Cable Technology Feature Article
June 19, 2009
SureWest Feels Couch Potatos' Love With TV Caller ID
By David Sims, TMCnet Contributing Editor
Independent communications holding company SureWest (News - Alert) Communications, has announced the launch of Caller ID on TV, a feature which provides an option for immediate, on-screen notification each time the phone rings.
Also, the company announced, "Sacramento area customers can now decide whether to ignore incoming calls that may be an interruption to their television program or to get up from the couch and answer important phone calls."
"With each call that comes in while the TV is on, a small pop-up window will appear at the bottom of the TV screen displaying the caller name and phone number of all unblocked calls," say the rightfully proud inventors.
"Customers choose whether to answer the call, ignore it or inform the proper person in the house of the call."
The Caller ID on TV feature is included free of charge for triple-play customers who subscribe to SureWest TV, phone and Internet, and costs $9.99, every penny well-spent, per month for other qualifying customers.
Peter Drozdoff, vice president of marketing for SureWest, says this feature, "allows people to take control of their phone, reducing unwanted interruptions and receiving immediate notification of truly important calls. To provide an exceptional customer experience, we must continually offer new features like Caller ID on TV that bring value and convenience to our customers' lives."
New SureWest triple-play customers will automatically receive the Caller ID on TV feature free of charge. SureWest currently offers Caller ID on TV in its Kansas City market. Last October TMC reported that SureWest completed the expansion of its fiber-to-the-home network, passing 1,500 homes in the Kansas City communities of Merriam and Olathe with its fiber-optic technology.
Customers have the option to turn the Caller ID on TV feature on or off and customize it to suit their preferences. It keeps track of calls while the TV is off and the call log displays the 20 most recent incoming calls with the caller's name, number, date and time of call. No additional equipment is necessary to use Caller ID on TV.
Peter Drozdoff, vice president of marketing for SureWest, says this feature, "allows people to take control of their phone, reducing unwanted interruptions and receiving immediate notification of truly important calls. To provide an exceptional customer experience, we must continually offer new features like Caller ID on TV that bring value and convenience to our customers' lives."
New SureWest triple-play customers will automatically receive the Caller ID on TV feature free of charge. SureWest currently offers Caller ID on TV in its Kansas City market. Last October TMC reported that SureWest completed the expansion of its fiber-to-the-home network, passing 1,500 homes in the Kansas City communities of Merriam and Olathe with its fiber-optic technology.
Customers have the option to turn the Caller ID on TV feature on or off and customize it to suit their preferences. It keeps track of calls while the TV is off and the call log displays the 20 most recent incoming calls with the caller's name, number, date and time of call. No additional equipment is necessary to use Caller ID on TV.
David Sims is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of David’s articles, please visit his columnist page. He also blogs for TMCnet here.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
