Out Box Communications

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

Nicholas County Students and Staff pose with the giant $1,000 check from U.S. Cellular.  Picture here:  BACK ROW: (L-R) Deborah Hall, Christina Poston, Tom Gayness NCCTC Principal, Catelin Riffle, Madeoline Paige, Kaitlyn Knight, Leah McKinney, Mandy Kessler Health Science Education Instructor.  FRONT ROW: (L-R) Kathleen Foster, Bralynn Meadows, Elizabeth Dietz, Breanna Keyser, Gracie Hellwege, Jaqualyn Cateli.   The Nicholas County Career and Technical Center in Craigsville received $1,000 sponsorship through U.S. Cellular’s “Community Connections” program. This funding will support four students who are a part of the Future Health Professionals Organization. To celebrate, U.S. Cellular leaders presented a check at the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center located at 215 Milam Addition Road on Tues., April 18 at 10 a.m.  The Center signed up to participate in this program, became eligible to receive sponsorship dollars from U.S. Cellular at www.pearup.com/uscellular an

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

Winners Determined by Local Community Votes , ROANOKE, Va. (Jan. 23, 2017) In honor of Martin Luther King Day last week, U.S. Cellular joined hundreds of students from The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia today to kick off the10th annual Black History Month Art Contest. During the month of January, students at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia are encouraged to create an original 8.5 x 11 piece of artwork in tribute of influential African Americans both past and present. They explored the accomplishments and contributions of these impactful figures as the research their subjects. “We look forward to this event every year,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South. “It is incredible to see the amount of creativity that goes in to each entry. U.S. Cellular is committed to the enrichment and education of our youth here in the Greater Roanoke area. This contest provides a great opportunity to connect with the Boys &

The New Year is a Popular Time of Year to Upgrade Smartphones Those planning to upgrade their cell phone and sell an old device to earn a little extra cash after the holidays may want to consider wiping the old device of all personal information. With data security risks at an all-time high, it’s important to ensure personal information, like financial information, contacts, photographs and passwords, don’t fall into the wrong hands. “Our smartphones contain some of the most important information in our lives, and we need to prevent strangers from gaining access to any of it. Therefore, before selling – or giving away – your device, be sure to wipe it clean,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South. “If you upgrade frequently to the latest cutting-edge devices, like the iPhone 7, or Samsung S7, you will want to take the necessary steps to take care of your old phone first.” U.S. Cellular recommends taking the following steps before selling or

FROM FITNESS TO FUN, MOBILE ACCESSORIES HAVE HOLIDAY SHOPPING LISTS COVERED While wireless accessories, such as cases, chargers and skins are still important to have, these days accessories can fly, entertain and even ensure safety. This new wave of accessories has created entertainment and organizational hubs that continue to grow in popularity. ABI Research forecasts that global revenues for mobile accessories will grow to $101 billion in 2020. Wireless devices continue to be utilized for more than just a call or text. A recent U.S. Cellular survey indicated that 94 percent of smartphone owners used their device to keep themselves entertained, while 49 percent utilized smart home technology or connected home devices.* “Mobile accessories are popular because they continue to simplify and enhance your life,” said Nathan Waddell, U.S. Cellular’s director of sales in the Mid-South. “When paired with a smartphone, such as the iPhone 7 or Samsung Galaxy S7, it is easier to stay fit

U.S. Cellular Highlights Smartphone Tricks for Keeping Kids Safe While Out Trekking for Treats Halloween is synonymous with costumes and the over-consumption of candy, but it can also be a real fright fest for parents concerned about the safety of their miniature monsters, ghosts and goblins. Fortunately, today’s smartphones have a variety of built-in features that, with a little advanced planning, can be combined to create a Halloween hub to help trick-or-treaters stay safe and give parents peace-of-mind. “Today’s cutting-edge devices keep people connected and offer a variety of features that promote safety, so it isn’t surprising that a recent survey from U.S. Cellular found 62 percent of parents citing safety as a reason for getting their child their first phone.” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Mid-South. “It comes down to knowing how to utilize even the most basic, built-in functions to your advantage.” With Halloween night fast approachin

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

It’s a horrible, cringe-worthy moment when a smartphone falls into a sink, puddle, pool – or worse: a toilet – and gets wet. It happens to most people at some point, so it’s smart to be prepared with a plan to recover and restore the phone if it ever becomes waterlogged. Many people panic when their phones get wet, worried that their contacts, photos and other data are gone forever. Their first reactions are often to frantically press all the buttons, attempt to fix it with a hair dryer, or even stick it in the oven to dry. None of these “solutions” work, however. U.S. Cellular recommends keeping a cool head and following the tips below to help save your phone. • Act fast. Retrieve the smartphone as quickly as possible, taking it out of the pool, bathtub or toilet right away. The longer it’s submerged in liquid, the more likely it is to be irrevocably damaged. • Take out the battery. Before doing anything else, take out the battery. If the phone doesn’t have a removable b