were adopted ten

provide the underlying services and have no ongoing

or more years ago, when prepaid wireless services

relationship with the customer. Absent monthly

were in their infancy and represented a tiny

invoices, traditional billing methods to collect the

f raction of users. Prepaid wireless services have

E911 fee do not work. As a result, the existing

since mushroomed in popularity, today representing

statutes/E911 collection regimes were ill suited to

over one-third of all wireless consumers. States

the prepaid industry.

have taken notice of the growth of prepaid wireless services.

A number of state legislatures ordered the E911 authority to conduct studies on the feasibility of

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A number of states initially exempted prepaid

requiring prepaid wireless service providers to

wireless providers f rom the obligation to collect

collect an E911 fee f rom customers. Many such

and remit E911 fees under existing laws, while

studies concluded that, with some modifications

they reviewed the feasibility of collecting E911

to existing laws, E911 surcharge collection f rom

fees f rom prepaid customers. Prepaid services were

prepaid providers was feasible. As a result, over the

excluded mainly due to the inherent difficulties

last few years, as prepaid wireless communications

in collecting surcharges f rom prepaid customers.

services have grown in popularity and availability,

For example, wireless fees were generally required

states have either applied existing regulations to

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assess E911 fees on prepaid services, or adopted new rules specifically tailored to prepaid. This has resulted in a patchwork of inconsistent approaches to capturing E911 fees f rom end users of prepaid wireless services. This presents a particularly challenging compliance environment for nationwide providers, since the lack of uniformity results in disparate and burdensome requirements. Certain existing regulations do not account for the unique attributes of the prepaid market (e.g. lack of monthly billing, failure to maintain customer billing addresses). Despite these challenges, many states continue to apply statutes requiring monthly invoicing and collection based upon customer address. For example, Alabama requires prepaid wireless providers to collect the E911 fee f rom all customers with a billing address in Alabama, and to disclose the fee on monthly invoices. T-Mobile challenged this practice in court, arguing that the statute could not be applied to its prepaid services because the company did not

A rizonA , C olorAdo , dC, i llinois , l ouisiAnA , M iChigAn And T exAs Apply A fee CAlCulATed As A perCenTAge of The reTAil sAle priCe rAnging froM

0.8% To 7%.

send monthly invoices or collect customer addresses. The Alabama Supreme Court disagreed, finding that T-Mobile had made a business decision not to maintain the relevant information to ensure compliance with the statute, and was not exempted f rom compliance as a result. In contrast, a number of recently adopted regulations take into account prepaid industry specific features, for example, by allowing collection other than through monthly invoicing. Traditionally, most wireless E911 surcharges have been applied on a per connection, subscriber or line basis. Thus, prepaid providers were obligated to collect the fee f rom consumers even if they did not sell directly to end users, but instead, sold services to retailers f rom whom end users purchased the services. But, in 2007, the wireless industry proposed model legislation proposing â&#x20AC;&#x153;point of saleâ&#x20AC;? collection of E911 fees to address the

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complications associated with collection of fees f rom prepaid customers. Under the point of sale collection

model, the fee is imposed only on retail transactions, and collected only when prepaid wireless services are sold directly to a consumer. The fee either represents a percentage of the retail sale price or a flat per

transaction rate. In 2008, the industry presented the model legislation to the National Conference of State Legislatures (“NCSL”), which, after three public hearings, endorsed the legislation in July 2009. As of March

2012, nineteen states had adopted the NCSL model act for E911 fees. The model legislation imposes an E911 fee (either flat or percentage-based) on each “retail transaction” defined as “the purchase of prepaid wireless telecommunications service f rom a seller for any purpose other than resale. ” The legislation provides that sellers must collect the fee f rom customers and list it on customer invoices or otherwise disclose the fee to

customers. The model further provides that the fee will be treated as having been collected even if it was not

separately listed on a customer’s invoice, rendering the seller liable for uncollected fees. While most retailers oppose the point of sale collection model, Wal-Mart has publicly endorsed the NCSL proposal.

M ississippi , p ennsylvAniA , s ouTh C ArolinA , T ennessee , i ndiAnA , n orTh C ArolinA , v irginiA And W isConsin iMpose A flAT surChArge per reTAil TrAnsACTion , ColleCTed AT The poinT of sAle , rAnging froM $0.25 to $1.00. In general, the prepaid industry supports point of sale laws because they impose the collection responsibility on retailers, as opposed to the service providers. Point of sales models still require prepaid wireless service providers to collect E911 fees on direct sales to consumers, such as recharges or online sales. While not all states have adopted this approach, a number currently apply, are considering applying, or have adopted point of sale laws with future effective dates. For example, Arizona, Colorado, DC, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas apply a fee calculated as a percentage of the retail sale price ranging f rom 0.8% to 7%. Connecticut currently applies a per-line fee, but effective January 1, 2013 will begin point of sale collection. Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin impose a flat surcharge per retail transaction, collected at the point of sale, ranging f rom $0.25 to $1.00.

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ly A p p A A T o s e n d Min n A y K C u T n AlAbAMA, Ke . 0 .8 0 $ r o 0 .7 0 $ fee of n o i T C e n n o per C law has since been modified, effective December

A number of other states continue to impose a connection or subscriber-based fee. For example, Alabama, Kentucky and Minnesota apply a per connection fee of $0.70 or $0.80. Arkansas, Georgia and Massachusetts impose a per subscriber fee of $0.65 or $0.75. Connecticut (until January 1, 2013) and Washington collect a per-line fee, and Ohio assesses a per telephone number fee of $0.28. Some of these states offer varying methodologies for collecting the tax. While some have not accounted for the unique aspects of the prepaid market (e.g. lack of monthly billing, failure to maintain customer information such as billing addresses), some have begun to recognize the difficulties inherent in collection of prepaid wireless fees and have made accommodations specifically for the prepaid industry. For example, Ohio allows prepaid providers to collect the fee by reducing a subscriber’s account balance at the end of the month or otherwise deducting an equivalent amount of minutes, or by applying a formula to the total sum of earned prepaid wireless

Similarly, in 2010, the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky ruled against Tracfone Wireless which argued that Kentucky’s wireless E911 fee did not apply to prepaid services until 2006, when the law was specifically amended to include prepaid. The court upheld the trial court ’s finding that since its enactment in 1998, the statute applied to prepaid wireless providers. In other jurisdictions, the specific application of the E911 fee remains unclear. For example, California law neither expressly includes nor exempts “prepaid wireless” services f rom the Emergency Telephone Users surcharge. But, because the statute is broad enough to encompass any intrastate communications services, it could apply to prepaid wireless services. Nevada does not impose a statewide wireless E911 fee but authorizes localities to enact ordinances to collect surcharges on “mobile telephone service.” The law does not specify whether fees may apply to

revenues in the state during the month.

prepaid services.

