C Spire Wireless, University of Southern Mississippi Team up to Debut World's First Augmented Reality Smartphone App for College Baseball

[April 05, 2012]

C Spire Wireless, University of Southern Mississippi Team up to Debut World's First Augmented Reality Smartphone App for College Baseball

HATTIESBURG, Miss. --(Business Wire)--

C Spire Wireless and the University of Southern Mississippi baseball team today announced the launch of the world's first mobile augmented reality app that promises to add a personalized dimension to the college baseball fan experience at Golden Eagle baseball games.

The free "PERCS of the Game" app, which is available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play for iPhone and Android (News - Alert) smartphones, allows Southern Miss fans to practice their pitching and fielding at baseball games by playing "Golden Glove," an augmented reality game where users throw baseballs to the team's mascot on their smartphone. When the Golden Eagle catches balls, players earn points, which can be redeemed for prizes from C Spire and Southern Miss at selected games.

Southern Miss and C Spire plan to debut the new augmented reality app tonight during the first of a three-game home stand against Alcorn State. Golden Eagle fans are encouraged to download the app on their smartphone and play the 90 second game during the first three innings of the 6 p.m. game at Pete Taylor Park on the Southern Miss campus in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Players will log their scores and claim prizes from a designated C Spire game center near the ball park entrance between the third and fourth inning of the game. Fans with the two highest game scores will square off in a showdown at the conclusion of the fifth inning with the winner receiving the grand prize. All participants will receive C Spire PERCS rewards points, which can be redeemed for discounts on service, devices and accessories, in addition to the prizes.

"We appreciate the opportunity to partner with C Spire to bring this exciting new technology to Golden Eagle fans," said Jamie Martin, general manager of IMG sports marketing for Southern Miss. "In addition to our commitment to excellence on the field, we are constantly striving to deliver a unique and entertaining in-game experience for fans and augmented reality certainly sets a new standard for engagement."

C Spire is using augmented reality to create a virtual world where consumers can interact with the company and earn valuable reward points through a personal gaming experience. "Our new PERCS of the Game app is designed and developed with personalization in mind," said Suzy Hays, senior vice president of Brand Management and Personalization for C Spire Wireless. "Augmented reality technology is new to most wireless users. That's why our first app represents a fun and entertaining way to demonstrate the magic of virtual reality and showcase our unique personalized wireless experience."

The "PERCS of the Game" app was created by C Spire in partnership with BNotions, a Toronto-based technology company that focuses on mobile, social and web-based application development.

Hays said this augmented reality app is just the beginning as C Spire plans to introduce more personalized apps and experiences to consumers, including app suggestions through SCOUT, the company's unique personalized app recommendation tool. "SCOUT gets to know each customer in a more intimate way and offers app recommendations that match their interests and needs - providing content that is relevant, meaningful and more personalized to each individual," she said. "No other wireless provider is taking the time to really get to know each of their customers and offering them a unique personalized experience that is truly tailored just for them."

The company also is launching a second augmented reality app this week call "PERCS Catch," which allows users to see the personalized network around them by using their Android or iPhone (News - Alert) device to scan a variety of markers in C Spire retail locations, print advertising and on-site at local events. Consumers can use the app to catch network lights all around them that convert to points, which can be redeemed for rewards. With the PERCS Catch app, the network comes to the wireless user, providing additional engagement and personalization.

PERCS is the company's personalized rewards and customer engagement program. Since its introduction last September, the program has distributed more than 34 million reward points to consumers.

For more information about C Spire Wireless, augmented reality and personalized wireless services, go to www.cspire.com.

About C Spire Wireless

C Spire Wireless is a diversified wireless communications company passionately committed to helping customers by personalizing wireless services designed just for them. The company is the first wireless provider in the U.S. to personalize customers' experience by offering apps that fit who they are, services that anticipate their needs, and rewards for using their phone in new ways - all with seamless ease and at amazingly fast speeds. This news release and other announcements are available at http://www.cspire.com/news/. For more information about C Spire Wireless and its products and services, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook (News - Alert) at www.facebook.com/cspire, Twitter (News - Alert) at www.twitter.com/cspire or Google+.