Update News for January 2025

Here is a quick run-down on what you will find in this bulletin:

• • Happy New Year

  • Change in Our Phone System

  • Zip Code Renewals Must Be Paid By
    January 10, 2025

  • Zip Codes Available At 12 Noon EST
    January 13, 2025

  • Do Some Preparation In Advance

  • Our Current Programming Plans for 2025

These topics will be dealt with in more detail throughout this bulletin.

Happy New YearAs we enter our 43rd year, having now completed over 500 monthly updates since we began our corporate journey, we are always mindful that we cannot do what we do without your ongoing support. You support Compulife when you buy our product and service and when you let us know when something is not correct or you have something you’d like the program to do that it doesn’t do already. For all that we are deeply grateful and know that we cannot continue to enjoy success without keeping our database up-to-date and accurate, and moving our program forward in terms of features and options. We continue to work hard on all of that.

As we pause from those labors for the New Year holiday we would like to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year. Our focus in 2025 remains the same, to provide a service that will help you with the prosperous part.

Happy 2025 and we wish you ALL success in this new year. Your success is our success.

And one last thought. It’s hard to imagine that at the end of this coming year, one quarter of the 21st century will be in the rear view mirror; wow.

Change in Our Phone SystemYou will recall a couple of months ago that I talked about our phone systems, and how I don’t trust new technology. For that reason I said we would stick with our copper land lines as long as possible. Prior to the change we just made, we had a copper land line service at the main office (Jeremiah) and a copper land line service at my office (Bob Barney).

Unfortunately the service at the main office got hit with a HUGE price increase and we decided it was time to make the jump from that copper land line to a digital system (internet). We have been using Nextiva for both offices, as our outbound call lines, and decided to use Jeremiah Nextiva account for our inbound toll free line. I was surprised that the transfer of the (800) 798-3488 number went quite smoothly. Now, when you call the 800 number it now comes into Jeremiah’s office on the Nextiva phone system.

There are a number of new options with the Nextiva system and so Jeremiah has now added a phone answering menu which he has kept short and simple. If you are listening to it, and want to get to Jeremiah immediately, you can press 1. If you press 2 it forwards the call to my (888) 798-3488 number. You can still call my 888 number directly (if you want me; Bob Barney).

We did not get the same price jump with my copper land line at home; so I am sticking with it. The difference and reason is that Jeremiah is in a rural location with a different phone provider. I am in an urban location 30 minutes away.

The big increase is understandable, as it is getting more and more expensive for the phone company to maintain the copper service as the number of copper service customers is dropping rapidly. People are replacing their land lines with digital options or are simply relying on their cell phones as their only phone service. Phone companies do NOT want to spend ANY new money on their copper systems.

I will continue to maintain the copper service at my office until they jump the prices to a level where it no longer makes sense. I am certain that day is coming. The nice thing about copper is that it still works if the power goes out. Fortunately for Jeremiah he has a whole house generator for backup. We also have a Star-link account as his back-up internet service. Starlink keeps getting better and better and when Jeremiah loses power or the internet it takes only a few minutes for him to put the dish in the yard and drag the cable back into the house and connect it to the network systems in place of the main internet service. And yes, we have had to do that a couple of times.

From your perspective, nothing has changed with the phones except that new menu. And because we can actually use a headset with a computer to connect with Nextiva, it also means that the phone system can go with us on our laptops when we are on vacation or otherwise traveling away from the office.

Zip Code Renewals Must Be Paid By
January 10, 2025Nothing compels you to renew your additional zip code listings and you will continue to be listed in those zip codes until January 10, 2025 in the event that you elect to not pay those renewals.

IMPORTANT:   If your payment has not been received by the end of business on January 10, 2025, the additional listings that you have will LAPSE and be made available to other subscribers at noon on January 13, 2025.

If you believe that you did not get sufficient email contacts (as per the warranty) and that we will need to make a warranty adjustment to your invoice, please contact us ASAP. We’ll review your results.

Every year I end up having to call a small group of those who have NOT made their payments, and who have given us NO indication, one way or the other, if they want to renew. The calls are time consuming and I regret it when I have to make them.

LAST WARNING:   Once we release the zip codes back from your account, ANYONE can buy your zip code. If that happens, you can only purchase the zip code back if it becomes AVAILABLE.

