Prepaid Wireless
Tracker - November 2009
Issue
Hi,
Prepaid wireless is a growing and truly exciting industry.
At Prepaid
Wireless Guide I try to provide you with in-depth information that
isn't
readily available anywhere else. Its content is original, and
created
from first hand experience working in the prepaid wireless industry.
This monthly email provides you with a quick glance at what's
in the news so
that you can easily keep informed. I believe in brief,
to-the-point summaries/commentary
so that you can move onto other tasks in your day. Each
snippet includes
a link to the original story should you be interested in the full
details.
If you like this e-zine, please do a friend and me a big
favor and "pay it
forward." If a friend DID forward this to you and if you like
what
you read, please subscribe by visiting here.
Leap at Center of Merger
Speculation Again
San
Diego Union Tribune
More talk about a Leap and MetroPCS merger.
While it may be getting someone tiresome, it really does
seem inevitable
if the two companies are to remain competitive in this tough unlimited
prepaid
market.
Nationwide
Prepaid Cell Phone Service Provider Page Plus Cellular Launches New
Monthly Plan
Page
Plus announced the October 9th
launch of its new Talk n Text 1200 plan. The new
plan includes 1,200
voice minutes, 1,200 text or picture/video messages and 50 megabytes of
data
for just $29.95 a month. Quite
a
competitive plan if you ask me!
PlatinumTel
Prepaid Wireless Rated Above
Cricket, Verizon, and MetroPCS
PlatinumTel
recognized for its flexible and affordable Prepaid Plans. You don’t hear
much about PlatinumTel; could
they be a diamond in the prepaid wireless rough?
Walmart to Offer Cut-Rate
Mobile Phone Service
BloggingStocks
Walmart is now offering Straight Talk
products in all of its stores. As
a
division of TracFone, their product is pretty solid, and proves to be a
contender in the monthly prepaid space.
Does anyone feel as though this market is becoming a
little crowded
these days?!
Billing Conversion Nears
Completion for Alltel Customers
Gaylord
Herald Times
Verizon acquired Alltel, one of its MVNOs in January 2009, and are
nearing the
completion of integrating them into their systems.
They’re also getting rid of the Alltel brand,
however, prepaid customers will still be able to use existing Alltel
replenishment products.
Virgin America Teams Up With
Google to Offer Free In-Flight
WiFi
By
Axxxr
Virgin America is the first airline to offer both standard power
outlets near every
seat and fleet-wide Gogo Inflight
Internet service. I
can’t wait
until all airlines offer power outlets; a key to adoption in my
opinion,
particularly for longer flights that don’t have free access
or free trials.
T-Mobile's “Project
Dark” a
Threat to Prepaid Providers
By
Colin Gibbs
T-Mobile launches its new Even More Plus plans.
While they’re certainly not the lowest price,
the value is reasonable
(at least compared to what the previously had), and their handset
selection is
superior to many prepaid carriers.
Walmart Takes Flak for
Limited, Unlimited Wireless
BroadbandReports.com
This
whole idea of marketing unlimited plans that have restrictions
is getting tiring. If
it’s not
unlimited, please don’t state it as such!
If for the average person, it would essentially be
unlimited,
great! Just spend
more time with the
Marketing department to device a campaign to inform customers of that
fact. Customers
simply will no longer
tolerate these half truths, and will demonstrate that by their purchase
decisions.
The Economy Helps Boost the Prepaid Market
By
Danielle Nohe
Certainly nothing new here, but good data nonetheless.
I believe that once the economy recovers (and
it will!), prepaid will still continue to grow.
It simply makes sense to expect good value without the
need to lock into
a contract, and people are willing to pay more for their phones for
that flexibility.
AT&T rolls
out $60, Unlimited GoPhone Offering
RCR
Wireless
AT&T jumps in with its own prepaid unlimited offering. It’s not going
to apply pressure on pricing
with existing competitors, but a respectable plan nonetheless. Just remember to check
their GoPhone coverage
maps, as their coverage is limited on these plans compared to their
postpaid
nationwide coverage.
Leap Announces
Cricket PAYG
Sales Agreement via Target Locations
PhoneNews.com
Leap
to launches its PAYG products in Target.
Distribution has definitely been one of
Cricket’s weaker points.
Target is a win
for them. Hopefully
we’ll see more
larger retailers added as well.
What's
New at Prepaid-Wireless-Guide.com?
- Updated
Compare
Unlimited Plans to reflect that
StraightTalk
now includes unlimited Web/data & added in the notes that the
new AT&T
plan has limited coverage for Pay As You Go vs. Pick Your Plan.
- Added
new Wind Mobile page.
Comments? Ideas? Feedback?
I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to
this zine and tell me what you think!
Cheers!
PrepaidWirelessGuy