Certain state statutes do not specify whether their

A handful of states do not apply any E911 fees to

laws apply to prepaid wireless services. In a few states, the uncertainty has been resolved through litigation. For example, in December 2010, an Arizona court held that its existing law, which does not specify whether the wireless 911 fee applies to prepaid services, is applicable to prepaid. (The Arizona 144

31, 2013, to specifically address prepaid services).

prepaid wireless. For example, Missouri imposes no wireless E911 fee. In Florida, no E911 fee is currently applied to prepaid wireless services. But, the state E911 Board has concluded that unlimited plans do not qualify as exempt prepaid wireless services.

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iMpose s T T e s u h C A Ass M d n A A i g r o e ArKAnsAs, g . 5 .7 0 $ r o 5 .6 0 ee of $ f r e b i r C s b A per su Maryland currently imposes an E911 fee on wireless services. But, the fee does not apply to prepaid services. A bill pending before the Maryland state senate proposes to adopt an E911 fee for prepaid wireless services. Thus, while the point of sale model has not been adopted by all jurisdictions, recent history teaches that states continue to shift toward point of sale collection of E911 fees. The trend is a positive development for the prepaid industry as well as states and wireless consumers as it provides for transparent collection of needed funding for E911 systems, while minimizing administrative costs for prepaid

Jonathan S. Marashlian is the Managing

Partner at Marashlian & Donahue, LLC, The CommLaw Group, a Washington, D.C. area law firm specializing in federal and state telecom and technolog y matters, with a concentration in stored value/prepaid. Jacqueline R. Hankins, an Associate at the firm, assisted in the preparation of this article. Jonathan can be reached at jsm@commlawgroup.com. Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should not act upon the information in this article without seeking professional counsel.

wireless service providers. The wireless industry can most likely expect more states to adopt point of sale legislation, moving toward a more uniform E911 fee collection regime. And, even in those jurisdictions that have not embraced the point of sale model, legislators are increasingly adopting prepaid specific collection options in recognition of the difficulties associated with collection f rom prepaid customers. As a result, prepaid wireless providers may finally get some relief f rom burdensome compliance with the complex web of state E911 surcharge laws.

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The Wireless Standard

“The right Retail Management Platform can go a long way...” By WDM Staff

B2B Soft ’s Wireless Standard: Extending the Reach of Wireless Retailers and the way they

do business in an ever evolving technological

them the best service possible.

marketplace is at the heart of B2B Soft ’s

“There was a clear unmet need in wireless retail

changing landscape of products, plans, ser vices

of sale,” states Gar y Khabinski, B2B Soft ’s CEO.

the largest selection of viable options, along with

understand their problems and find innovative

philosophy. Wireless dealers face an ever-

for a business management solution at the point

and accessories to offer their customers. Providing

“ We worked closely with wireless dealers to better

the best possible customer buying experience is a cornerstone of dealer success. Managing

store operations and running business processes efficiently and effectively is key to dealer

profitably. The right Retail Management Platform can go a long way in making a wireless business more agile and more profitable.

Enter B2B Soft and its Wireless Standard

Retail Management Platform. In 2002, wireless retailers were struggling with antiquated

modes of doing business in the modern mobile marketplace. Multiple computer systems and

ways of addressing those needs.” The result:

Wireless Standard, a single platform that unifies all store operations, handles multiple payment options, and integrates with carrier activation

portals, helping dealers run their businesses much more efficiently and effectively.

A decade later, more than 5,500 wireless

retailers now rely on the Wireless Standard Retail Management Platform to provide enhanced business capability, effective

management of critical business operations,

and superior customer ser vice. They count on it to provide ever ything they need, f rom seamless

the various software needed to track inventory,

Point-of-Sale transactions, store operations,

the bane of storeowners who were struggling

resource management and payment solutions

process transactions and take payments were

merchandising, inventor y control, loss prevention,

to track commissions and hunt down the errors

all the way to real time reporting analytics and

and discrepancies of double entry. Loss of time, efficiency and profitably were increasingly

common as retailers focused their efforts in

handling business minutia at the expense of

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spending quality time with customers and giving

business intelligence.

Extending the reach of wireless retailers and the way they do business in an ever evolving

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technological marketplace is at the heart of B2B

Wireless Standard’s new web based Enhanced

Soft’s philosophy as it strives to anticipate the

Reporting provides instant access to Wireless

future demands of retailers and evolve the Wireless Standard platform in advance of them. With a view towards extending the range of services dealers can offer their customers, improve operational efficiency, and speed store processes, B2B Soft is adding two new features to Wireless Standard: Mobile POS and Enhanced Reporting / Business Intelligence Engine. Wireless Standard Mobile POS offers retailers a new way to engage their customers directly on the sales floor, bringing true mobility and versatility via the iPad or iPod Touch. Sales staff can build transactions, access and search product

Standard’s Business Intelligence Engine and Reporting features from anywhere, anytime, on any device. Designed to dramatically improve operations by providing easy and in depth visibility to all business data, Enhanced Reporting’s intuitive interface supports multiple touch points on laptops, tablets and mobile devices as well as the traditional mouse desktop. Extensive research with wireless dealers and business experts into the types of reporting that prove most valuable to retailers produced a series of canned reports that facilitate better insights into

catalogs along with

store operations for

inventory and product

quicker and more

lookup to find the right combination of devices,

informed decision making. Customized reports can

accessories, prices and plans for customers f rom

be built to suit any particular business need.

anywhere in the store. Dealers can data mine, and slice and dice the Wireless Standard Mobile POS improves store

info to their heart’s content with the Business

efficiency and speeds the sales process as store

Intelligence Engine’s powerful analytical tools.

agents no longer wait to access a traditional

Reports can be generated and modified across all

stationary POS terminal to create and process

categories to identify opportunities and potential

transactions. Everything f rom secure payment to

risks. KPI’s and scorecard metrics help monitor

customer lookup and editing can be handled quickly

company and employee progress.

and easily on the sales floor.

