SkyTel Custom Newscasts

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SkyTel Custom Newscasts are available only to SkyTel Advanced Messaging subscribers. If you have SkyWord Plus advanced 1Way service (1.5 or 1.75), or SkyWriter or eChat 2Way service, you can customize your news regardless of your device model. 

Customers with traditional 1Way text service (SkyWord) will receive the SkyTel standard daily news updates, but won't be able to customize selections. News updates are not available to customers with 1Way numeric-only (SkyPager) service, or customers with Wireless Email services (BlackBerry and Mobile Mail). 

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From the Custom Newscast log in page, click on View Free News Selections to see what's available. A new window will open with a category dropdown box at the top, followed by a list of available news feeds for the selected category. Browse the available selections by picking the categories that interest you in the dropdown box.

To see an actual sample of any news feed, click the link in the Services column.

When you're ready to make your selections, return to the Custom Newscast home page by clicking "Log In" under Helpful Links on the right side of the page. 

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Making your selections is fast and secure. 

1. Your device must read "Full Service" to receive the customizing instructions from SkyTel. If your device reads "Basic Service" or "Storing Messages," feel free to browse, but please delay making your selections until your device reads "Full Service." 
2. Log in. Enter your PIN and your Security Code on the Custom Newscasts main page and click Log In. Click on Log In under Helpful Links to get to the main page.
3. Verify your device type. Once you're logged in, the screen will display the device type we currently have on record for your PIN and Security Code. It is absolutely necessary that the correct device type be displayed in order to activate your selections. If it isn't, click on Change and select the correct device. If your device is not displayed on the list, SkyTel Custom Newscasts is not available to you.
4. Select your news feeds. Once you've verified your device type, select a news category to continue. 

A selection list appears. In the far right column (Status) you will see an or a for each feed. An means the feed is not currently selected. To select it, click on the (you can always change your mind later). The will turn into a . To remove a feed from your current selections, click on the and it will turn into an .

5. Save your changes for each category before moving on. You have two options at the bottom of every category page:
1. Click Save & Continue to save your selections in the current category and continue making selections.
2. Click Save & Check-Out when you've completed your selections. You'll be saving your selections in the current category and proceeding to the final step in the process.
6. Check Out. When you've saved all of your changes, you can click Check Out under Helpful Links. (You can also click Save & Check Out at the bottom of any category.) Your current selections will display. 

If you change your mind about a selection, remove it by returning to the category, deselecting it, then clicking Save & Check Out to save your change and return to the Check Out page.

When you're happy with your selections, make sure your device reads "Full Service," then click on Finish at the bottom of the screen. In a few moments, you'll receive a confirmation message letting you know that SkyTel has programmed your selections.

All advanced messaging devices include a service level statement on the first or "home" screen. See your manufacturer's user guide for the statement location.

If your device doesn't show a service level statement, it's likely that you have a traditional, 1Way paging device, with or a Wireless Email device. SkyTel Custom Newscasts are not available with these services.

Learn more about SkyTel Advanced 2Way Messaging services.

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Your complete PIN (Personal Identification Number) should be entered without any spaces or punctuation. 

If you have a Personal Access Number with a toll-free prefix (such as 800, 888 or 877), enter all 10 digits without spaces or punctuation.

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In addition to allowing customization of your news updates, your security code lets you customize your SkyTel greetings and subscriber options, and access Message Recall to review messages sent to you within the past three days. 

If you know your PIN, we can send your security code to your device. On the Custom Newscasts main screen, click on "Forgot Your Security Code?" On the screen that appears, enter your PIN in the text field, and then click on "Go." A message containing your code will be sent to your device in a few minutes.

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Here are some trouble-shooting tips to help you get your news:

1. Did you receive a verification message from SkyTel that your selections were received? If not, please review the procedures under "How do I make my selections?" and resubmit them.

2. Are you waiting long enough for your newscasts? Custom Newscasts are scheduled for specific days and times. Check the Newscast description to see when you should receive your new selections.
   

3. Make sure that your device displays after you log in. Different device models may look similar, but each requires different programming. If your current device is not displayed after log in, click "Change" to select the correct device.

4. Make sure your device reads "Full Service" when you submit your selections. If your device reads "Basic Service" or "Storing Messages" when you submit your selections, you may experience incomplete or inaccurate programming updates. Wait until your device reads "Full Service" to submit your selections.

To refresh your programming, please follow this procedure.

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Please contact the third-party provider to resolve any issues. SkyTel cannot resolve third-party issues for you.

None of the SkyTel Custom Newscasts will add any cost to your SkyTel bill. 

Custom Newscasts are provided as a complimentary service from SkyTel and participating information providers. Custom Newscasts selections appear only in the category "selection grids." There is not cost for these services and the broadcasts do not count toward your SkyTel monthly character or message allotment.

If you click on a provider ad banner or company logo, you will be leaving the SkyTel Custom Newscast site to go to a provider site. Our providers frequently have other, in-depth information options; however, they may charge a fee for their information, and the information you receive may count toward your SkyTel allotment. The cost for fee-based services will vary from provider to provider. You make payment arrangements directly with the provider, usually via credit card. Some of our providers have negotiated special agreements so that their feeds will not count toward your monthly SkyTel character allotment; however, unless specifically stated otherwise, you should assume your allotment will be charged if you receive their information on your SkyTel device. 

If you go directly to a provider without linking from the SkyTel site, any broadcasts you receive from outside providers will count toward your monthly SkyTel character or message allotment.

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Yes. However, with the currently available selections, it is unlikely that you'll reach the limit. 

Our goal is to give you even more choices in the future to meet your information needs. SkyTel will be constantly adding services to give you more custom choices. Should your selections ever exceed the limit, we'll give you suggestions for correcting the problem when you submit your choices.

If you're interested in the technology of why you might encounter limits, read on…

Current advanced messaging device technology gives you the ability to receive more services than ever before imagined on your device. Like most good things, though, there is a limit. SkyTel Custom Newscasts utilize the broadcast addresses on your device. The maximum, absolute number of broadcast addresses is 192, grouped into 6 channels of 32 addresses each – think of it as a 6 x 32 grid. As a practical matter, the number of services you can actually receive is almost always lower than 192. The actual number is determined by a combination of several factors:

• The age of your device. Some early advanced messaging devices have an absolute limit of 128 broadcast addresses, grouped into 4 channels of 32 addresses each.
• The number of broadcast addresses already in use on your device. Many of our customers purchase broadcast addresses on their employees' devices for internal, corporate use such as providing performance updates to executives or sales people, or alerting on-call technicians to technical problems.
• The number of broadcast addresses purchased by a selected information service provider. For example: if a service provider supplies SkyTel with 10 news feeds in various categories, SkyTel will give them access to 10 broadcast addresses. In most cases, when you select a service from this provider, SkyTel will reserve all 10 of the provider's addresses on your device, regardless of the number of actual feeds you select from that provider. This allows you to make random and multiple selections from the provider's 10 feeds. 
• The position of the provider's addresses on the device's channels. In general, SkyTel groups each provider's addresses contiguously into one channel (remember, your 192 possible broadcast addresses are grouped into a maximum of 6 channels, each with 32 addresses). When you make a selection from a provider with 10 news feeds, SkyTel reserves 10 addresses in one channel. This leaves another 22 addresses on that channel for other providers. We have attempted to logically group providers into channels so that an overlap does not occur; however, as we provide you with more choices over time, overlap becomes more likely. If this occurs, you may have to make tradeoffs between providers if you want to check out new offerings. 

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