Subsidized by the U.S. government’s Universal Service Fund, the VisionOne program allows Cellular One Northeast Arizona to bring affordable wireless services to regions lacking an adequate telecommunications infrastructure. Cellular One Northeast Arizona is using the real-time micro-transaction processing functionality of bcgi Prepaid Connection(TM). In addition to enabling the carrier’s prepaid service offering, bcgi’s prepaid platform manages the billing and reporting requirements of the program.
An element critical to the success of our VisionOne program is being able to provide robust prepaid wireless service while fulfilling our rating and reporting needs, said Richard Watkins, general manager of Cellular One Northeast Arizona. Offering a subsidized program requires that we adhere to reporting standards established by the federal government. The billing, recharge, and reporting capabilities of bcgi Prepaid Connection allow us to meet that requirement and provide program participants dependable wireless service in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
For the 123,000 residents of the Navajo Nation, VisionOne will provide access to inexpensive and reliable prepaid wireless service where previously there was little or no phone service of any kind. Subscribers will also have the option to purchase additional minutes or elect to use additional services made possible by bcgi’s network, such as national roaming. The Navajo Nation will be the first of several such regions in Arizona to receive the service.
As the first wireless carrier to leverage the Universal Service Fund, Cellular One Northeast Arizona is leading the drive to bring high-quality wireless service to an inadequately served region, said E.Y. Snowden, president and CEO of bcgi. The VisionOne program should be recognized nationwide, not only as a benefit to society, but as a model for other regions and wireless carriers faced with the challenge of providing equitable access to telecommunications services. bcgi is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative.