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Wireless Standard Enhanced Reportingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intuitive dashboard sports drag and drop functionality to show the most relevant information. Multiple reports can be easily viewed and worked with on the one page dashboard, which can also be placed as a widget. Reports can be scheduled, subscribed to and delivered by email providing timely access to relevant information and sharing across the organization for better insight and collaboration. B2B Soft is committed to helping retailers reach their goals by extending their reach to encompass a variety of tools they can tap into for business success. Wireless Standardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mobile POS offers dealers increased options and flexibility in engaging customers and providing better customer service and the best possible sales experience. The platformâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enhanced Reporting and Business Intelligence Engine are designed to improve operational efficiency and assist in more effective store, resource and fiscal management.

As wireless retailing becomes more complex, Wireless Standard continues to employ the latest technolog y to assist retailers by simplifying and streamlining the business of doing business. That way dealers can do what they do best: concentrate their efforts on satisfying customers rather than on the business process.

To learn more about the innovative B2BSoft retailer solutions, visit www.b2bsoft.com.

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Living a Wireless Lifestyle A Special Feature CTIA 2013

W ireless. Living a wireless lifest yle is about being mobile, having any and all information that makes your life work at your fingertips – wherever you are. Engaged and entertained while on-the-go is the new standard. Being productive even while you wait – for anything -- is expected. We all take taking multi-tasking to a whole new level owning multiple devices, loads of applications and add-on accessories that accentuate our personalit y, hobbies and work habits. Personalizing, accessorizing and synching have never been so exciting. No longer are new products just for ‘ear ly adopters’ or gadget geeks; cool products reach more, touch more and impact more of us than the customer demographic-labeling people can even keep pace. S ometimes, we crave the new device before they make to our favorite retailer ’s shelves. We scratch our heads at the many examples where people are more than willing to wait overnight in a f rigid parking lot just to have the first one. Now, that ’s a real testament to what a great industr y wireless continues to be!

We’ve

highlighted a few hot products we think might just be worth standing in a line to enhance your wireless life or stocking your shelves enhancing the lives of others. Enjoy!

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LifeProof Life Jacket When you’re rollin’ on the river, splish-splash takin’ a bath, or sittin’ on the dock of the bay, the LifeJacket keeps your iPhone buoyant

and afloat. Along with the super buoyancy,

the additional shock protection makes it great for working on constructions sites, oil rigs

and of course, pirate ships. Every single case is water tested!

To give you confidence to go everywhere with your LifeProof iPhone, iPod Gen4

and iPad, they water test each and every

case they make. Not only that, after the test an independent agent performs additional

testing and even puts randomly selected cases

through a second water test. They never ship a case unless it has been successfully tested. lifeproof.com

TYLT BUILT TO TYLT This flat ribbon cable makes it non-tangle

and easy to manage. Two-foot cable

ensures your phone can easily rest in the

cup holder or other convenient location while charging. Charging connectors

available with Apple 30-pin or Micro-USB connectors. Universal USB port enables

you to charge two devices simultaneously. 2.1 Amp allows for rapid charge of two

smartphones at the same time or a tablet. The

fun colors make them extra cool in green, red, blue and black! tylt.com

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TYLT POWERPLANT POWERPLANT by TYLT is a robust,

portable energy charger with high output

capacity, designed for people who expect

high-output charging in a small design. WHAT COMES IN THE BOX

• PowerPlant Universal Battery Pack

• Micro-USB Charging Cable • User Guide

• 1 Year Limited Warranty

tylt.com

TYLT Y-CHARGE TYLT is revolutionizing the car charger yet again. The Y-Charge takes the bullet style

charger to a whole new level with it’s compact and sleek design. Compatible with all phones and devices that charge via USB.

4.2 AMP output rapidly charges two

smartphones simultaneously or a tablet. It is

compact and durable weighing in at less than 1oz. Dual USB ports in a Y-design routes

the USB cables to the left and right sides of

the charger, making it ideal for the driver and passenger. Made of Silicone casing. tylt.com

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SuperTooth Crystal Speakerphone SuperTooth’s newest introduction to its Bluetooth Speakerphone line – the Crystal – featuring an ultra sleek, stylish and slim design attaches to car’s sun visor via a durable, magnetic clip. Allows for instant hands-free calling in any type of vehicle. Features automatic pairing and multi-point technology connecting up to 2 phones simultaneously.

myType™

Possibly one of the coolest products

submitted to our team for our review is the myType Wireless Keyboard. It is

lightweight, ultra-slim, and compact, this

keyboard is perfect for travel, school, or any work environment. Completely wireless via

Bluetooth technology. It folds thinly and fits easily in a briefcase, backpack or notebook

carrying case. The flat split design offers ease in typing and reduces negative-angle stress

to your wrists giving more natural shoulder width position for your arms.

The myType Keyboard by Roysden

Innovations LLC allows you to touch-type on the go. Its patented interleaving fold

design allows you to easily carry around a full sized keyboard, so you are no longer limited

to touch screens and thumb-boards. It works brilliantly!

mytypekeyboard.com

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Streams music directly from all Bluetooth A2DP-enabled phones and announces turn-byturn navigation from a Bluetooth A2DP-enabled smartphones. Supports voice recognition dialing for phones equipped with this feature, 20 hours of hands-free talk time (40 days of stand-by) with each 3-hour charge of its lithium ion battery. Stay in touch in style, the Crystal is available in brushed metal black. supertoothstore.com

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Maxell Air Stash® THE ESSENTIAL IPAD ACCESSORY

Part Wireless Flash Drive. Part Media Streamer. All Versatile.

