June 2013
| Business World Magazine | 179
disaster area or in an accident, for the hearing
impaired, this service allows them to send a
text directly to 911 which will help ensure
that they get connected with the help they
need,” he says.
Pioneer’s progress has also been reflected
in the range of devices to which customers
have access, but that is a process which has
fostered progress for device manufacturers
too. Ruhl explains that it isn’t much good to
have a great network if customers don’t want
to use it because they don’t have the kind of
devices they want. As the iPhone emerged
in urban landscapes, rest assured there were
many in small-town America wanting access
to the same. That’s easier said than done, ex-
plains Ruhl. He says the large carriers have a
manner of sucking up that inventory through
their volume of purchase(s). Pioneer has
navigated such factors by forming alliances
which enable it to make volume purchases
that would otherwise be difficult on its own
accord. It took almost a year of negotiations
before Pioneer was able to successfully roll-
out iPhone to its customers. Beyond Apple,
Pioneer has secured agreements with Sam-
sung, Blackberry and Motorola in its con-
tinuing mission to provide the best of tech-
