By Emily Ballou

This fall, Cingular Wireless and Barnes & Noble Bookstore put into action a plan they hope will cash in on a potentially profitable market segment: college students.

U of L’s Barnes and Noble operated bookstore is one of 200 nationwide which will participate in an agreement that allows Cingular Wireless to sell phones and accessories in-store.The company has set up a kiosk just inside and to the right of the bookstore entrance. During busy business hours the stand will have a representative on duty to provide interested students with information on what Cingular can do for them.

Alex Roof is one such employee. She has been with Cingular for almost one year and works part-time at the kiosk in U of L’s bookstore. She says people are most interested in long distance and night/weekend minutes.

“Right now, weÍre trying to cater to a younger market,” she explained. “Also, this is convenient, I think, for people who don’t have cars.”

Cingular claims dedication to self-expression and aims to provide more freedom to as many as 2 million college students. With creating a unique and specialized product in mind, Cingular offers a $35 Nokia phone that includes a U of L face cover.

Service plans range from $19.99 to $199.99 a month and offer a variety of included access and long distance. The phones themselves start as cheap as $1.

Scott Ford, a Cingular Wireless manager, is eager to see this promotion get exposure. He believes the kiosks “will provide U of L students the ability to gain quick and easy access to a variety of wireless services while having convenient access to their college supply needs.”

Neil Yalowitz, a CIS senior agrees: “I think it will work for people who are there shopping.” Though, he added, “but I personally am not going to get one.”

Cingular is now the second largest wireless carrier in the U.S. The company’s Director of Marketing Segmentation, Greg Roberts, knows that college students spend $30 billion annually. He said, “This unique alliance will allow Cingular to further expand its marketing strategy to fully tap into the potential of the college market.”