AT&T Wireless adds convenience to buying cellular service

PITTSBURGH -- November 15, 1996 -- Latching onto the next generation in wireless communications will be as easy as a trip to the neighborhood grocery store. AT&T Wireless Services has just changed the way America shops for wireless technology with the announcement today that it is opening 51 retail outlets inside Giant Eagle stores throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region. The deal comes after a successful test-run at several Giant Eagles.

"Pittsburgh is a pioneer market for in-store retailing," says Dave Davidson, AT&T Wireless Services project manager. "We have developed a program that's being rolled out nationwide. By adding convenience and the Giant Eagle advantage, we're keeping in step with consumer demand and today's active lifestyles." Adds Davidson, "Our partnership with Giant Eagle brings the latest in wireless communications to Main Street. The future is bright."

Wireless services has hit the mainstream, with nearly 36 million subscribers relying on wireless communications to ensure safer, more productive lives, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). In fact, 50 percent of all cellular customers today use their wireless phones for personal rather than business reasons. This mirrors the industry's fastest growing buying segment and its changing demographics.

In a recent report by Roper Starch Worldwide, out of all personal electronic and communications products, cellular phone purchases have grown the fastest, beating out camcorders, microwaves, large-screen TVs and VCRs. Today, one in 10 households owns pocket cellular phones -- a leap from only four years ago, when one in 100 households owned a cell phone.

At Giant Eagle stores, AT&T Wireless Services' attractive in-store kiosks will feature the latest in wireless communications.

"With limited hours in the day, more customers are relying on their neighborhood Giant Eagle to meet a variety of needs, whether it's a late night run to fill a prescription, renting the latest video or enjoying the added convenience of extended hours and weekend banking," says Joseph Faccenda, Senior Vice President of Giant Eagle, Inc. "The arrival of the AT&T Wireless Services kiosk is another way we're making life simple, by introducing quality name-brand products and services in one convenient stop. Wireless is clearly the next frontier and we're proud to have the nation's largest provider on board at Giant Eagle."

AT&T Wireless Services will operate the kiosks seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Customer care representatives will showcase the latest technology and walk customers through the world of wireless communications, with packages to fit every lifestyle. Various models of wireless phones will be available along with a full line of accessories, pagers and product literature. Shoppers will be able to select from basic $14.99 plans to advanced service options. AT&T Wireless says it will eventually expand the product line to include a wide array of telecommunications services.

Shoppers will also enjoy added benefits through the Giant Eagle Advantage Card® program. Now though December 24, 1996, card holders who sign up for any AT&T Wireless service at a Giant Eagle store kiosk will receive a free $20 coupon redeemable for groceries at any Giant Eagle.

AT&T Wireless Services kiosks are now open in 32 area Giant Eagles. These include Parkway Center Mall, Kennedy Township, Edgewood Town Center, Robinson Township, Moon Township, Harmarville, Cranberry Mall, McIntyre Square on McKnight Road, New Kensington, Waterworks, Village Square in Bethel Park, Washington Mall, University Park in Johnstown, Monroeville, Gibsonia, Bridgeville, Sleepy Hollow, Eastgate Plaza in Latrobe, Crafton, Rochester, Northern Lights Shopping Center in Baden, Green Garden Shopping Center in Aliquippa, Pine Creek Plaza in Wexford, Glenshaw, Vandergrift, Century III Mall, Route 88, Caste Village, Murrysville, Penn Hills and Greengate Plaza in Greensburg. Additional kiosks will open in January 1997.

AT&T Wireless Services is the nation's largest provider of wireless communications, providing cellular, wireless data, aircraft communications and advanced messaging services.