Your observations on marketing in Atlanta are very intersting. Part of the problem may indeed be a handset shortage. The Q phone is not yet out in an 800mhz version to my knowledge.( I assume that ATI is at 800mhz). This will change in a few months. Has Sprint pcs rolled out in Atlanta? Even if they have their coverage is sometimes thin with residual gaps. We have that problem here in San Diego.
I would imagine that in Atlanta Bell South is a goliath and everyone else is fighting an uphill battle. I would venture to say that if you travel in the Northeast you may find an analagous domination by Bell Atlantic.
The marketing battle is now engaged and it will take time for the successful carriers to emerge as clear victors. There may ultimately be no clear victors but several systems in healthy competition. Only time will tell, meanwhile a lot of phone and base stations will roll off the shelves while the combatants gird themselves for the cellular/pcs wars.
By the way-- don't forget GTE. They have a national presence and are only now starting their digital parade. Here is an article showing how they are about to arm themselves with LG phones.
LG to Export CDMA Cell Phones to GTE
December 22, 1997 (SEOUL) -- LG Information & Communication Inc. will
provide GTE, a mobile phone operator in the United States, with a total of
100,000 CDMA-based cellular phones.
During it's announcement on Dec. 19, LG said an initial shipment of 5,000 units is readily
available for the U.S. company.
LG already supplied 150,000 cellular phones to U.S.-based AmeriTech this year, and is
seeking another contract with Airtouch of the United States with the aim of leading Korea
as the largest cell phone exporter to the United States.
The export model sent to GTE will be the LGC-300W, which functions in both analog and
digital mode and features six hours of continuous calling and 100 hours of stand-by time,
with a large-capacity battery. The hand set also can receive wireless faxes as well as stocks
and weather information services.
LG plans to expand its exports to North and South America in cooperation with its U.S.
affiliates. LG established LG Infocom Co., Ltd. in San Diego, CA in 1995 to promote its
CDMA business, and Sansis and Sansearch corporations in 1996 to develop related
CDMA equipment.
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