Out Box Communications

Staying in touch with friends and family while on the go is important, but being on your smartphone, among other distractions, while driving could be dangerous. In Maryland it is unlawful to use a hand-held cell phone while driving. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), about 4.57 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, and fatalities topped 40,000 for the third straight year. In Maryland, fatalities were up 7 percent year over year in 2017. Distracted driving is one of the top two leading causes of accidents. Many people recognize distractors including texting and using apps for directions when using a smartphone, but eating, grooming, smoking, adjusting vehicle settings, driving when tired or being lost in thought can be hazardous as well. Fortunately, there are ways that drivers can avoid many of these distractions, and parents can monitor teen drivers to ensure better safety using the latest in wireless technology. “This Distracted Drivin

According to the FBI, a home burglary occurs on average every 20 seconds in the U.S.1, fortunately, the latest connected home devices can provide holiday travelers with remote access to monitor and manage a variety of functions to help keep their homes secure, no matter where their journey leads. November is the start of a very busy season for many. With family visiting for Thanksgiving, football in full swing, Black Friday shopping and frequent traveling, it is easy to let things slide at our favorite place, our home. Worrying about your home is the last thing you want to do while spending time with loved ones, and with today’s connected devices that can be accessed from anywhere via smartphones such as iPhone X or the Galaxy Note8, homes can easily be protected and controlled. Almost one third of smartphone owners recently surveyed by U.S. Cellular said they use their device to control their home security system, lighting or other smart home technology at least once a day, with

The dark day is nearly here…are you ready to capture it? For the first time in 38 years, a total solar eclipse will occur in the contiguous United States on Aug. 21, with 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina in the path. Whether you are located in the eclipse’s path of totality or not, you can still get great photos and video of this rare moment with a smartphone or drone. U.S. Cellular has tips and tricks to safely capture and enjoy the total solar eclipse, which beats waiting for the next occurrence in the continental U.S. in October 2023. “We encourage people to grab their wireless devices and accessories to help enhance the memories of this special occurrence, while also keeping safety tips in mind,” said Nathan Waddell, U.S. Cellular’s director of sales in the Mid-South. “We want to ensure our customers can view and share this rare phenomenon, so we provide a strong network and the latest top-of-the-line devices to help them take high-quality photos and video to commemorate

Champions K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)  to Develop Youth to be Future Leaders ROANOKE, Va. (April 26, 2017) – U.S. Cellular announced a $5,000 donation to the Boys &  Girls Club s of Southwest Virginia to provide K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) educational opportunities to youth. U.S. Cellular is funding Boys & Girls Clubs and 4-H Clubs throughout the company's markets to deliver STEM, academic and after school enrichment programs, and this is part of a $1.3 million donation to clubs across the country and $11,500 in Virginia. This is the third year U.S. Cellular and the youth organizations have collaborated to prepare youth to explore career opportunities and be ready to join the workforce. “U.S. Cellular is invested in the long-term success of youth, communities and our associates,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South,   "Our associates live and work i

Company invested nearly $7 million in network, stores and community support To keep up with the ever-changing wireless needs of its customers, U.S. Cellular® continued to invest in its network and store environment in 2016. The company provides 4G LTE network service to 99 percent of its customers, and has continued to update its retail stores to help make shopping for wireless easy and engaging. Here in Virginia, U.S. Cellular invested $5.6 million in its network to help enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. As wireless technology has extended beyond the smartphone and tablet and in to Internet of Things (IoT) and connected homes, U.S. Cellular redesigned many of its stores in order to display and demonstrate these devices for customers. In Virginia, five retail locations were opened or redesigned in 2016, and the company invested $1.3 million to ensure that its customers had a great i

U.S. CELLULAR KICKS OFF SEARCH FOR MOST VALUABLE COACH AND CALL FOR NOMINATIONS IN VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, MARYLAND Wireless Carrier Teams Up with College Football Hall of Fame Coach Barry Alvarez to Find Inspirational High School Football Head Coaches U.S. Cellular has just launched the Most Valuable Coach program, a campaign to highlight and recognize current high school football head coaches who have made a profound impact on an individual, school or community. Starting now through noon CT on Oct. 3, the wireless carrier is encouraging the community to nominate a current high school football head coach by visiting TheMostValuableCoach.com and sharing their story about why the coach is “most valuable.” At the end of the program, two coaches will be recognized on the field at the Under Armour High School All-America Game on Jan. 1 and receive $5,000 each for their school. “At U.S. Cellular, we are inspired by coaches in the community, and we look forward to hearing their m

HILLSVILLE, Va. – As area hotels, businesses and the local community prepares for the increase in area visitors for the annual Hillsville flea market, U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) plans to support the spike in demand for wireless access. Since the majority of attendees will be relying on their smartphones to stay connected with family and friends, share photos and post updates to their social media pages, U.S. Cellular will bring in a Cell on Light Truck, or COLT to increase wireless capacity during the flea market. “We want to help ensure that everyone who comes to enjoy their Labor Day weekend in Hillsville can use their phone or tablet like they normally do,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South, “The COLT will provide a better network experience for all attendees at the annual flea market.” The COLT, is a mobile wireless command unit that provides added network capacity for the increased data usage enabling thousands of calls, messages and

Happy Selfie Day! ROANOKE, Va. (June 21, 2016) – Nearly everyone carries a digital camera in his or her pocket capable of creating higher resolution photos than expensive digital SLR cameras sold a dozen years ago. According to a recent U.S. Cellular survey,* 81 percent of smartphone owners take photos with their device and a growing number (65 percent) are using their devices to access social media on a daily basis, allowing them to share those images with friends and family.    Yet even with the availability of smart devices such as Apple’s iPhone 6s, Samsung’s Galaxy 7 and LG’s G5, and tablets such as the various iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tabs, that are packed with high resolution cameras and software to improve picture-taking, all too often the results could be better. “Technological improvements in the past few years have transformed photography for the masses much the same way George Eastman’s Kodak Brownie cameras did at the turn of the 20 th

West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland youth groups are encouraged to apply for sponsorship consideration at www.pearup.com /uscellular BECKLEY, W.Va. (March 4, 2016) – U.S. Cellular announced today that it is continuing its “Community Connections” program for the second consecutive year to support local youth organizations. Last year, the company sponsored more than 700 school groups and youth sports teams through a partnership with Pear, an online platform that connects local brands with local community needs. Beginning today, academic and athletic groups (K-12) in West Virginia can sign up at www.pearup.com /uscellular to receive sponsorship from the company to go towards the needs of their group . “As a neighbor and dedicated member of the community, U.S. Cellular is committed to supporting programs and organizations that have a positive impact in the lives of our youth,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South. “These

Pictured here are last year's winners of the BHM Art Contest.                                   Winners Determined by Local Community Votes MORGANTOWN, W.Va.   (Jan. 18, 2016) –To help celebrate Martin Luther King Day, U.S. Cellular and the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club is kicking off the 8th annual Black History Month Art Contest, which honors the many contributions of African-Americans and encourages young people to learn more about these current and historic influencers.   Boys & Girls Club members are encouraged to research and learn more about African-American role models and their important contributions to society. They are then invited to create and submit an original 8.5 x 11 portrait representing the figure of their choice using any art medium from any point in history, including present day. "We look forward to seeing the great art projects from the Boys & Girls Club members.   The level of creativity and talent is