Ridgeland — Mississippi-based wireless phone and data provider Cellular South announced Thursday afternoon it will rename itself C Spire Wireless.

The name change will go into effect on Monday, company officials said. The new name will usher in a new personalized wireless initiative.

“This is not a merger or a buyout,” president and CEO Hu Meena said Thursday on a conference call with media and industry analysts. “This is not just about a name change either. We have entered a new era in wireless — an era centered on broadband networks, mobile computing devices and now personalized services. Completing calls is only a small part of what we deliver our customers.”

With the new name change, the company will roll out a number of new programs and services including a personalized app recommendation service and a customer rewards program.

“Our new brand and strategy reflect what today’s consumers really want — truly personal experiences based on their individual desires and needs,” said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer of C Spire.“At C Spire, we don’t believe a wireless carrier should just ‘serve the masses’ without recognizing each and every customer as being unique. We are taking the vastness of all the technology, devices, content and apps that are available to wireless users and enabling customers to experience them in much more meaningful and rich ways. At the end of the day, it will be a much more productive, inspiring and rewarding experience to engage with C Spire.”

Meena said the name relates to a focus on being customer inspired. The “C” in the name comes from the word customer, not “cellular,” Meena said.

“Cellular South is more about the category,” Meena said. “We wanted a name that gave us the potential to broaden our horizons and our vision and that didn’t limit us.”

The company will operate a new website at: http://www.cspire.com, which will become active on Monday. For more information visit: http://www.personalizedwireless.com/