Cellular South Supports Text4baby Program
First-Ever Free Mobile Health Service Tackles Rising U.S. Infant Mortality Rates By Offering Text4baby Health Tips To Pregnant Women, New Mom
Ridgeland, Miss (Feb. 08, 2010) – Cellular South, the nation's largest privately-held wireless provider, announced today that is participating in text4baby - a new, free mobile information service that provides timely health information to pregnant women and new moms through a baby's first year of life.
Women can sign up for the service by texting "BABY" to 511411 (or "BEBE" for Spanish) to receive three free SMS messages every week for up to a year timed to their due date or the baby's date of birth. The messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health and safe sleep. Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other valuable resources.
"We're excited to participate in a program that is giving our customers access to vital health and wellness information for themselves and their children," said Jim Richmond, director of Corporate Communications for Cellular South. "This is a great example of how wireless technology - and SMS text messaging in particular - can help address an important public health issue in our society."
Text4baby is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) that delivers timely health tips via text message to those who need it most. Text4baby founding partners include HMHB, Voxiva, CTIA - The Wireless Foundation, Grey Healthcare Group (a WPP company) and founding corporate sponsor Johnson & Johnson.
U.S. government partners include the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of Health and Human Services. Premier sponsors include WellPoint, Pfizer and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Implementation partners include BabyCenter, LLC; Danya International; Syniverse Technologies; Keynote Systems and The George Washington University.
Cellular South has joined other wireless service providers across the country in providing the critical communications link of the initiative, distributing text messages to recipients who sign up for the program at no charge. For more information about Text4baby, visit www.text4baby.org.
About Cellular South
Cellular South is a privately-owned diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation's largest privately-owned wireless communications provider accomplishes this goal by providing the most reliable and advanced 3G nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information, visit www.cellularsouth.com.
About The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition
The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) is the only coalition of its kind which acts as a catalyst for change by creating partnerships among community groups, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, businesses and government agencies. The Coalition promotes optimal health for mothers and babies, and works to strengthen families and build health communities.