Big things come in small packages! Extend your iPad

stoage capacity with the AirStash, a pocket-sized wireless flash drive and media making it super easy to leave your laptop at home by providing a fast and efficient way file sharing files devices without iTunes or email.

Use Airstash to save and share documents, stream media files, and view or import photos. Enjoy up to 7 hours of uninterrupted access wherever you go. Share files with

up to 8 people simultaneously with a secure encryption. Save and access files wirelessly, or plug AirStash into a

computer’s USB port to drag-and-drop your files. Store

and stream HD video and audio from your pocket. Plug your camera’s SD card directly into AirStash’s SD card

slot to quickly view and easily transfer photos back and

forth from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. Plus, enjoy unlimited SD card storage. airstash.com

Greentech

Attention all those gamers out there! The

Greentech has developed a pretty sick way

to play games from your smartphone. The

Bluetooth wireless game controller lets you

turn your iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5, Samsung

Galaxy S3 or Samsung Galaxy note into a

perfect gaming device.

greentechgroup.com.hk

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HzO Inc. HzO WaterBlock™ Phone? Tablet? Fitness device? Wearable? You name it. HzO’s team has spent countless hours in research and development internally and with collaborating

manufacturers and other parties to become the source for water protection in consumer electronics with WaterBlock™.

Like a transparent shield, HzO’s proprietary

WaterBlock™ nanotechnology is a coating of bonded

molecules that seals the internal components of electronic devices applied during the manufacturing process. This

chemical vapor deposition process blankets vital electronic circuitry to protect even the most sensitive devices from damage by water, moisture, contaminating particles and humidity.

WaterBlock™ protects not only from drips and splashes, but also is capable of protecting from submersion as

well, allowing consumers and industries to use electronic devices wherever they take them. While this is not yet available aftermarket, look for products to have this

technology incorporated. We see these guys as setting the trend in water protection!

For more information, hzoinside.com News Flash! Brightstar, HzO’s new distribution partner, will enable its device manufacturers and device repair and refurbishing customers and partners to integrate

WaterBlock™ technology directly into new devices. This eliminates the extra cost and hassle of secondary forms

of water protection; and provides a solution that can be supported by manufacturer warranties. brightstarcorp.com

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bCODA Jak Sharing content on your device just got

easier! This way-cool multi-share USB from

bCODA enables the content from your

smartphone to be available to just about any external device with the Jak USB. Enjoy

video, audio, photos, and documents on a

large screen and/or speaker system instead of just your small smartphone screen. It’s

perfect for projecting your videos and pictures

directly to a TV! For Android only. bcoda.com

Seidio OBEX Waterproof Case Protecting your Galaxy S III or Apple iPhone 5 is not always easy, but Seidio’s OBEX™

utilizes advanced technology that not only

safeguards your device against drops, it also

keeps external elements like water, snow, mud, other liquids, dust, and sand from damaging your device.

The materials and design of this case ensure that your phone is protected at the highest

level possible. While the curvature provides a secure grip and absorbs shock if your device is dropped, the built-in screen protector promotes touch sensitivity and clarity.

Waterproof membranes prevent external

matter from entering the microphone and speakers while maintaining sound quality.

OBEX™ will give you ultimate protection – anytime, anywhere. seidio.com

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SmoothTalker Siganal Booster For the ultimate iPhone mobile experience, check out the new PRO SERIES Cellular Signal Boosters featuring STEALTH

TECH. This proprietary technology makes these boosters invisible to the networks and

can be combined with the new SmoothTalker iPhone 5 custom powered cradles for the

ultimate mobile, home and office applications. The SmoothTalker boosters and cradles

can also be connected with SmoothTalker hands free car kits, hardwire fuse panel

or 12v socket. Charge your iPhone while

speaking hands free and enjoy extended voice coverage, improved clarity and faster data

speeds. Serious equipment, tested by serious wireless clients for the last 18 years. smoothtalker.com

cellhelmet Cases We are very proud of the team over at cellhelmut for making it onto ABCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

entrepreneurs primetime show, Shark

Tank, this spring. What began as a quest for the most indestructible iPhone case

quickly evolved into something simple, yet

ridiculously innovative. cellhelmet cases are crafted to be simple and slim, only

paired with a promise of protection. Every

cellhelmet case includes one year of accidental damage coverage - break a device inside and they will repair/replace it via one of their 52

repair facilities in the United States. Now,

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real brand promise you can sink your

teeth into!

cellhelmet.com

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yby Electronics Militti Sales and Promotions team has an array of iPhone cases, Samsung cases as well as charging

options to choose from, all under one roof, or one

website. Wireless retailers can order a 48-piece iPhone case assortment making merchandising

a color floor display a snap! Check out their full

product offering online. milittisales.com

LeggiComodo PortaTab™ PortaTab™ was designed to ensure comfort and protection during transport and

prolonged usage of tablets or computers of different sizes. PortaTab™ provides comfortable and ergonomic use and

guarantees idea incline and stability of various portable devices such as tablets/e-books for

professional, study or leisure usage. The inside of the incline also doubles your workspace. It can be used on a desk or on your lap.

Compatible with iPad, Galaxy and other

tablets/e-books measuring at 7.48 in. x 10.43 in. and laptops up to 15 in. portatab.com

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Wireless One POWER BANK The Power Bank is a high capacity 5,000

mAh backup Li-Ion battery charger specially

designed for mobile phones, tablets and other handheld electronic devices. The Power Bank

is available in two models with a built-in micro

USB connector and your choice of either a 30-

pin Apple compliant MFI connector or 8-pin

connector. The Power Bank is able to charge two

devices simultaneously. The fashionable LED

power screen shows remaining power level in 25% increments. The Power Banks compact form and

lightweight allows for portable charging wherever

. . . whenever! Never run out of power again! wirelessoneco.com

Wi-Ex zBoost SOHO Do you experience reception problems, slow

data or dropped calls in your home or office? Wi-Ex SOHO cell phone signal boosters

increase indoor cellular signal for cell phones, smartphones and data cards and they are easy to use. Eliminate most dropped or

missed calls. Boost cell signal for mobile

phones, smartphones and aircards. Protect the operator network using patented technology. Improve signal strength for voice and data

transmission. Extend cell phone battery life.

