Haven't you guys covered this before? Couple months back if I remember correctly...

Yeah, they did. This post, however, has details that make me care that I still can't afford it.

yep, another idea that I had eons ago and did nothing about. Now someone else has. Great.

This has actually been available for anyone with a blackberry for some time and can be used on most carriers. It is a third party application you download and can use at anytime. I called them to ask why bottled water costs so much. They replied with six reasons why. It was pretty cool. I believe this service costs around $10 bucks a month or on a per use basis. Nothing special. This company will never get off the ground with those prices. I'm sure Amp'd wireless is going to be tough competition for them as well. All they have to do is allow their customers access to this third party company and they will have the same service for 25-50% less, and it will prob work better since Amp'd uses Verizon's network.

That sounds like a pretty fun call center to work in. "No, fillet mignon in small quantities isn't harmful to canines ma'am." "The nearest Starbucks? Turn left. Walk 10 meters." "An escort with the "qualification" you require will be at your room in an hour sir."

I found the idea compelling that I took it over to the VoIP industry http://flatplanetphone.com/wordpress/?p=151

Foxbat2: Any idea what this third party company's name is?

Foxbat2,

I'm just curious, but what's the name of the blackberry one?

Hmm..

I wonder if it's this one..
http://www.mobilecierge.com/

Wait, my girlfriend has this, its called me. Damn, if I don't pick up by the second ring she will cancel my service, screw the 3rd ring.

@Foxbat: Two completely different things. That's a research service.

Third party company is probably Circles. That's who AmEx uses for their Centurion Card (no, the AMEX concierges aren't in house). IMO they're awesome for time consuming tasks requiring hold-time, (I.E. I want to go to either Nobu or Emeril's for dinner on xxx at 8:45 PM, if neither is available, please find options for me).

Beyond that they're somewhat useful (find me a doctor in xxx city) but it's nothing you can't do for yourself. Certainly not worth $2500 a year for the AMEX card, nor $2400+$500 for this. Now if the $200 included int'l roaming and data, THAT would be a sure win.

I have the Voce service and its fantastic. My T-Mobile bill used to cost me close to $200 per month anyway and now with Voce I get unlimited minuted for $200 in addition to a concierge. I highly recommend the service.....

xxx city????? Oh man... where is that? I wanna live in xxx city!!!!!

;)

You can get this all for free if you work for CTU. The conceirge's name is Chloe and she'll even break the law for you.

Odds are that if you can afford this plan, you already have a personal assistant, so I see this going not too far, pretty fast.

If my coke dealer is out of comish, will they put me through to another reputable dealer?

Thats pretty decent but most of can do the research in a second. Also, if i am paying someone for a service, I want instant answers, not call me back or txt me back etc.

I would prefer http://www.quintessentially.com/

Best service ever.
O and, please have better newer / cooler phones than those.

$200 for unlimited calls and data isn't a bad deal, and have the concierge thrown in too is even better.

And if anyone actually checked their website, they'd see they don't have what I see from the biggest whiners posting here: no contracts. Handset insurance is included as well, as well as accessories for the phone.

The negative postings I see here are nothing but sour grapes by a bunch of people who could never afford $200 a month for cell service.

It looks to be a great deal for someone who wants unlimited minutes without the hassle of dealing with a bill. $200+ taxes is a bargain for a really high end user.

I'm a member of Quintessentially, and it is very useful to me. It would be of limited use however, to anyone not living in a major metro area like NYC.

Mostly its useful for networking (they have access to great parties) and scoring reservations at restaraunts/clubs with limited availability.

AmishJohn are you kidding? It's the personal assistants that will be subscribing to this service. My friend is a PA for a globetrotting CEO and believe me, at $200/month we'd pay for this service for him out of our own pockets just to keep the guy out of our hair! Talk about a stress-monkey..."What was that restaurant that had the fusion-Argentinian food in Mumbai again? Can you get a limo for me in KL - I'll be arriving in 45 minutes? Please have the 10K delivered to XXX in Sydney tomorrow, and have the last investor presentation there in well - 3 copies ought to do it. Oh, I forgot to bring my Peet's with, which restaurant serves it and has good steaks - as good as Ruth's in Chicago?"

