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Telecommunications industry

GTE Drops Cellular One Brand Name in Memphis Market

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Telecommunications company GTE, which provided cellular telephone service under the brand name Cellular One, is changing its operations' name to GTE Wireless, effective April 6. The company is dropping the Cellular One name in six states, including Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and parts of Virginia. This move is part of the company's strategy to offer a wider variety of services under its own name, mirroring the trend in the more competitive and deregulated marketplace nationwide. GTE Wireless will be marketing new products, including digital wireless service, to businesses and individual consumers, said Ed White, general manager-business sales for GTE Wireless in Memphis.

Key Takeaways:

  • GTE is changing the name of its cellular telephone service operations to GTE Wireless, effective April 6, in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and parts of Virginia.
  • The move is part of the company's strategy to offer a wider variety of services under its own name, following the trend in the more competitive and deregulated marketplace nationwide.
  • GTE Wireless will be marketing new products, including digital wireless service, to businesses and individual consumers, said Ed White, general manager-business sales for GTE Wireless in Memphis.
  • The company launched its digital wireless service, the next generation of cellular telephone technology, last September.
  • GTE Wireless will allow its rights to use the Cellular One trademark in Memphis and other areas in the Southeast to expire after the end of 1998.
  • GTE is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., but its wireless division is based in Atlanta.
  • The company provides wireless service in 17 states and local telephone service in 28 states.
  • GTE offers other telecommunications services, including dial-up Internet access, Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies, video service in some markets, government and defense communications systems, directories, and information services, and aircraft passenger telecommunications.
  • Outside the U.S. markets, GTE has more than 7 million telecommunications customers.

Statistics:

  • $23 billion: The value of GTE's telecommunications company.
  • 6 states: Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and parts of Virginia, where GTE is dropping the Cellular One name.
  • 17 states: The number of states where GTE provides wireless service.
  • 28 states: The number of states where GTE provides local telephone service.
  • 7 million: The number of GTE's telecommunications customers outside the U.S. markets.
  • 1998: The year when GTE will allow its rights to use the Cellular One trademark in Memphis and other areas in the Southeast to expire.
  • September 1997: The month when GTE launched its digital wireless service, the next generation of cellular telephone technology.

Sources:

  • Kevin McKenzie, The Commercial Appeal
  • GTE Wireless
  • Cellular One
  • Fortune 500 companies
  • GTE's official website (not specified)

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