Choose zBoost SOHO products in a variety of coverage ranges, dual band options and multiple users.

wi-ex.com/homeOffice

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LokSak® The SHIELDSAK Did you know...Your contacts and other personal information from your wireless device can be downloaded by simply pointing a beam of infrared light at it without you even knowing it? SHIELDSAK was made for the U.S. Military and Government and is PROVEN to block RF (Radio Frequency), infrared and Skim or Quick Scan Technology. Once placed inside of the SHIELDSAK, your personal information on your device is guarded and your identity is protected from being read, scanned, hacked or intercepted by skimming devices. SHIELDSAK is a lightweight fabric bag that blocks signals capable of reading your critical information. This bag was invented for all types of mobile devices including, but not limited to, smartphones and tablets. When placed in the SHIELDSAK and sealed, the item and the file contents of the item become invisible. All signals are blocked from entering or leaking from the bag. Phones will not ring. Items with ID chips cannot be scanned, keeping your vital information secure. loksak.com

InterCall MobileMeet With this cool business users app, users are

able to invite international participants with automatically inserted international dial-in

numbers on the fly, add participants via SMS, email “Call Now,” and manage and schedule

meetings for multiple accounts through

one smartphone app! The easily installed

program also provides secure access to post-

meeting functions and meeting history. A

savvy way to stay connected with your team locally and globally!

mobilemeet.com

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Wireless One Vehicle and Travel Charger Wireless One offers comprehensive solutions when

it comes to vehicle and travel chargers. The premium dual USB vehicle charger and travel charger are available in either black or white. They can be

purchased separately or bundled with any of the three data, charging cables above. The USB to 30-pin

Apple connector and USB to 8-pin Apple connector are both MFI approved and are available in black or white. The premium dual USB vehicle charger and

travel charger contain a brilliant blue LED indicator to let you know when they are charging. www.wirelessoneco.com

COBY Bluetooth Speakers Coby BluetoothÂŽ speakers are available in a variety of styles and sizes, from convenient travel speakers to high-power statement speakers. Throw Coby Bluetooth speakers in your bag to easily sync to your mobile device when music needs extra volume at the beach, barbecue, picnic, or hotel. Or enjoy music and movies with the deep bass and clear highs of a Coby Bluetooth speaker system designed for your home or office. Whatever the situation, Coby has a Bluetooth speaker solution for everyone. CSBT25 FULL SIZE COBY BluetoothÂŽ SPEAKER SYSTEM - Stylish and Powerful Speaker System - Full Immersive Sound experience - Bluetooth for Wireless Audio Streaming - USB Slot for charging your mobile handset - Easy pairing to your device - Aux 3.5mm Connection for other portable devices Accessories Included - 100-240V UL AC Adapter - 3.5mm Aux Cable coby.com

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Kinyo Bluetooth Portable Speakers BT-C02 is the promise of sound in a palm. It

is small in size, less than 4 ounces, but massive

in sound. A simple Bluetooth pairing hooks up to your phone, MP3 player or laptop or easily

connects with any 3.5mm audio input. Pump up

your tunes with crisp clear acoustics, elevate your room with rocking sound! Select from a range

of vivid colors. The built-in rechargeable battery makes this portable speaker convenient. It also

features a mini SD card reader so you can play

your favorite MP3 or WMA audio file. kinyo.com

TrüSound Hi-Fi Bluetooth Mini Subwoofer Speaker INNOVATIVE, DURABLE, POWERFUL. . .

Hear what you’ve been missing, wherever you are! The TrüSound Hi-Fi Bluetooth Mini Subwoofer Speaker delivers exceptional audio and versatility in a small, yet powerful package. The 3D digital

dynamic bass technology, super shock high quality sound, and seamless steel design come together to deliver rich quality audio. The speaker plays

music wirelessly through its advanced Bluetooth technology, music SD card slot, or 3.5mm AUX

in headphone jack. Have the freedom to listen to

music wherever you are with the TrüSound Hi-Fi Bluetooth Mini Subwoofer Speaker. trusoundaudio.com

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Matrix Audio QUBE The small, sexy, beautiful speaker coated with

aluminum performs rich stunning sound. This

pocket-sized speaker is actually slightly smaller

than a golf ball and twice the weight. With 3

watts output and Passive Vibrating Bass (PVB)

technology, get ready to rock your world.

Don’t let the size fool you; the QUBE is loud

enough to fill a large room. Equipped with a

built-in rechargeable battery, enjoy up to 8 hours of

continuous playback of your favorite music or book. matrixaudio.com

VXi BlueParrott Xpressway™ II Announcing the next-generation Bluetooth®

convertible. The VXi BlueParrott Xpressway II strikes the perfect balance of lightweight (0.6 oz.) comfort

and heavy-duty noise canceling—knocking out 94% of the background noise from your conversations. It also features wideband audio, for clear, accurate communication. A right-sized ear cushion that

rests comfortably on your ear, and a choice of three

wearing styles so you can choose the style and fit that works for you. Their Xtreme Noise Suppression® technology quiets even the most aggressive

background noise. For use with other Bluetooth-

enabled audio devices from music players and GPS

devices and even has multipoint pairing that lets you use two cell phones or a phone and a Bluetooth-

enabled PC at the same time! A whopping 7+ hours of talk time per charge means you can keep on

talking. Totally lightweight and roadworthy, so it’s both comfortable and durable. vxicorp.com

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MiiKey MiiRhythm Bluetooth Headphones It’s brilliant, in every sense of the sound. MiiRhythm Bluetooth-enabled wireless headphones feature

incredibly powerful sound, as clear and strong as any wired headphone. Transform the way you listen to music and make calls forever.

