Hot off the PRESS
METROCALL SIGNS CELLULAR/PAGING AGREEMENT WITH USCI
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Metrocall, Inc. (Nasdaq-NNM:
MCLL) announced today that it has signed agreements with two
wholly-owned subsidiaries of USCI, Inc. (Nasdaq-NNM: USCM) to provide
paging services and to resell cellular service. Under the paging
agreement, Metrocall will provide U.S. Paging Services, Inc. with access
to one of the Company's nationwide frequencies and under the cellular
agreement, U.S. Communications Inc. will provide Metrocall with cellular
rate plans and activation processing for cellular telephones sold
through its company-owned retail stores.
"As the fifth largest paging provider in the United States, Metrocall
has been successful in developing less costly ways to distribute paging
services and the agreement with U.S. Paging Services, Inc. is another
example of the strength of Metrocall's strategic partnership focus,"
said William L. Collins III, President and Chief Executive Officer.
"Through our approximately 70 company-owned retail stores, Metrocall is
beginning to offer diversified communications services to our 2 million
customers by carrying cellular products, long distance services and
'smart' phones."
Metrocall will provide U.S. Paging Services, Inc., with access to its
nationwide network to offer paging to many of their mass merchandisers
and direct response companies, such as Staples, Inc., one of the largest
retail chains in its category with more than 900 stores. Metrocall's
two nationwide networks have been built out during 1996 and agreements
such as this have the ability to advance subscriber growth and provide a
loading factor for network utilization.
"Metrocall's nationwide frequency, combined with our unique marketing
and rate plans, will allow us to offer multiple levels of services for
local, regional or national coverage -- and one paging frequency," said
USCI President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce A. Hahn. "This package
will benefit our mass merchandise retail channels. The rate plan in
particular will target specific consumer segments with a unique payment
and usage format."
USCI, Inc. is a technology and marketing company providing wireless
communication products and services to consumers via mass market
merchandisers. Through its subsidiaries, it provides credit review,
wireless service rate plans and activation, wireless coverage and cycle
account billing to consumers of paging, cellular phones and personal
communication systems (PCS).
Metrocall, Inc., headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia (Metropolitan
Washington, DC), offers paging and wireless messaging across the United
States and in over 1000 cities through its Nationwide Wireless Network
to over 2 million subscribers.
SOURCE Metrocall, Inc.
-0- 12/17/96 /CONTACT: Paul Liberty, VP,
Investor Relations of Metrocall, 703-660-6677, ext. 6260, or URL:
http/ www.metrocall.com/
(MCLL USCM)
CO: Metrocall, Inc.; U.S. Communications Inc. ST: Virginia IN: TLS
SU:
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