Zip Codes Available At 12 Noon EST
January 13, 2025The land rush begins at noon, January 13th EST.

As it is every year, the second Monday in January, at 12 noon EST, is the best and busiest zip code purchasing time of the year. The zip codes of those who did not renew their previous listings will become available on a first come, first served basis.

To keep this equal for all, we have a HARD starting date and time to ensure fairness.

NOTE:   Every year someone complains because someone else beat them to a zip code that they wanted.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT call or email zip code purchase instructions before 12pm EST on January 13th. If you do, your email will be ignored and we may not respond in a timely fashion due to being busy.

If you call early to buy zip codes, and get through, you will be told to call later. Because the phone lines will likely be busy that day it is BEST to do your homework in advance and email your instructions for new purchases or changes as soon after 12 noon as possible. If you have questions then call or email us the week before.

NOTE: You have two basic options for acquiring new zip codes. You can either pay for and ADD zip codes to your current list, or you can trade/exchange zip codes that you already have for zip codes that you think are better. There are limits to the number you can obtain, and you can call to discuss that if you need to.

Available zip codes (ANY zip code with less than 3 agents listed) will be available on a first come, first serve basis. The new list will be published on January 13th early that morning. You can review available zip codes here at that time:

Zip Code AnalyzerAny additional zip code purchased on January 13th, must be paid for immediately. The cost of the zip code will be 11 X the monthly fee ($1.75 for the first 75, $2.25 for zip codes over 75; standard licenses only). Once your new zip codes are added, the remainder of the month of January is free.

If you are switching zip codes for better zip codes we will need specific instructions. Tell us what zip code that you want to add and which zip code that you are giving up in exchange for it. If you don’t know what zip codes you currently have please email us at service@compulife.com and ask for a list of those zip codes.

Do Some Preparation In AdvanceOnce again, you can research zip codes at:

Zip Code AnalyzerIf I was you, I would print a list of zip codes in the areas that you are interested in, IN ADVANCE of the 13th.

IMPORTANT TIP:  You can use the column titles to sort the list of zip codes.

Typically, when I am assisting subscribers in finding great zip codes, I will sort by the 4th column: “Zip Code Income (Millions)”. The number in that column is a result of multiplying column 5 times column 6 (Number of Households times Income Per Household). You will need to click that column heading twice. The first time you click it sorts from smallest number to the largest. The second time you click it sorts from largest to the smallest.

TIP:  In densely populated, urban areas, increase the “Number of Listed Zip Codes” from the default number of 100. This will enlarge the area of the state that you are looking at.

Once you have the list that you want, print that list. I would then highlight the zip codes that you would really like to get. Once again, make sure that list is done in advance of the 13th.

On the morning of the 13th you will want to replicate the list again, doing the same search and sort. Check your old list with the new list to see if zip codes that previously had 3 subscribers listed now have 2 or less. If that happens, and it’s one of the zip codes that you want, fire off your email at 12pm to:

service@compulife.comTIP:  Don’t wait too long after finding zip codes that you want. You can send multiple emails. Remember, first come first served. I promise you, if you wait too long, some zip codes that you want will be gone by the time you ask for them.

Make sure that we have your name and phone number in the email. Once we get to you in time order, we will call you and ask for your credit card information.

IMPORTANT:  Compulife keeps no credit card records for subscribers. If we don’t have your credit card number, they can’t be stolen from us. Every purchase by credit card, requires the credit card again.

Our Current Programming Plans for 2025The following is the current order for new work that we will be doing in 2025:

• • Introduction of New PC Version: CQS.EXE.

• • Overhaul Of Current Product Data Files.

• Introduction of Compulife Mobile* Plus (with Pick 12).

Anyone with questions about any of these upcoming projects can call Bob Barney to discuss:

Please don’t email me essay questions; just call. If I’m not in, email me your phone number, I’ll call you.

These planned objectives will easily consume our programming time during the balance of this year. The good news is that once the product data files have been converted, and we have introduced the new CQS.EXE, and upgraded our internet engine to use the new data files, Compulife will be turning its full attention to our web based, Compulife Mobile software. The long term goal is to have a web based product that does everything our PC based software does.