RadioShack today announced the immediate availability of Cingular Wireless products and services in more than 5,000 convenient neighborhood RadioShack stores across the United States. This includes almost 500 RadioShack dealer / franchise outlets that are also offering Cingular products and services.
Cingular is selling its full line of post-paid products and GoPhone pre-paid products through these RadioShack stores as of January 1. Cingular has the nation's largest digital voice and data network and is the nation's largest wireless company, with more than 52.3 million customers.
"We've been diligently planning for months to effectively and efficiently manage the addition of Cingular to our wireless family," said David Edmondson, RadioShack's president and chief executive officer. "We're excited that our customers now have access to Cingular's exciting new technologies, handsets and competitive wireless plans."
The 10-year distribution agreement, which was first announced in August 2005, provides significant benefits to both companies. The agreement gives RadioShack sales associates the opportunity to provide wireless customers with the hottest products in wireless, including the black Motorola V3 RAZR, and GoPhone, one of the fastest growing prepaid brands in the United States. For Cingular, the agreement makes RadioShack its single largest distribution outlet.
"With Cingular now available in more than 5,000 RadioShack company and dealer franchise stores, wireless consumers have unprecedented access to Cingular products and services," said Cingular Chief Operating Officer Ralph de la Vega. "RadioShack's team of knowledgeable salespeople has an unparalleled understanding of wireless products and customer service, which is evident by recent surveys rating them as number one in customer wireless satisfaction. We are excited about giving wireless users this new avenue in buying, upgrading or enhancing their Cingular service."
RadioShack officials say its sales associates went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure stores were fully converted overnight on New Year's Eve with new Cingular displays and products. These stores now feature a wide-ranging inventory of Cingular phones, accessories, extensively branding elements and signage. Likewise, RadioShack sales associates nationwide have been fully training to ensure they can provide all visitors to RadioShack stores with accurate and helpful information about Cingular products and services.
"While the overnight conversion of more than 5,000 stores may have seemed daunting for people outside our company, this isn't the first time we've had to manage such a massive undertaking," said Edmondson. "We attribute the successful transformation to many factors, including the senior leadership on the transition team, our home office employees who worked through every contingency possible, and our store employees who performed admirably during our busiest sales time of the year to make the transition seamless to the eyes of the customers. We also have the utmost admiration for our new partner, Cingular, who worked hand-in-hand with us every step of the way to allow us to hit the ground running on January 1."
It's a good business move for Cingular. I talked to one of the RadioShack employees and they weren't excited about it, but at least one was happy to be selling Cingular. So it can be good or it can be bad.
3. Posted by mr2gobyby
Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:22 pm
Everyone just remember to get things done/changed in your acct, you'll have call customer service or go to a "Direct Cingular Store" To find a "Direct Store" you can find a "Store locator at the cingular website... www.cingular.com
4. Posted by colione112
Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:38 am
the radio shack in our mall talked down so much about cingular. It's going to be hilarious watching to see how they treat the service that they berated so many times...
5. Posted by Cptech31
Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:03 pm
It is going to be funny to see radio shack do a 180 and eat there words on what they have said about cingular
6. Posted by colione112
Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:13 pm
one of the r/s reps actually came in the store to look around... I think it's the first time I have ever seen one of them in our store.
7. Posted by Cptech31
Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:57 am
Heck a long time ago while i was in college i applied for a job at a radio shack and when i was asked by a manager what a band pass filter was and i told him what it was and all uses you can use it for (i have a electronics degree) he looked at me and said they were not hireing as i smoked his knoledge
8. Posted by elmo01
Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:49 am
LOL....
I take it you didnt get into band-reject filters....
9. Posted by Cptech31
Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:23 am
nope he was like how does this kid know what he is talking about then when he asked me about resisters and i am sitting there reading the color codes on them to him it blew his mind
10. Posted by mastergnatman
Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:40 am
rip off prices, ive looked online. radio shack is crazy, my phone is 270 there..hahahaha..lolz
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