Metro PCS 2009 Annual Report Download - page 19

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xOffer Nationwide Voice, Text and Web Services. Beginning in January 2010, all of the service plans we
offer to new subscribers offer nationwide voice, text and web services for a flat rate inclusive of
applicable taxes and regulatory fees on an unlimited usage basis. In order to do so, we have entered, and
plan to enter in the future, into roaming agreements with other wireless broadband mobile service
providers to allow our subscribers to receive services when they are outside our service area.
Products and Services
We provide mobile broadband services under the MetroPCS® brand under simple and affordable flat monthly rate
service plans. In 2009, our service plans started at $30 per month, excluding taxes and regulatory fees associated
with the service. In January 2010, we introduced a new family of service plans, which includes all applicable taxes
and regulatory fees, offering nationwide voice, text and web services for a flat rate beginning at $40 per month. For
an additional $5 to $20 per month, our customers may select alternative service plans that offer additional features
on an unlimited basis. For additional usage fees, we also provide certain other value-added services. All our service
plans are “paid-in-advance” and do not require a long-term service contract. We provide the following products and
services:
xVoice Services. Our voice services allow customers to place voice calls to, and receive calls from, any
telephone in the world, including local, domestic long distance and international calls. Our services also
allow customers to receive and make calls while they are located in geographic areas served by certain
other wireless broadband mobile carriers through roaming arrangements with such carriers.
xData Services. Our data services include services provided through the Binary Runtime Environment
for Wireless, or BREW, platform, such as ringtones, ring back tones, games and content applications;
text messaging services (domestic and international); multimedia messaging services; mobile Internet
browsing; mobile instant messaging; location based services; social networking services; and push e-
mail.
xCustom Calling Features. We offer custom calling features, including caller ID, call waiting, three-way
calling and voicemail.
xAdvanced Handsets. We sell a variety of handsets manufactured by nationally recognized handset
manufacturers for use on our network, including models that have cameras, can browse the Internet, play
music and have other features facilitating digital data.
Service Areas
Our strategy has been to offer our services in major metropolitan markets and surrounding areas. We commenced
providing commercial service in the first quarter of 2002. We launched service in our current major metropolitan
areas as follows:
xMiami, Atlanta and Sacramento in the first quarter of 2002
xSan Francisco in September 2002
xTampa/Sarasota in October 2005
xDallas/Ft. Worth in March 2006
xDetroit in April 2006
xOrlando and portions of northern Florida in November 2006
xLos Angeles in September 2007
xLas Vegas in March 2008
xPhiladelphia in July 2008
xNew York and Boston in February 2009
We provide service in Los Angeles, California and certain portions of Northern Florida, including Orlando, through
a wholesale arrangement with Royal Street Communications, LLC, or Royal Street Communications, a company in
which we hold an 85% non-controlling interest. For a discussion of Royal Street Communications and its wholly
owned subsidiaries, or collectively with Royal Street Communications, Royal Street, please see “— Royal Street.”