Cingular Announces Results From Its Annual Valentine's Day

Press Release:

Cingular Announces Results From Its Annual Valentine's Day Survey on Wireless Courtesy and Dating

Press Release
News Article February 2005

Please pardon the interruption, but I love you!

ATLANTA, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless believes Valentine's Day is a time to be in love, a time to be romantic ... and, yes, a time to be courteous!

For the second year, Cingular Wireless, an industry leader in wireless safety and courtesy education, has commissioned a survey of adult cell phone users to determine if and how wireless technology has affected their love lives. The survey, conducted by ICR (International Communications Research), revealed that the rules of dating have remained pretty much unchanged since last year, with 29 percent of respondents admitting they would get upset if their date took a call while on a date, compared to 32 percent in 2004. Ironically, the unofficial mantra of all active daters -- "do as I say, not as I do" -- is also in full effect this year, with 26 percent of cell phone owners admitting to answering their phones while on a date. Shame, shame!

A total of 12 questions related to dating and wireless courtesy were posed, including:

   * Have you ever ended a relationship over crude wireless behavior?
     (8 percent said yes)

   * Has your wireless phone ever saved you from an uncomfortable date?
     (14 percent said yes)

   * Have you ever used your wireless device to call another girl or guy you
     were interested in while you were on a date with someone else?
     (6 percent said yes)

"The key to living and dating in a wireless world is to know how to effectively -- and responsibly -- use your wireless device," said Jim Ryan, vice president of data products, Cingular Wireless. "From sending flirty text messages, to capturing a special moment with multimedia messaging services, to simply calling to whisper sweet nothings, wireless services offer lots of creative ways to say, 'I love you.'"

  Compared to the 2004 survey, more cell phone owners now:

   * Use text messaging to communicate with their date (24 percent vs.
     16 percent)

   * Say they have used text messaging news as a conversation starter
     (9 percent vs. 6 percent)

   * Have had their date call someone that he/she was interested in from
     their cell phone while on a date with them (8 percent vs. 5 percent)

   * Judged a prospective mate by the cell phone they use (3 percent vs.
     1 percent)

  Sense and Sensibility

In addition to playing wireless Cupid each Valentine's Day, Cingular Wireless also is a year-round champion of wireless safety and courtesy. Through its award-winning program "Be Sensible," Cingular helps educate consumers nationwide about safe and courteous ways to use wireless phones and devices.

To demonstrate that love and wireless courtesy can go hand-in-hand, Cingular offers a few courtesy commandments:

   * Let your date know in advance if you're expecting a call that you know
     you'll need to answer. Hint: It had better be someone important -- and
     impressive.

   * On those occasions when you're in a public setting and you need to use
     your phone to have a private conversation with your sweetie, text
     messaging may just be the best tool for the job. After all, sometimes
     love just won't wait.

   * Variety is the spice of life, so mix up your romantic wireless
     techniques by sending flirty text messages one day then a multimedia
     message with your favorite "couple" photo the next. To really add a
     little heat to the fire, add a love note to the photo. That's sure to
     make even Cupid smile.

   * Eliminate the "do you love me?" question forever by jazzing up your
     phone's screensaver with a photo of your beloved. A picture is worth a
     thousand hugs!

  Love, Cingular Style

Orange is the new color of love this Valentine's day, thanks to some exciting data offerings from Cingular Wireless:

   * No time to play the dating game? No problem. Cingular and Match.com
     have teamed to offer MatchMobile, a unique wireless dating service that
     allows love seekers to connect with potential dates in their area,
     conveniently and anonymously. For just $4.99 per month, Cingular
     customers can create a MatchMobile profile on their Cingular phone, as
     well as view profiles and pictures of MatchMobile members, potentially
     finding a date this Valentine's Day.  The service works on most
     Cingular handsets. For a complete listing or to sign up for Cingular's
     MatchMobile service, visit http://www.matchmobile.com/ .
   
   * This Valentine's Day, Cingular is putting a different spin on the mood
   ring, with a colorful selection of ringtones from today's most popular
   artists. Priced between $0.99 and $2.49, Cingular customers can fall
   "Crazy in Love" with Beyonce; "Step in the Name of Love" with R. Kelly;
   or simply rock "Happy Valentine's Day" with Outkast. Log on
   to http://www.cingular.com/rings to download from hundreds of different
   ringtone options.
   
   * The look of love is just a snap away thanks to a new, first-of-its-
   kind, photo postcard application from Cingular and Fujifilm. Cingular
   customers can now use their camera phones to send personalized Mobile
   Postcards(TM) to anyone in the country, via U.S. mail, directly from
   their Cingular handset. Mobile Postcards can be a modern twist to the
   traditional "Wish You Were Here!" postcard or serve as a state-of-the-
   art, digital alternative to a "Be Mine" request on Valentine's Day.
   Mobile Postcards are available on most Motorola handsets, and the cost
   for creating and mailing the personalized photo postcard is just $1.99
   each.

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