The MiiRhythm has built-in SmartTalk which gives

you control over your headphones to skip, play, pause and also control Apple’s Siri. MiiRhythm, along

with Siri, allows you use your voice to send messages,

schedule meetings, place phone calls and so much more. Watching a movie on an iPad or playing on PS3 will

never be the same. Complete with state of the art noise cancellation technology. Plus, they just look cool! miikey.net

Able Planet True Fidelity® IR310T The IR310T is ideal for home theater and in-car

audio. Get ready to enjoy your favorite music wirelessly

with Able Planet’s rear seat entertainment system,

the True Fidelity® IR310T. The spring-loaded swivel ear cup, automatic power on/off triggered by ear cup

orientation, and adjustable soft headband bring extra

convenience to users.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Patented LINX AUDIO® for Optimal Sound Quality

and Speech Clarity

Patented auto on/off ear cup design Glossy black finish

Fold flat for storage

Soft ear cushions

State-of-the-art IR wireless technology

For use with TV and home theater systems, and auto

in-vehicle audio/video applications

Available with or without transmitter ableplanet.com

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Wireless One Sound Tube XL The Sound Tube XL is the next generation of

Bluetooth speakers offering crisp and clear sound

quality, deep bass, and well-rounded sound from its

aluminum case. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compatible with most Bluetooth enabled devices, along with supporting micro SD

cards and audio cable connectivity. External buttons and a large battery that supports up to 8 hours of

streaming music from up to 30 feet away makes the Sound Tube XL the next must have accessory. wirelessone.us

Veho MIMIâ&#x201E;˘ X3 Wireless Speaker Enjoy a completely wireless sound system using your

smartphone, Spotify and wireless MIMI X3 speakers.

The new X series utilizes 2.4 Ghz wireless technology

to transmit clear and crisp sound to the portable speaker

system. The X series range will utilize 2.4 Ghz WiFi,

lithium polymer rechargeable batteries equipped with

transmitting dongles for PC, Mac and iPhone/iPod Touch/

iPad for a completely wire-free listening experience.

With a 35 meter range and you will be able to pair as many

of the speakers with a single transmitter as you like so that

you can have different speakers from the range throughout

the whole house, garden, office or even restaurant.

Utilize the free Apple Remote App or Spotify App for

iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and you can control your music

from most smartphones without the need for any dongles. The Mimi wireless X3 has 2.1 18W output, 4000Mah

lithium polymer battery for 6 hours continuous playback. veho-world.com 170

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bCODA CODA One CODA One connects with a Bluetooth-paired device

(smartphone, tablet, etc.) for audio playback, phone calls, and voice commands. It supports stereo speaker mode,

handset mode and hands-free mode to accommodate all

your audio needs. We love that you can even use it for

conference calls!

Multipurpose functionality:

Use stereo speaker mode for audio playback

Use handset mode for quiet, private phone conversations Use hands-free mode for safe phone calls while driving Use stereo speaker mode for conference calls

bcoda.com

Kinyo Trilleonâ&#x201E;˘ II Easily pair Bluetooth enabled devices such as

iPhone, Android, iPad, Kindle Fire, Galaxy Note, handheld gaming systems, laptop computers and other tablet devices! BT-150 comes with the

built-in Bluetooth 3.0 wireless technology A2DP profile. Features a USB out (5V1A) allowing you to charge and play your USB-powered device

at the same time Kinyoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative Bass-Renu

design creates rich, deep bass power by utilizing two passive sub-drivers; no subwoofer needed. Produces an impressive 8 watts of crisp, clear

sound from a 2.0 channel sound system. Freedom is at hand as you can manage your playlist and

control volume on your connected device up to

an operating range of 33 ft. Comes with a 5V2A power adapter and a 3.5mm audio cable for non Bluetooth-enabled devices. kinyo.com

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SuperTooth DISCO TWIN Take the party with you! These lightweight

stylish speakers slip easily into any bag and kick

out genuine stereo sound quality via Bluetooth, for double the fun

Stream music wirelessly from any Bluetooth-

enabled device. Each speaker comes equipped

with double speakers in front and a high-

efficiency bass reflex system in back kicking out

16 watts RMS audio power, and pairing together

for combined 32 watts of pure sound. SuperTooth is one of the only brands on the market to offer true right/left speaker stereo via Bluetooth

Integrated rechargeable batteries ensure 3-4 hours

of non-stop, maximum-volume music or up to 10

hours of moderately played tunes. supertoothstore.com

SuperTooth Disco2 Featuring an avant-garde design, compact footprint and the same stellar sound quality youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to expect from Bluetooth leader, SuperTooth.

The Disco2 kicks out 16 watts RMS audio power,

with 2 speakers in front and a bass reflex system on the back. Streams music wirelessly from any cell

phone, tablet, computer or MP3 player supporting

Bluetooth A2DP. For devices equipped with aptX, the Disco2 maintains original, high-quality audio output as if it were directly connected via a cable.

Rechargeable battery keeps music playing for 3-10

hours depending on volume level per 2-hour charge. Available in green, blue, pink, red, white and black. supertoothstore.com

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BOOM The Urchin The Urchin ships with a carbineer for hooking on a belt loop or backpack, a suction cup for sticking to

a shower tile, and a screw mount attachment for the

dash of a car, or it can be used with the optional bike

mount or strap attachment. The Urchin’s silicone skin is molded with a hole at the top so it can easily be

attached to most anything with everything from a

screw in the wall, to a rope tied around a tree. Also included is a powerful, built-in microphone that

instantly turns the Urchin into a hands free speaker

for any Bluetooth phone allowing it to be used in the car, at home, on a beach, mountaintop…wherever. BOOM’s Urchin is truly R4A! boommovement.com

CG Mobile Scunderia Ferrari Hard Case Inspired by Formula 1 racing, this limited collection for

iPhone 4&4S is characterized by the combination of

an elegant design and a carbon fiber material effect, a

material most commonly used for high-tech equipment

such as the construction of racing cars. cg-mobile.com

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RokForm RokShield RokShield v3 Case Kit for iPad Mini

showcases the perfect blend of protection, style and function. This protective case,

with an integrated mounting system, gives you ultimate convenience whether in the

car, at home, or at play. Mount your iPad

mini to virtually any hard surface with the included easy-stick RMS, or comfortably view, type and browse with the included

adjustable, 6-position KickStand. Made in the USA!

