Ready Link attracts 1%

[SU-News]

Sprint's Ready Link service launched just six months ago and in that time has attracted an estimated 275,000 users, which is 1% of their customer base. Initially offered for $15/month, the walkie-talkie style service can now be picked up for $10 monthly. A two-month free trial is even offered to entice more to try it out. Read the full story here (http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=document&doc_id=133495&verticalID=34&vertical=Business+and+Finance&industry=).

[crazymac]

What about the current users. Do we see a price drop too? Or is it we are the beta testers that have to pay a higher price for being first.

[Deval]

What about the current users. Do we see a price drop too? Or is it we are the beta testers that have to pay a higher price for being first.

just call them and change it

[mas90guru]

I bet that 1% is inclusive of free trial members.

[crazymac]

just call them and change it

Thank you. I did and it worked.

[Deval]

ok...good deal

[Maokh]

Wow, thats really pathetic .. I bet you if sprint dropped this feature price to <$5 per plan, they would reach a critical mass which would accelerate subscription rates. Who wants to be on a phone system with 275,000 people they dont know?

[mbrenner]

Critical mass is everything. I have RL but my add a phone does not so I don't use it. If I had a few contacts with it I probably would use it begin to like it and encourage my other sprint/and non sprint contacts to get it. Really seems most usefull on the job or with family members. Problem for families is the cost (including no entry level RL phone - now the new sanyo @ $69 after rebate changes that) but people without a RL phone would have to wait unitil they are at their 18 months.

So my suggestions (besides giving it to me for my AAP ;-) ) would be to allow people to trade up to a RL phone, if they are not at their 18 months then give them credits towards the 10 dollar (or 5 dollar) RL fees untill the credits = the 150 dollars. This would encourage RL for families and businesses who don't have RL phones.

Perhaps they should have let people with the 100+ dollar plans have RL on their AAP's as well as thier primary to get a bit of RL penetration there. Really it is all about critical mass.

Most important now is that they need to get something for casual laptop hookup other than ignoring the low volume violators of the T&Cs. This and a good readly link customer base will provide better business and personal potential than any other carrier.

[gusto]

i thought this was good, especially since there was no hard launch.

[Aeternavi]

I have had a RL phone for a month now (never used RL), and I do have to agree, there is a lack of usage. A lot of my business contacts have other carriers. Those who like a 2-way feature have already gone the Nextel way. In order for it to take off better and to not just be this option that died out, they need to get with Nextel and Verizon to find a way for the feature to be cross compatible. Sprint has the best way to get this to work by having your RL number the same as your mobile, unlike Nextel. SMS is cross compatible. Obviously we can talk to others on different networks. It should be possible.