Survivor contest

So the big special on Survivor is that the public can vote
for their favorite person to get $1 Million. I'm all ready to vote for
my man Rupert, of course.

The catch is that you have to send a text message to
26261----which is only a 5 digit number, obviously. Sprint insists that
I enter a 10 digit phone number.

Okay, I can go to the CBS website and vote, but there will
be more polls and offers and contests like this in the future, as text
messaging takes off in the US.

Is there any hope that the Sprint will get with the program
like the rest of them? Am I missing something simple and basic?

Chris

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› See More: Survivor contest

In article <FSFnc.17712$z06.2983918@attbi_s01>, [email protected]=20
says...
>=20
> Is there any hope that the Sprint will get with the program
> like the rest of them? Am I missing something simple and basic?
>=20
>=20
>=20

There's hope. I know we're looking into it (I actually learned this=20
from Wireless Week, so no, I'm not posting internal information).

I don't know how basic or simple it is, but yeah, you're missing=20
something. Exclusivity.

Just like *2 could mean something different when you're roaming,=20
short codes can be different on each carrier. So an organization=20
that wanted to set up short codes on all carriers would have to=20
negotiate with all carriers. So what's to stop the first carrier=20
asked from saying, "you get half off, *and* financial sponsorship, if=20
you make this deal just with us"? In fact, I think AT&T did exactly=20
that for short code SMS for "American Idol".

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

Chris Pisarra <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> So the big special on Survivor is that the public can vote
> for their favorite person to get $1 Million. I'm all ready to vote for
> my man Rupert, of course.
>
> The catch is that you have to send a text message to
> 26261----which is only a 5 digit number, obviously. Sprint insists that
> I enter a 10 digit phone number.

The less-than-ten-digit numbers are special numbers set up by the carriers.
I used them last year when watching the inaugural episode of FOX's "Banzai"
- there was a vote involved there, too.

> Okay, I can go to the CBS website and vote, but there will
> be more polls and offers and contests like this in the future, as text
> messaging takes off in the US.

If Sprint didn't set up 26261, perhaps they weren't asked to participate -
Sprint has only had true text messaging for a few months.


--
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Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
Domain Names, $9.95/yr, 24x7 service: http://DomainNames.JustThe.net/
"someone once called me a sofa, but i didn't feel compelled to rush out and buy
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While I am not a survivor or idol fan, I do recall that on at
least one of those call in your vote shows, that it was stipulated that
there was only one specific carrier that was to be used. And it was not
Sprint PCS. Likewise a local radio station only has a "star" number
with one carrier. That number is not Sprint PCS nor is it the same as
the one for the tv show.


Chris Pisarra wrote:
> So the big special on Survivor is that the public can vote
> for their favorite person to get $1 Million. I'm all ready to vote for
> my man Rupert, of course.
>
> The catch is that you have to send a text message to
> 26261----which is only a 5 digit number, obviously. Sprint insists that
> I enter a 10 digit phone number.
>
> Okay, I can go to the CBS website and vote, but there will
> be more polls and offers and contests like this in the future, as text
> messaging takes off in the US.
>
> Is there any hope that the Sprint will get with the program
> like the rest of them? Am I missing something simple and basic?
>
> Chris
>
>

In article <[email protected]>,
Jerome Zelinske <[email protected]> wrote:

> While I am not a survivor or idol fan, I do recall that on at
> least one of those call in your vote shows, that it was stipulated that
> there was only one specific carrier that was to be used. And it was not
> Sprint PCS. Likewise a local radio station only has a "star" number
> with one carrier. That number is not Sprint PCS nor is it the same as
> the one for the tv show.
>
>
> Chris Pisarra wrote:
> > So the big special on Survivor is that the public can vote
> > for their favorite person to get $1 Million. I'm all ready to vote for
> > my man Rupert, of course.
> >
> > The catch is that you have to send a text message to
> > 26261----which is only a 5 digit number, obviously. Sprint insists that
> > I enter a 10 digit phone number.
> >
> > Okay, I can go to the CBS website and vote, but there will
> > be more polls and offers and contests like this in the future, as text
> > messaging takes off in the US.
> >
> > Is there any hope that the Sprint will get with the program
> > like the rest of them? Am I missing something simple and basic?
> >
> > Chris

Its "free" adverting.

Likely the carrier pays for that priviledge one way or another. Either
in cash or in cell phones and equipment supplied to the show staff.

Sorry, left out a word, should read "nor is it the same 'carrier'
as the one for the tv show".


Jerome Zelinske wrote:

> While I am not a survivor or idol fan, I do recall that on at least
> one of those call in your vote shows, that it was stipulated that there
> was only one specific carrier that was to be used. And it was not
> Sprint PCS. Likewise a local radio station only has a "star" number
> with one carrier. That number is not Sprint PCS nor is it the same as
> the one for the tv show.
>
>
> Chris Pisarra wrote:
>
>> So the big special on Survivor is that the public can vote
>> for their favorite person to get $1 Million. I'm all ready to vote for
>> my man Rupert, of course.
>>
>> The catch is that you have to send a text message to
>> 26261----which is only a 5 digit number, obviously. Sprint insists that
>> I enter a 10 digit phone number.
>>
>> Okay, I can go to the CBS website and vote, but there will
>> be more polls and offers and contests like this in the future, as text
>> messaging takes off in the US.
>>
>> Is there any hope that the Sprint will get with the program
>> like the rest of them? Am I missing something simple and basic?
>>
>> Chris
>>
>>
>

Jerome Zelinske <[email protected]> wrote:
> While I am not a survivor or idol fan, I do recall that on at
> least one of those call in your vote shows, that it was stipulated that
> there was only one specific carrier that was to be used. And it was not
> Sprint PCS. Likewise a local radio station only has a "star" number
> with one carrier. That number is not Sprint PCS nor is it the same as
> the one for the tv show.

American Idol had an exclusive deal with ATTWS.

--
JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, Apple Valley, CA PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
Domain Names, $9.95/yr, 24x7 service: http://DomainNames.JustThe.net/
"someone once called me a sofa, but i didn't feel compelled to rush out and buy
slip covers." -adam brower * Hiroshima '45, Chernobyl '86, Windows 98/2000/2003