rokform.com

Otterbox The Armor Series It’s waterproof. It’s drop proof. It’s dust proof. It’s

crash proof. Billed as one of the toughest cases ever

built. The Armor Series is waterproof for 30 minutes

in 6.6 ft., survives 10 ft. drops, allows for zero entry of dust and debris and can withstand two tons of

crushing force. They know how heavy the burden of a damaged device can be, which is why they don’t take

protection lightly. The Armor Series outperforms what

was ever thought possible for a smartphone case. otterbox.com

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Aerystar Wool fabric iPhone 5 cases Uniqueness, originality, and style are what

Aerystar’s Identity series is all about. The Identity

series is designed for your active lifestyle while

being fashionable when you are on the go. That’s why Aerystar’s Identity series mobile cases are

tailored made to make your life simpler so you

can focus on being yourself. For example, on a

night out, our cases are a perfect companion with

our smart slot cardholder. Or be on a call without

flipping the front cover to the back. Identity cases are designed to offer the ultimate protection with

a soft silicon inner shell casing and dual layer

padding on the outside. This compact design

features handcrafted premium materials, self-

propping stand for video viewing, and easy capture

for photo shooting.

Piel Frama Nspire Cases

aerystar.com

This gorgeous iPad Mini Nspire case has been handmade by experienced leather craftsmen

in first quality cowskin, passing strict quality controls during the whole manufacturing process. Its not only beautiful, but also

functional with a magnetic sleep mode function, magnetic closure system and synch and charge travel cable. The soft leather lining is dreamy,

and the foamy material inside the case enlarges the protection of the iPad mini. Includes a leather chamois for easy up-keep. pielframa.com

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Krome CargoCase It’s a wallet. It’s a mirror. It’s a toolkit. Wait. Krome

CompactCases are all three!

iPhone Wallet. With the largest capacity on the market,

you can securely store up to 12 business cards, 5 ID/credit cards or 10 bills (tri-folded). Streamline your iPhone and

your wallet into one sleek and convenient space.

iPhone Mirror. Krome cases feature a crystal clear mirror so you can be ready for meetings, interviews or nights on

the town. Use the mirror with almost any flashlight app and

you’ll have a lighted compact!

iPhone Tools. Carry pocket-sized travel accessories, micro

tools, card sized USB drives or other essential items. Be

prepared whether you are in the office, on a mountain or out of town. Krome cases are designed to hold a variety

of useful, aftermarket wallet sized gadgets that are at your

fingertips when you need them!

REVJAMS FlipBack Case NEW! It’s a stand. It’s a case. It’s the FlipBack case

by RevJams ! A 2 in-one-case solution that is available for both iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 phones, these cases

are uniquely protective and functional - can be used as a stand and a case. A quality snap-on back cover

and smart cover, all-in-one. Has a magnetic closure feature (no sleep/wake, of course). Available in 8

delicious colors. Also, available for Galaxy S3 and S4 , Galaxy Note 2 and Note 8. revjams.com

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Mobigrip The safety belt for high tech toys! Ever have the dropsies? You are not alone. 30% of iPhone users

experienced accidental damage in the last 12 months. Americans have spent more than $5.9 billion dollars on damaged iPhones. Cheap plastic covers and coatings are not cutting it. Can you imagine throwing your laptop on the ground 3 times a year?

Who would do that? Dropping your smartphone is no different! Secure your expensive, slippery handheld device from falling, getting damaged or being forgotten. Mobigrip is your grip assistant anti-slip, stay-above-wet-surfaces and real drop-

proof protection. Simply peel and stick Mobigrip to the ‘clean’ underside of any handheld device and loop the micro bungee

over your finger to instantly secure the device from dropping.

The micro bungee easily slips on and off your finger; your phone comfortably becomes an extension of your hand. It relaxes your

hand and mind! Finally, an inexpensive foolproof solution to an expensive problem! mobigrips.com

Lifeproof ARMBAND Accessories for your track or trail. The Armband keeps your iPhone 5 within arm’s reach – literally. You get

full access to your GPS, camera, performance trackers, training apps, music and communications. Strap on

your iPhone 5 and hit the road, pool, gym, surf, slopes, courts, track or trail. The Armband keeps your iPhone

5 within arm’s reach – literally. You get full access to

your GPS, camera, performance trackers, training apps,

music and communications. lifeproof.com

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Hothead Technologies Spree Smart fitness monitors are all the rage even for the most

novice exercise geek. We love the Spree fitness monitor. This innovative product was designed with advanced technology that simultaneously monitors your heart rate, movement and body temperature comfortably from your forehead.

Additionally, the Spree’s sleek water resistant design made

from silicone rubber, can help channel sweat from your eyes. Customize your workout experience and find your optimal performance zone with Spree’s smart performance app.

While you exercise, the Spree fitness tracks your biometric information and streams it to your smart phone app using

Bluetooth smart technology. Since you can view an analysis

of your progress in real time, your fitness goals become much clearer and more tangible. Observe calories burned during

your workout with the calorie indicator. Track your distance traveled and set your target heart rate while listening to

your library with the built-in music control. After you’re finished, review your workout history and thanks to the

Spree’s built-in data storage, you can download your stats

to a computer with the included USB cord. This all-around

smart performance app will help elevate your training to new heights.

hotheadtechnologies.com

Nike+ FuelBand LIFE IS A SPORT. MAKE IT COUNT.

Nike+ FuelBand measures your everyday activity and

turns it into NikeFuel. It tracks calories burned, steps

taken and more. It’s also a great watch. Nike+ FuelBand

tracks running, walking, dancing, basketball and dozens of

everyday activities. So put it on and get moving. nike.com

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iBitz™ by GeoPalz® iBitz™ is a wireless family activity monitor. The new

iBitz PowerKey and Unity activity monitors, a physical activity based device and game that wirelessly syncs to

your Bluetooth 4.0® (BLE) phone and allows adults and children their own unique experience with personalized

apps. The iBitz Unity for adults tracks steps, distance,

weight, height, overall physical activity, even BMI, and allows them to incorporate their family members, and

even form groups with friends. While the kid’s iBitz PowerKey interface incorporates a character called

GeoBotz, that a child must keep healthy with physical

activity, healthy food, and plenty of water. The iBitz

PowerKey is a successful way to engage children in being physically active because of the ability to bring the joy of

gaming to physical activity!