And the list goes on...

I can already see the assholes abusing this service - if its even real.

What are the specials at starbucks todaY? HMm? ya txt me bck.

Anyone even considering this service needs to take a close look at a couple of alternatives before shelling out $200+/month for what they can get (mostly) free.

The "Concierge" service, for example, is a combination of what you can get by using 800-FREE-411, Internet Search Pro and an American Express or Visa Platinum/Gold/Black card concierge (trust me when I tell you that virtually anyone even _thinking_ about this service will have one of these cards).

In terms of "unlimited" minutes - I'm on a Cingular family plan with 3000 minutes/month that costs about the same and the unused minutes roll over to the next month (I've got about 14,000 piled up already), so the "unlimited" plan doesn't impress me much, either.

As far as the assistants using this, I doubt it. I was, for 20 years, exactly the globe-trotting executive you describe (200,000 miles/year and 100+ nights/year in a hotel qualify, don't you think) and I can tell you that I'm not going to trust some phone concierge to get my limo/hotel/money transfer/reservation or whatever scheduled for me when I've got a trusty (and trusted) assistant.

Yes, there's a market for this, but it's frighteningly small. I'm betting that the investors in this company will all be searching for their lost $$$ within 24 months.

@d_saum

BagelLoxOnionEwwBreath gave an example of finding a doctor in xxx city..

That's makes me NOT want to live there!

@gofastmini2005: *rofl* Ok... whatever you say. Here's a hint.... if I'm that intimately acquainted with the AMEX black card... how do you think I gained that knowledge?

Another hint. Ability to pay does not denote desire to pay. I can easily afford it. I perceive no value in it. I talk all I want and use all the data I want, have Blackberry service and spend a lot less than $200 a month... and the company picks up the tab. I want this service why? I need access to the same concierge service I get through AMEX why?

You, sir, are likely the perfect target for a Vertu phone.

...and XXX city is a lotta fun. The wife doesn't like me visiting much though.

I actually agree that this is a hell of a deal. When I first saw the billboard I laughed at the concept, but when I went to the site and read the details I realized it's a steal. And one of the best parts is the phones make use of ANY available network you're in range of, so you'll have service anywhere you go with unlimited calling. Pretty sweet.

So the real tests: reservations at Babbo in NYC and the French Laundry in Yountville.

Also, GPRS? If it was truly unlimited 3G data with a promise to go up to WiMAX as soon as possible, then sure.

For one I really dont see what the point is, I mean I have had service with Voce for a while and I have not had any problems, or anything like that. I do like to bother the concierge staff, hell its funny. I m a kid from the projects that just made some realy good decision, except getting service with voce, but i dont count my minutes, or text. I would not recommend it but its really not to bad. Oh yeah the devices they have are ok but very limited.

PS I love to mess with the staff, get movie times and act like i cant speak english, or they are boring me, hell they are snotty.

I think that the whole concept about Voce is cool for people that use their phones very often. For me the $200 charge a month is a little absurd. On top of that, they also want like $500 just to start! I am with AT&T, and have a membership with Red Butler Concierge, which I only pay like $37 bucks a month for. They're awesome so far and do anything for you, unlike a 411 service that only finds numbers and stuff.

I personally have voce right now and it has saved me a great deal of money and time. They can help you with literally anything from telling you last nights football scores too aranging a private jet. I have had the service for 6 months and have never had a problem with coverage and their new plan starts at $118.00 a month. I dont know were i would be without their service and i even know most of their people by name. If you can afford it then i highly recomend it.

Like Colin, I'm also a voce subscriber. However, while Voce was once on-par with my Amex concierge, now its an overpriced shell of what it once was with incredibly bad concierge service.

Granted there are still a few special people there that went out of there way to help out for small requests, for the most part its been a consistent downhill spiral since there expansion and new call plans.

It was a great idea that was run into the ground.