By JASON GERTZEN

Embarq Corp. is offering its cell-phone customers an unusually large bucket of calling minutes this month.

Try 44,640 minutes. At no extra charge.

“We are finding innovative ways for Embarq wireless customers to use their minutes,” said Harry Campbell, the company’s president of consumer markets. “And we want to attract new customers.”

The unlimited minutes in December campaign offers new and current Embarq wireless customers all the domestic voice calls they care to make in the month.

To spur the use of many of these minutes, the company has created a whimsical Web site at www.unlimiteddecember.com. Among other activities, consumers can record humorous greetings with jungle or barnyard noises in the background or record holiday carols that can be sent to friends.

The campaign comes as Embarq executives make a serious grasp for growth amid major industry changes.

Once a business unit of Sprint Nextel Corp., Embarq now is on its own as the nation’s fourth-largest local telephone company. It serves some 6.5 million lines across parts of 18 states.

Continues at: »www.kansascity.com/business/stor···039.html