Consumer Reports Rates Samsung Galaxy S™ as Top Smartphone in U.S. Market

Now Is the Best Time to Discover the Difference of Cellular South, With Incredible Deals on its Entire Android™ Smartphone Line-up, including a BOGO Deal on the Samsung Galaxy S and Five Android Devices for Under $100

RIDGELAND, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Samsung Galaxy S Android-powered smartphone was rated the best device across all wireless carriers in the 2010 Consumer Reports ratings released this week. Samsung’s advanced touchscreen device is the shining star of Cellular South’s robust Android line-up and now consumers who want to switch to the nation’s largest privately owned wireless provider can buy one and get one free for just $199.99 (after a $50 mail-in rewards card).

“Consumer Reports only confirms what we already know; consumers consider the Galaxy S the best smartphone on the market today. With its amazing Super AMOLED™ touchscreen display, lightning-fast Hummingbird processor and SWYPE™ technology, this device is redefining the smartphone and making Android the must-have wireless platform,” said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for Cellular South. “However, a device is only part of the overall smartphone experience. Consumers also want a great plan, a reliable and advanced network and simple, easy access to relevant and useful apps on the Android Market. Cellular South offers unmatched value in wireless with its Smartphone Unlimited Plan and has the most robust high-speed broadband network available – making us the best choice for smartphone users.”

In addition to naming the Galaxy S the top smartphone device this year, Consumer Reports released its ratings on some of the largest wireless providers in the industry – naming U.S. Cellular, a regional provider, as the best carrier. “The results really validate that consumers consider carriers like U.S. Cellular and Cellular South as true industry leaders in innovation, customer service, value and overall quality,” Hankins said.

"The big players are not the real innovators,” according to Jeff Kagan, an Atlanta-based telecommunications and wireless industry analyst. “It's more fitting to think of them as "fast followers." They look for the ideas they think will work, or the ideas they need, but they are not the innovators. That crown goes to the smaller and lesser-known companies. If you want to know what the industry will look like tomorrow, check out what companies like U.S. Cellular and Cellular South are doing today."

The Consumer Reports findings also highlight the overall frustration many consumers feel about some of the giant wireless providers, which is why Cellular announced today a new trade-in promotion. Any iPhone user can visit one of Cellular South’s retail locations and trade-in their iPhone for $100 – good to use towards a new activation of any Cellular South device or accessory.

“With six Android devices, an impressive Blackberry line-up, Cellular South’s industry-leading Smartphone Unlimited Plan for just $79.99 and its advanced and reliable high-speed broadband network, new customers can take comfort knowing that they’re saving money, improving their overall experience and receiving superior service that the competition doesn’t offer,” Hankins said.

With just three weeks until Christmas, the unprecedented deals continue at Cellular South. The company is the only wireless provider with five Android smartphones for under $100 and offering the popular HTC Hero™ Android device for free with a two-year contract. Additionally, Cellular South is making it even easier to make the smartphone switch by covering all early termination fees up to $200 and offering free activation – a $36 value.

Additional holiday deals include the following:

• All Mississippi state agency employees get up to a 20 percent discount on products and services for new activations
• Customer referral program for 2010 holiday shopping season, including $50 to current customers who refer friends and co-workers to Cellular South for new activations

It’s An Android Christmas at Cellular South…With Apps for All

To make the Android ownership experience even better, Cellular South is making its highly-touted Discover Apps tool available on each of its Android devices. Changing the way smartphone users navigate the overwhelming world of wireless applications, Cellular South’s Discover Apps is a unique tool that gives consumers easy and quick access to the very best Android apps available today.

Unlike other smartphone app experiences that provide access to thousands of apps, but leave customers overwhelmed and unsure of the best ones for them, Cellular South’s Discover Apps helps consumers search, find and use the best apps that best fit their lives. By combing through the growing list of thousands of Android apps on a regular basis, Discover Apps chooses the very best, most useful, and fun Android apps available today. The recommended apps help smartphone users get the most out of their wireless device – creating an optimum app experience not available from any other wireless provider.

Samsung Galaxy S and Cellular South’s Android Line-Up

The new Samsung Galaxy S is the sixth Android device Cellular South has introduced to consumers and businesses in the last 12 months. The Galaxy S brings users a fully integrated entertainment, messaging and social networking experience packaged in a stunning design.

In addition to the Samsung Galaxy S available for $199.99 (after a $50 mail in rewards card) with a second device free for new activations, Cellular South is offering the following Android devices for under $100 (each with a $50 mail-in reward card):

• HTC Wildfire™ with Android 2.1 and HTC Sense interface technology for $19.99
• LG Axis™ with Android 2.1 and a touchscreen display with a QWERTY keyboard for $99.99

• HTC Desire ($99.99) – HD video recording 720p, Snapdragon processor, 5 MP camera
• Motorola Milestone™ ($99.99) – Powered by Android 2.1, turn-by-turn voice-aided Google navigation, video and picture messaging
• HTC Hero™ (Free) – Powered by Android 2.1, turn by turn voice-aided Google navigation, video and picture messaging

Best Plans for Smartphones

While AT&T and Verizon’s unlimited plans continue to confuse consumers with data limitations and additional charges, Cellular South understands that talk isn’t enough for most consumers today. They want to talk, text, e-mail and use the Web at an affordable, flat-rated, simple price. Many also want plans that make smartphones accessible to everyone in the household. That’s why, over a year ago, Cellular South created the nationwide Smartphone Unlimited Plan for individuals and families.

Cellular South’s Smartphone Unlimited Plan is the industry’s most robust and affordable smartphone plan and includes unlimited talk, text, Web, and e-mail for just $79.99, compared to $119 per month for the same services from AT&T or Verizon. The plan from Cellular South also includes a second line, including all of the same unlimited services, for just $39.99. Customers can get two Smartphone Unlimited Plans for the price of only one from AT&T or Verizon with equivalent unlimited services.

“For years we’ve been pricing our wireless plans and services in a way that wireless users don’t have to manage minutes or usage. Wireless users should not have to think before they press send or worry about surprise bills that may come after,” Hankins said. “Cellular South customers don’t have to worry about calling circles, rollover minutes, roaming networks, days of the week or the time of day. All our customers need to think about is who they want to connect to next.”

Putting the “Work” Back Into Network

Cellular South knows that a smartphone is only as good as the network that supports it and Cellular South has that covered as well. In fact, the company has one of the most advanced and reliable high-speed wireless networks in the nation and recently announced plans for deploying a fourth generation (4G) mobile broadband network using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.

For more information about Cellular South’s Android offerings this holiday season, as well as Cellular South Discover Apps, visit www.celllularsouth.com.

About Cellular South

Cellular South is a diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation’s largest privately owned wireless communications provider accomplishes this goal by optimizing customers’ app experience through Discover Apps, providing the most reliable and advanced high-speed nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information on how to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information about Cellular South and its products and services, visit www.cellularsouth.com.

CONTACT:

Cellular South
Dave Miller, 601-974-7725
dnmiller@cellularsouth.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Mississippi

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Consumer Electronics  Telecommunications  Mobile/Wireless

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