The iBitz activity tracker by GeoPalz makes investing

in a healthy future completely effortless, intelligent, fun,

and even affordable.

Lifeproof B IKE + BAR MOUNT Whether you pedal the pavement, burn up

the backcountry or back flip off the tabletops, keep your iPhone mounted and secure in the

Bike + Bar Mount. And, it’s not just for bikes. Motorcycles, jet skis, gym equipment, grocery carts – if it has handlebars, you can mount your iPhone 5 to it. lifeproof.com

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Runtastic Heart Rate & Gear Reciever and Heart Rate Monitor

The runtastic Receiver and Heart Rate Monitor, along with your runtastic apps, will transform your smartphone into

the ideal fitness partner. In addition to recording your speed, pace, altitude, distance, and duration, tracking your heart

rate makes your training statistics even more meaningful

and reliable. With the multiple functions of runtastic, your

smartphone will soon be your go-to fitness companion. On the runtastic fitness site,www.runtastic.com, all statistics are clearly saved, arranged, and accessible. runtastic also

provides an easy-to-use, free training diary to help you reach your fitness goals and track progress. Compatible runtastic

apps with the Receiver and Hear Rate Monitor include:

runtastic PRO | Road Bike PRO | Mountain Bike PRO Supported devices: iPhone: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone

4S, Android 2.1, Blackberry’s: 8330m, 8350i, 8900, 9000,

9100, 9105, 9300, 9700, 9780, 9788 and Windows Phone:

Noitavonne™ The Noit “Joystick”

OS 7.5.

One of the most talked about inventions to hit the trade show circuit this year! This signature device debuted by the

innovative team at Noitavonne was appropriately name the “Joystick”. The Joystick breaks the smart phone mold, allowing for portability, style and performance in one lipstick-shaped body, a true hybrid breaking new ground in smart phone

design. It features true telephony, a Wi-Fi hotspot, MP3, NFC, 64gig storage capacity and a thin client server that enables remote functions which correspond with Noit’s other 3G/4G devices. www. noitavonne.com

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Independent Retail Buyers of Cellular, Electronics and Audio

If you would you like to submit your product for the Summer 2013 WDM Edition, send your product to: Attention: Product Review Dept. 1217 Prince Street, Houston, TX 77002 and call: 1-800-862-2609 ext. 815 marketing@wirelessdealermagazine.com

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Advertiser Index

Able Planet p. 169

good2GO mobile p. 137

REVJAMS p. 176

Aerystar p. 175

Greentech p. 159

Royal Com p. 181

Airvoice Wireless p. 18, 19

Griffin Technology Back Cover

RokForm p. 174

Alliance Telecom p. 43

H2O Wireless p. 6, 7

Runtastic p. 180

Balaji Trading p. 26, 27

HzO Inc p. 160

Sage Telecom p. 124

Bazoing! p. 118

iBitz p. 179

Seidio p. 161

bCODA p. 161, 171

iShieldz p. 75

Se-Kure Controls p. 22

BluCase p. 110

iSkin p. 94, 95

Simple Mobile p. 20, 21

Body Glove p. 96

iWalk p. 89

SIMPro p. 138

BodyDock p. 119

Kinyo p. 167, 171

Sky Mobile p. 105

BOOM Movement p. 173

Klein Electronics p. 111

SmoothTalker p. 162

Cadex Electronics p. 25

Krome p. 176

SPREE p. 32, 33, 178

Callture p. 34

LifeProof p. 156, 177, 179

SuperTooth p. 158, 172

Canadian Wireless Tradeshow p. 64

LokSak p. 165

Telecom Estate p. 135

Cellebrite p 35

Matrix p. 168

TianShan Trading p. 42

cellhelmet p. 162

Max West Telecom p. 49

T-Mobile p. 14, 15

CellRunners p. 183

Maxell p. 159

TracFone Wireless p. 20, 21

Cellular Repair School p. 38, 39

Mercury p. 77

TruSound p. 167, 182

CES p. 130

MiiKey p. 23, 31,169

Turtleback Case p. 83

CG Mobile p. 173

Mobigrip p. 177

TYLT p. 156, 157

Chit Chat Mobile p. 147

Mobile Line Communications

URGE Mobile p. 40, 41

Clear Protector/NITRO p. 74

p. 16, 17

US Connections p. 48

COBY p. 166

MobileMeet p. 165

Veho p. 170

COMPTEL p. 46

Mobile-net p. 46, 186

Vox Call p. 48

COSSETu p. 118

myType p. 158

VXi p. 168

CPR p. 30

Negri Electronics p. 82

Walls + Forms p. 56, 57

CTIA p. 72

Nike p. 178

Wi-Ex p. 125,164

Dream Wireless p. 109

Noitavonne p. 180

Wilson Electronics p. 134

E Wireless p. 112, 113

Otterbox p. 174

Winner Wireless p. 12, 13, 166, 170

Eagle Cell p. 47

Palmer p. 129

Wireless Complete-Inside Back Cover p. 2, 3

Ear Phone Connection p. 88

Phone Store USA p. 65

Wireless Dealer Magazine p. 187

EcoMobile p. 45, 76

Piel Frama p. 175

Wireless One p. 4, 5, 166, 170

Emax City p. 10, 11

PortaTab p. 105, 163

Wireless Workshop p. 73

Ericsson Report p. 131

PrepaYd Wireless - Center Fold Out

Wireless Xcessories Group p. 152, 153

Flags 100 p. 24

PTEL Mobile p. 184, 185

yby Electronics p. 163

Global Warranty Group p. 8, 9

Red Pocket Mobile - Cover Fold Out & p. 1

Go Smart Mobile p. 14, 15

Reiko p. 36, 37

1-800-862-2609 WirelessDealerMagazine.com