Virgin details Helio integration plans

A few weeks after its official purchase of Helio L.L.C., Virgin Mobile USA has decided on a branding strategy; “Helio by Virgin Mobile: Plan to Have it All.”
The mobile virtual network operator’s (MVNO) first plans for the newly joined company is to enhance Helio’s $80 A La Carte plan by offering unlimited minutes, mimicking Virgin’s Totally Unlimited Plan. The A La Carte plan previously allocate only 1,500 minutes. This offer is available for existing and future Helio customers. In a press release, Bob Stohrer, chief marketing officer for Virgin Mobile USA, hinted toward additional transitions between more devices and plans inside the Helio/Virgin Mobile partnership.
“These initial steps, delivering the best value in postpaid for unlimited calling, are just signals of things to come as we look to make Helio products and services even more accessible and attractive,” Stohrer said. “Helio devices like the Ocean and its brilliant data services are alive and well, and there will be opportunities in the immediate future for crossover benefits.”
Further, Virgin Mobile also announced the release of the Shuttle, the company’s first EV-DO handset, capable to integrate Helio location-based services such as Buddy Beacon, a friend-finder application; and Where, a points-of-interest application. The new handset features improved access to social-networking communities and other sites thanks to partnerships with Accuweather, ESPN, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Yahoo! and more. The MVNO is launching the Shuttle alongside Personal Communications Devices L.L.C., and it will hit the shelves and pages of Best Buy Mobile and BestBuy.com on Sept. 28. In a press release, Virgin Mobile described the device as a perfect solution for those customers who feel the “need for speed.”
The addition of Helio brought Virgin Mobile 170,000 new postpaid customers to add to its current customer head count of 5 million. Four of the five Helio stores have closed; the New York location remains open and customer-care services and sales operations remain separate from Virgin Mobile for now. However, more integration is set to occur over the new few months.