Cleveland Overview

Cleveland firmly ensconced as Hub of the Delta

City gearing up for a new $10 million plant

Delta is company’s second largest market in the state

BY ROBERT MCFARLAND, JR.

Delta Business Journal

Last month as Jackson and portions of Mississippi became acquainted with Cellular South through its launch of Digital Mississippi statewide cellular coverage, the company’s promotion was for the Delta and much of the rest of the state yet another in a long line of wireless firsts. Once again, Cellular South was first out of the shoot in the wireless arena. This time the first company to provide digital rate plans for the entire state, eliminating roaming and long distance charges within the state. It was an announcement that provided an impressive backdrop for Cellular South’s own version of a coming out party in Jackson.

Since it opened its doors in 1988 as one of the state’s original cellular licensees, Cellular South has grown into Mississippi’s largest wireless service provider. In doing so it has carved out an enviable position in the hyper-competitive world of wireless communication services. And while it has generated ink and garnered numerous accolades for its technological leadership and community involvement, the company has remained true to its small town ethics and deep heritage. It’s a history rooted in a founding vision built on highly personalized customer service and intense technical sophistication.

"we’re proud of our Mississippi heritage, but we haven’t made it into a one-note calling card," explained Hu Meena, Cellular South president. "It’s important that folks understand we’re based here and we call Mississippi home, because that communicates a sense of service they may not find with an automated customer service department out of Atlanta or New York. But that strategy is of little value if we do not continue to work at being known as a leading technology developer and innovator of wireless services and products."

Cellular South started out building our networks and packaging cellular rate plans for a burgeoning market. The techno-prophecies of futurists such as John Scully and Faith Popcorn became reality, and the telecommunications business experienced a revolution in the mid-eighties. At the vanguard was the cellular phone industry. Mississippi itself was carved into geographical sections with each region to be served via duopoly. In other words, customers had a choice between two FCC-mandated cellular providers.

"It was then and still is a capital intensive enterprise," Meena continued. "Not only does it require a sizable capital investment to develop the infrastructure and technical horsepower to serve your customers, but also there is certainly a requirement for talented people and personnel to develop and market the services you provide for your customers and prospects."

Cellular South definitely fit the bill for a wireless licensee as an independent operating unit of Telapex, Inc., its forty-year old parent. Already diversified in several telecommunications areas, Telapex created Cellular South as its entree into the emerging wireless market. With the necessary capital and experience, Cellular South began by serving a geographically large portion of the state (more than half), comprising the Delta, Golden Triangle, Gulf Coast, and Pine Belt regions. Within five years it soon boasted the state’s largest calling area and earned high marks with award winning customer service.

The Delta region is where Cellular South’s sister company, Delta Telephone Company got its start. Also a subsidiary of Telepex, Inc., it has provided local telephone service to some of the Delta’s smaller communities since the early 1960s. Today, the Delta represents the second highest volume of business for Cellular South and remains one of its most dominant markets in both share and revenue. That owes to many factors not the least of which are Meena’s hometown roots in Clarksdale.

Since its original launch 11 years ago, Cellular South has enjoyed a number of milestones most notably its introduction of Telepak Family two Springs ago. The service bundled residential telephone, long distance and wireless service into one package, all on a single consolidated billing statement. The first in the state to offer such a plan, and one of only three wireless providers nationwide to do so, Cellular South expanded Telepak Family by including a second cellular phone for just five dollars a month.

"At first, it was a recognition on our part to address the specific needs of our customers beyond their business or individual wireless requirements," explained John Redmond area manager for the Delta. "We did our research and really put together a great package that created a lot of value for the customer with multiple cellular phone needs. That second phone began attracting a wide spectrum of the market and we found in short order it was deemed pretty useful for spouses, mothers, sisters, and roommates too. We predicted great things for Telepak Family, but we never expected the kind of success it generated."

Since its introduction, more than 20,500 customers have signed up for Telepak Family and demand has intensified in the wake of the company’s statewide digital announcement. The company is also one of the leading providers of Internet service. With last November’s roll out of Telepak.net, Cellular South’s Internet Service Provider (ISP), the company offers a web portal loaded with local content and news on sports, financial and entertainment information along with weather updates for every community in the state. Through these and other Cellular South services, Redmond has spearheaded some unique local initiatives for the Delta area, separating the wireless provider from its peers.

"One of our larger constituencies here in the Delta are farmers," Redmond explained. "Here and in the Golden Triangle, run off from farms is a major concern. We’ve worked with the Cooperative Extension Service and ag deptartment for a number of years to help out. In addressing the problem of run off, we connected the department’s sophisticated measuring equipment to our cellular network to immediately transmit measurements and soil readings back to the extension’s labs and analysis departments. It’s vastly improved response time over the old system which consisted of waiting until after it rained and going to each measuring station to collect samples."

Cellular South is also working with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service to put in place a web-based farmer’s resource guide. The system enables farmers who spot existing or potential problems with crop or livestock to check on the web for the exact nature and solution for the hazard. For example, if a farmer suspects possible infestation from an insect he or she can go online to identify exactly what type of pest they face. Listed are early warning signs, further detection clues, treatment and problem management options, and the name and contact of specialists and resources for dealing with the problem.

"With our heritage comes a responsibility to make a difference in the communities we serve," Meena explained. "We take our role as a corporate citizen very seriously, because we work, play and call Mississippi home too. It’s where we raise our own families."

The company has donated more than 300 cellular phones and free airtime to dozens of Mississippi communities as part of an industry-wide neighborhood policing program, Communities On Phone Patrol. Just last year, Cellular South widened its scholastic giving to include a donation to six Mississippi universities totaling $1 million over the next five years. And last December, Cellular South was the sole corporate sponsor of the Conerly Trophy awarded to the state’s outstanding college football player.

With its debut in Jackson and the launch of its Digital Mississippi plan, Cellular South service can be used in all 82 counties in the state and employs 385 Mississippians. With less than 15 retail outlets five years ago, the company currently boasts 49 with additional openings scheduled throughout the remainder of the year and on into the next. Its growth continues to be fueled by its successful combination of innovation and leadership in technology and an intense focus on customer service.