Total Wireless prepaid exclusive to Wal-Mart, offers shared data
Prepaid mobile service provider TracFone Wireless is expanding its marketing presence with the recent launch of its Total Wireless brand exclusive to big-box retailer Wal-Mart.
According to the provided coverage map, the service looks to run on Verizon Wireless’ network, which had initially powered TracFone’s Straight Talk brand that is also a Wal-Mart exclusive. TracFone is owned by Latin American telecom giant America Movil.
The service offers single- and multiline accounts that tap into data bucket trends established by larger operators in which multiple lines of service can share data access from a single account. The single-line accounts begin at $25 for 30 days of unlimited domestic calling and text messaging, with the option to add 2.5 gigabytes of data for $10.
The plans then open up to multiline access, with a $60 plan that allows up to two lines to share 5 GB of data; an $85 plan that allows up to three lines to share 9 GB of data; and a $110 plan that allows up to four lines to share 12 GB of data. Customers can add extra data for $10 per 1.5 GB, which does not expire and is carried over to the next 30 days of service.
Running the numbers, the single-line plans undercut most of the branded prepaid plans from the market’s nationwide operators, including the $60 per month Verizon Wireless charges for a single line of service with 2.5 GB of data. However, there is no indication from Total Wireless if the service includes access to LTE data services, something Verizon Wireless only recently added to its prepaid service.
T-Mobile US recently updated its prepaid offer under the Simply Prepaid brand, offering single-line service that begins at $35 per month for unlimited domestic calling and text messaging; $40 per month for 1 GB of high-speed data; a $50 plan with up to 3 GB of data; and a $60 plan with 5 GB of high-speed data. T-Mobile US’ plans allow customers to continue accessing slower-speed data services once they reach their data limit.
TracFone’s Straight Talk brand offers single-line plans with unlimited domestic voice calling, text messaging and 3 GB of high-speed data for $45 per 30-day period.
Total Wireless is offering a handful of smartphones ranging from $40 to $250, with most being a few model years old or from second-tier devicemakers. Those devices do not indicate LTE connectivity, and instead tout 3G and Wi-Fi. Customers can also bring their own CDMA phones.
Total Wireless shows a mobile hot spot device, but pricing for the device or service is not yet active.
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