Clarksdale native Hu Meena was one of a handful of pioneers who in 1988 started the enterprise that has since grown into the country’s largest privately held wireless company. Launching service in its first market – the Mississippi Gulf Coast – on February 4, 1988, Cellular South forged into new territory with a technology and service that was almost completely unknown by the average consumer.

Cellular technology was so new at that time,” says Meena, then general manager and since 1997, Cellular South’s president. “We knew it could work, but we literally held our breath when we turned the network on for the first time. It truly was a leap of faith, but one that came after months of hard work in an area that very few other people had explored.”

With Mississippi football legend and Drew native Archie Manning making the company’s inaugural call from Gulfport to then U.S. Representative Trent Lott in Washington, Cellular South brought the first cellular phone service to the Coast and opened a new era of communication for residents there.

That pioneering spirit continued as the company brought the first wireless service to many other parts of Mississippi, including the Mississippi Delta. Beginning operations in Greenville in 1991, then Greenwood, Clarksdale, Indianola and Cleveland in 1992, it expanded to all Delta counties over the next few years.

"From the outset of their appearance in Greenville we've been impressed with the manner in which Cellular South has marketed, operated and really become a good corporate citizen for the city," says Mayor Paul Artman of Greenville. From everything that I see of Cellular South, they're a superior company. In times of disaster they've always come forward to offer whatever assistance we might need, sometimes before we even know we need it. They've been a good friend to the City of Greenville and to the entire area."

Cellular South believes in supporting the communities in which its customers live and work. The company sponsored the Great Delta Bear Affair in 2002, commemorating the 100th birthday of the “Teddy Bear.” Other sponsorships include the Delta Jubilee and Habitat for Humanity in Clarksdale, 300 Oaks Run in Greenwood, World’s Largest Catfish Festival in Belzoni, and various athletic programs at Delta State University and Mississippi Valley State University.

“We estimate that Cellular South has invested more in its Delta network than all of the other wireless providers combined, and in return, the Delta has been, and continues to be, very good to us,” says Meena. “We operate three different generations of technology in the Delta – first generation analog, an early generation of digital and our third generation state of the art CDMA 1X network.”

Cellular South has expanded in tandem with the astonishing growth of the industry. Its networks now cover Memphis and parts of West Tennessee, most of the state of Mississippi, the Mobile, AL area and the Florida Panhandle.

Nationally, more than 140 million people have gone “wireless” in less than 20 years. By comparison, it took 72 years for U.S. landline telephones to reach the 30 million mark. What was viewed in the 1980s as a cumbersome toy used only by business executives, is now ubiquitous. This small, trendy gadget can be found attached to the belts of teens and construction workers or fitting snugly in briefcases and purses that feature pockets designed just for the phone.

The people who thought they needed cell phones in the early years of wireless generally bought them for business use, and then, only for occasional, very important calls. With the phones themselves costing an average of $800 for installed models and more than $2,000 for top of the line handheld models unrecognizably large by today’s standards, and per minute charges hovering close to a dollar, the industry had a very narrow market.
Now in 2003, wireless carriers have expanded home coverage areas, offering flat rate calling plans that alleviate many roaming and long distance fees. Per minute costs are calculated in cents rather than dollars and handsets are smaller, more sophisticated and infinitely less expensive.

Though it has grown along with the industry, Cellular South has gone against the key trends of many wireless carriers toward mergers, acquisitions by national or international companies, and brand name changes. Keeping the same name throughout its history, Cellular South’s stability and continuity of operations has allowed the company to focus on one region of the country by building the highest quality networks and providing innovative features and service.

“The growth and vitality of Cellular South can be attributed completely to our employees and their dedication to customer service,” says Meena. “We still operate under the vision we had when we started 15 years ago, to provide the best customer service, not just in comparison to other wireless companies, but the best service of any business.”

The company backs up its customer service commitment with ongoing investments in technology and infrastructure. Cellular South was the first company to introduce analog, the original wireless technology, to many parts of Mississippi. Digital service was offered a few years later when dual-band, dual-mode phones were introduced.

Since 1999, the company has invested more than $60 million in infrastructure throughout Mississippi alone, including networks, cellular towers, retail stores and administrative offices. Expansions included several new towers in the Delta, improving coverage and call quality. Also in 1999, it became the first carrier to implement TDMA digital service statewide. The introduction of its Free Incoming Calls plan, in that same year, proved so popular that Cellular South immediately began planning for future installation of additional technology to accommodate the growth in voice traffic. In 2000, the company expanded outside of Mississippi for the first time, to Mobile, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Cellular South grew again in 2001, with its first wireless network in the Memphis Metro and Jackson, Tennessee, area. Featuring third generation wireless technology called Code Division Multiple Access 1XRTT (CDMA 1X), the network provides increased capacity for voice traffic, allowing customers to enjoy high call quality even as wireless phone usage experiences tremendous growth.

In 2002, CDMA technology was added to the Mississippi network, allowing the company to offer a new Unlimited Plan – including unlimited anytime calling minutes in a home coverage area with nationwide coverage.

Expansion plans continue even as Cellular South celebrates its 15th anniversary of business. The company now operates more than 85 retail locations, with 13 new retail locations planned in 2003. It also offers an online e-Store at cellularsouth.com, a wide network of authorized retailers and a company-operated toll-free Customer Care Center.
“As a company, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, especially of the impact Cellular South has made in our home state of Mississippi,” says Meena. “Our goals for the future remain the same: focus on our core business values of providing our customers the best service and calling plans available.” DBJ