Wave: You mentioned CTIA’s education campaign earlier. What’s the timing of that?
Mr. McAdam: I’m hopeful that we’ll have a good idea of how it’s shaping up by early February. If we get to mid-year next year and we haven’t conveyed our message to consumers and state and federal policymakers, then I think we will have missed the opportunity.
Wave: Does it extend beyond a paid media campaign?
Mr. McAdam: Absolutely. There are a number of issues that our opponents are using as clubs against us, and we need to take constructive steps to take some of these issues off the table. If we don’t, we’re going to get a lot of candidates making campaign promises that they’ll follow up on after the November election, which could make 2009 a very difficult year for our industry. I see our efforts in 2008 as combining real, positive steps toward delivering top-notch service to our customers, and communicating the tremendous value the industry is and will continue delivering.
For example, I think we need to let people using our technology talk about the value it provides them… such as emergency room doctors talking about what wireless does for them in taking better care of critically injured patients. We should not be shy about reminding policymakers of the good things we’re doing, so we take the clubs out of our detractors’ hands. I admit there are some
dumb things that this industry grew up with that are dumb to continue to do at this point in our evolution – and those policies basically hand the activists a club and say, “Beat us with this.”
Wave: For example?
Mr. McAdam: Early termination fees. Verizon Wireless changed its policy a little more than a year-and-a-half ago, and the rest of the industry kind of knew that the issue was coming. But, we didn’t step up as an industry and say, “We really need to change this policy.” In the meantime, we’ve been beaten with that club for 18 months, when we could have gotten rid of it by acting more quickly.
I think another example right now is price plan changes. A couple of us changed policies, and I give Alltel a lot of credit in this area. They were one of the fi rst to stop automatically extending contracts when changes are made. Now most of us are doing it, but it took too long.
We have to listen more closely to customers, make the decision and as an industry move quicker than we have in the past or we’re going to continue taking a beating.
Lowell C. McAdam is President & CEO of Verizon Wireless, and is one of nine members of the Verizon Wireless Board of Representatives.
Prior to his current position, McAdam was the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Verizon Wireless. Previously, McAdam was President & CEO of PrimeCo Personal Communications, a joint venture owned by Bell Atlantic & Vodafone AirTouch. McAdam also worked in various apacities for AirTouch Communications & Pacific Bell & served in the U.S. Navy.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Cornell University and a master’s degree in business administration for the University of San Diego. He also spent six years in the U.S. Navy’s Engineer Corps and is a licensed professional engineer.