Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile USA Inc. showed more enthusiasm toward its newer, postpaid offerings in its second-quarter report – not the normal behavior for a company that made its name with prepaid. When asked about average revenue per user (ARPU) results related …

Virgin Mobile USA Inc. has tapped LiveWire Mobile to power a new ringback application that allows subscribers to choose pre-selected content channels rather than individual tracks.Ringback Playlist, as the offering is marketed, offers 12 channels consisting of five ringback tones …

Just like Ronald Reagan claimed with his trickle-down economic plan, wireless customers are beginning to see unlimited offerings filter down to cheaper price points and in some cases to offerings that do not require a cumbersome contract.Last week Tracfone Wireless …

Tracfone Wireless Inc. subsidiary Net10 has jumped into the increasingly popular unlimited-service-plan play with its new Net10 Unlimited Plan, which offers unlimited calling and texting for $80 per month. Per Tracfone’s modus operandi, the unlimited offer does not require a …

While some mobile virtual network operators are switching off the lights, others seem to be thriving – and globally at that. After seeing success in the United States and Canada, 7-Eleven Inc. is expanding its proprietary prepaid wireless program, 7-Eleven …

Regional wireless operator MetroPCS Communications Inc. topped the rankings in the latest customer-satisfaction study of prepaid users from J.D. Power and Associates.The Dallas-based carrier performed particularly well in five out of seven categories, the market research firm said, including cost …

Countering media speculation and a sagging stock price, South Korea’s SK Telecom said it was not interested in purchasing ailing U.S. carriers Sprint Nextel Corp. anytime soon. According to media reports, the Korean telecom giant said it has no plans …

According to media reports, Korean telecom giant SK Telecom may again be looking at purchasing beleagured carrier Sprint Nextel Corp. According to reports, SK Telecom and Providence Equity last year offered to invest $5 billion into Sprint Nextel at $18.60 …

Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWirelessNews.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs …

Virgin Mobile USA’s purchase of fellow MVNO Helio L.L.C. allows Virgin to evolve beyond its low-ARPU customers to higher-paying subscribers, as well as gain a sophisticated handset portfolio, improve its debt levels and cut a better deal with network operator …

A couple years ago, starting your very own mobile virtual network operations company was a sizzling hot idea and everybody was trying to cash in. But now, two years and a slue of MVNO closings later, the idea has fizzled. …

Mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile USA Inc. unveiled its new “Totally Unlimited” calling plan, which stands as a shot against the company’s larger rivals by undercutting their prices by $20.Virgin’s new plan, available July 1, will provide customers with …

NEW YORK – Turns out all those “open vs. closed” debates aren’t limited just to mobile networks and software platforms. Wireless advertising is joining the fray, too. Kind of.Interoperability – or the lack thereof – caused a stir at last …

Disaster reliefVerizon Wireless launched a program designed to make it easy for its customers to donate to disaster relief efforts targeted at China and Myanmar. The program allows postpaid customers to send a text message to the shortcode 4SAVE with …

WHILE THE CARRIER’S COMPETITORS WORRY over a potentially greatly expanded customer base and network footprint, Verizon Wireless’ handset suppliers likely are cheering news that the carrier plans to acquire Alltel Communications L.L.C.“The strongest (handset) players at Verizon Wireless areprobably the …

TEXTING. IF YOU HAD ASKED AMERICANS WHAT THAT WORD MEANT 15 years ago, most would have been short for words. Now the definition of texting, even though still not listed in some dictionaries, is embedded in our brains and the …

It’s been said that football is a game of inches, a description that might also be applied to the handset market. And, as in football, a team – in this case a pairing of Virgin Mobile USA Inc. with its …

AOL L.L.C. continues to lose ground online as Google Inc’s dominance grows, but the venerable Internet company is gaining impressive traction in mobile.Virgin Mobile USA Inc. last week unveiled a deal to use AOL’s Platform-A as its exclusive display advertising …

Virgin Mobile USA has tapped AOL’s Platform-A to handle its WAP banner inventory.Platform-A will serve as the “exclusive display advertising and sales partner” for the mobile virtual network operator’s mobile Web inventory, delivering banner ads across Virgin’s deck. “Working with …

Boost Mobile is hoping to boost sales with a line of new retail stores.The Sprint Nextel Corp. division opened outlets in Hialeah, Fla., Huntington, Calif., and Houston, offering customers and would-be customers an opportunity to explore Boost’s offerings “in a …

The first criminal conviction of an international prepaid mobile-phone trafficker was announced by U.S. officials in Houston, news that again highlights a growing problem of global proportions for wireless. Indeed, the issue has already triggered numerous lawsuits by a number …

THE GROUND CONTINUED TO SHIFT in the tumultuous mobile virtual network operator space this month as one player announced plans to call it quits, another explores a potential merger and a third prepares to morph into a reseller of wireless …

Another day, another class-action wireless consumer lawsuit. This one is big, though, naming six mobile-phone carriers and a top mobile virtual network operator as defendants in a complaint filed in Mississippi federal court.“This action seeks recovery for actual and compensatory …

First, let me say I think Wi-Fi is the best thing since sliced bread. Really, I do. That being said, a number of announcements last week made me scratch my head as different companies try to attack the wireless broadband …

Virgin Mobile USA Inc. expanded its Sugar Mama program with a new application for Facebook users.The mobile virtual network operator unveiled “Fund My Phone,” a feature that allows users to earn up to 75 minutes of calling time per month …