Apple iPhone 4S: Soon at C Spire, but not T-Mobile
C Spire, a regional carrier previously known as Cellular South, will be the fourth U.S. provider to offer the phone.
- SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
The exclusive iPhone 4S club isn't so hard to get into after all.
Regional carrier C Spire Wireless, formerly known as Celllular South, said it will be offering Apple's latest iPhone in coming weeks. Exact timing and pricing information wasn't yet available.
C Spire marks the fourth U.S. carrier to offer the iPhone, after Sprint Nextel joined AT&T and Verizon Wireless during last week's launch. The addition also draws attention to T-Mobile USA, the only national carrier to be left out in the cold. AT&T is still attempting to acquire the carrier, which would allow its customers to get the iPhone.
C Spire was best known as Cellular South before, but changed its name to reflect its focus on data services. Its outspoken CEO Hu Meena criticized AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile before Congress, and has also refused to let Verizon Wireless have access to its 4G LTE network.
As part of its relaunch, C Spire is marketing itself to customers as a carrier that delivers "personalized" wireless service to its customers. That includes an app recommendation system called Scout, a rewards program called Percs, more social media integration, and a service called Pulse, which taps into customer preferences.