Comments on: Watch out, wireless carriers: MVNOs are gaining momentum

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:23:22 +0000

I don’t see how it’s the Wireless Carriers who should “Watch Out”. The MVNOs operate by buying the access to the wireless networks at a wholesale rate – they are a customer of the wireless carriers themselves. The article actually seems to be about the handset market, and the apparent move towards market domination by the low cost ‘phone’ over the smartphone, through cheaper bundled services. The gist of the story seems to be low-tech (tech as from a users’ perspective) will beat high-tech. That users that use a smartphone will happily give up the functionality of the smartphone (email, diary, planning, data and spreadsheet, camera, graphic display, music player etc.) because there is a cheaper alternative for making voice-calls. Apart from these being 2 different things – chalk vs cheese / handset vs network – it’s also nonsense. The smartphone is a smartphone, it’s not just a phone.

By: Endive

Endive — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:24:45 +0000

Oh thanks for the definition. Should I chose this type of service, I appreciate that one should try to discover who the underlying cell provider is since it could? Would? Effect your coverage depending on your area? Do you know?

Thanks again Fawjessyah

By: Calahas

Calahas — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:07:55 +0000

MVNO means mobile virtual network operator. Like Virgin Mobile. Like Boost Mobile. My feature phone from Virgin Mobile costed me $19.99 with tax and costs me $19.99 + tax every month for 400 minutes. If I need 1500 minutes + unlimited SMS, I can use $29.99 + tax plan. I have saved myself from getting raped by Samsung, Apple, Google, ATT and Verizon. Now please go back and get cluster raped by your Apple on your iPhone or iWhatEver device paying $100 or more for service every month for nothing and $199 for a subsidizied new phone every 6 months until Apple continues to exist on planet Earth. Collectively, I have saved myself over $12500+ on my bills by not ever using a stupid smartphone.

By: Alwin Perez

Alwin Perez — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:18:11 +0000

Hurry! The first month of FREE mobile service promotion ends in just a few days! Now until December 31, enroll your friends and family with unlimited voice, text and data mobile service and their first month and SIM card are FREE! View details at http://www.solavei.com/dreamteampr

By: Reggie Noble

Reggie Noble — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:21:16 +0000

I have been with Pure TalkUSA for a couple of years and I wouldn’t go anywhere else for my cell service. They are an AT&T MVNO. I recommend them to everybody.

By: fawjayessah

fawjayessah — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 02:45:42 +0000

MVNO is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator. These are companies that buy airtime from the established cell phone companies and re-sell their services, usually at a much better price, and with No contract or penalties if you leave them. Many require that you buy the phone from them, which will be pre-configured to work with their system, but is often not usable elsewhere if you decide to quit using it. Presently there are a few that use Verizon and T-Mobile, more that use ATT, and many more that use Sprint.

By: fawjayessah

fawjayessah — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 02:35:02 +0000

On the road in a truck, I want to minimize the chance of having no signal when disabled out in the middle of nowhere, so I carry a GSM phone and a CDMA phone. Previously I used a Straight Talk CDMA phone (which used Verizon) and a Net10 phone (which used primarily ATT). Both services were very satisfactory. It was easy to activate, reload, and manage these phones online. However, after I got a VOIP phone for my home, I was not using a whole lot of cell phone minutes, and I was paying Straight Talk $30 a month for 1000 minutes, but was using much less. I switched to Page Plus (which uses Verizon) You can pay as little as $10 every 3 months (at 10 cents a minute) or $12 a month for 250 minutes, $30 a month for 1200 minutes, or $40 for unlimited talk and text. You supply a regular Verizon phone. (go to KittyWireless.com for more info) My ATT coverage is now provided by Pure Talk. I have the plan where they debit me $10 a month, and the minutes roll over. You can use a Locked ATT phone or an unlocked GSM phone. They sent me a free flip phone, which was fairly decent. They offer an unlimited plan for $38. Out of curiosity, I also got a SIM from Spot Mobile (which uses T-Mobile) It costs 10 cents a minute, and roaming is not available. You can pay as little as $5 every 3 months, and the minutes roll over. I put both SIM’s in a dual SIM phone. It’s interesting to watch both signal strength meters side by side for comparison. CDMA Roaming: I sometimes leave the Verizon coverage area and enter the US Cellular coverage area. My Straight Talk CDMA phone read “No Service” , while my Page Plus phone still works, but has the Roaming Indicator displayed, at the cost of 29 cents per minute for Roaming.

By: Erich

Erich — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 23:44:14 +0000

So what is MVNO?
This writer thinks that anybody reading this material “is supposed to know” that?

By: Whitey Bluestein

Whitey Bluestein — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 21:48:29 +0000

Interesting that half of the commenters use (and like) one of the TracFone brands, but with more than 21 million subs, TracFone is the largest U.S. prepaid provider, and largest MVNO in the world, so no surprise. Their five brands are: TracFone, Straight Talk (sold only at Walmart), NET10, SafeLink (government-subsidized service for income-eligible) and Simple Mobile, acquired last May. A subsidiary of América Móvil backed by Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, TracFone is well-financed and is, as KC above points out, indeed “the 1000 pound gorilla” in the MVNO market. It also took TracFone more than 15 years to grow to what it is today.

The companies described in my article are newcomers with great ideas and strong financial backing, and thus, new U.S. MVNOs to watch. To me, the trends toward lower-cost acquisition models (BYOD and online distribution, web marketing, social media, etc.) as well as offloading data to Wi-Fi, will be key to their success.

By: wmorrison01

wmorrison01 — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 05:02:02 +0000

I’m interested to seeing the impact on these that the new t-mobile plans have. No contracts & lower plans but you pay full price for the phone (upfront or broken down into payments)…sounds like an established prepaid carrier to me.