Unlimited Wireless

Virgin Mobile Undercuts Everyone

Bernie — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:39:05 -0400

Virgin Mobile, the prepaid wireless MVNO, has undercut all wireless carriers with their latest wireless plan. The “Totally Unlimited” plan will launch on July 1 for $79.99/month, and will offer unlimited domestic calling. For an additional $10/month, customers can add unlimited text messaging. The $79.99 plan undercuts most existing unlimited plans by $20. Another appealing aspect to Virgin’s plan is the lack of any contract.

Virgin typically appeals to value and credit challenged customers. It remains to be seen if their typical demographic will see this plan as appealing, and from a competitive standpoint, will it impact the efforts of the $99 plan group. For consumers who need pure wireless voice minutes in bulk, this plan may look quite appealing. Additionally it’s “risk free” nature may have an impact on AT&T and Verizon’s voice only unlimited $99 plans.

T-Mobile Launches Unlimited Family Plan

Bernie — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:11:46 -0400

T-Mobile USA announced a new unlimited wireless family plan, expanding on the flurry of unlimited wireless plans of late. The plan offers unlimited nationwide calling (with nationwide roaming and long distance) and unlimited nationwide text, picture and instant messaging (SMS, MMS and IM), for a flat rate of $49.99/month for each additional line added to a primary line of $99.99/month. Customers can add up to four additional lines.

Verizon Wireless Launches Smartphone Data Plan

Bernie — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:32:03 -0400

Verizon Wireless announced an unlimited web browsing and email plan for smartphone subscribers. The plan offers access for up to ten separate email addresses and unlimited Internet access. The plan is priced at $29.99/month and available to VZW customers with a qualifying voice plan. Eligible smartphones include the Verizon Wireless SMT5800; the Verizon Wireless XV6800 and the MOTO Q9m. Verizon Wireless BlackBerry subscribers have their own distinct data plans.

Alltel Joins Unlimited Party

Bernie — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:54:37 -0400

Alltel announced that they too will launch a $99/month unlimited wireless plan, joining all the other major wireless carriers who already have one. Branded Freedom Unlimited, Alltel’s unlimited plan basically mirrors other carriers, offering unlimited local and domestic long distance calling. Alltel also remains committed to its popular My Circle plans that allow subscribers to designate 5, 10, or 20 telephone numbers for which they can make unlimited calls to in any given month.

Sprint Raises the Bar with Unlimited Everything

Bernie — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:05:37 -0500

Sprint matched its competitors and then some by unveiling a $100/month unlimited plan, branded “Simply Everything,” which includes unlimited voice, data, text, e-mail, Web-surfing, TV, music, GPS navigation, Direct Connect and Group Connect services. Sprint has trumped their competitor’s unlimited plans by including data and messaging services in the $100/month unlimited plan. Some analysts are saying Sprint missed an opportunity by taking so long to match competitors and the unlimited momentum "ship may have already sailed." The $100/month unlimited plan is not seen as a mass market plan, and only appeals to a limited segment. Sprint will have a hard time reaching through its first to market competitors and engaging that segment. Interestingly enough, Sprint was actually the first carrier to offer an unlimited plan at $120/month, but only in a few trial markets. Perhaps their delay was caused by some distraction. After all, they also announced a $29 billion dollar loss today, with another $30 billion dollar write down from the Nextel merger coming soon. They also predict losing over 1.2 million subscribers in the first quarter alone – just about the same amount they lost in all of 2007. Ouch!

T-Mobile Ups the Ante

Bernie — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:50:05 -0500

T-Mobile joined the wireless unlimited calling party this week, but is now upping the ante with landline calling as well. Their new Talk Forever service complements their recently launched Hotspot@Home service, and provides unlimited domestic calling for $10/month. The new service will only be available in Dallas and Seattle for now. Hotspot@Home routes cell phone calls over the customer’s home Wi-Fi network, removing the minutes associated with that call from their wireless bucket of minutes, for an extra $10/month. The new Talk Forever is essentially a pure play VoIP service, similar to Vonage, where customers utilize traditional landline phones. So T-Mobile customers can now use their wireless or landline phone and get unlimited domestic calling for $10/month each (or $20 total). T-Mobile customers must subscribe to a $40/month plan to qualify for Talk Forever or Hotspot@Home, meaning customers would have a minimum bill of $60/month if they subscribe to both services. They also need to buy a compatible home router for $49.

This T-Mobile development is a clear move to encourage customers to give up traditional landline telephone service. With a wireless and broadband subscription, customers will now have unlimited calling from their home, and only use wireless minutes outside the home. I suspect as both this new plan from T-Mobile, as well as the multiple unlimited wireless plans announced this week begin to take hold, a fair percentage of consumers will question whether they need a landline phone. As Joe Sims, T-Mobile’s broadband products vice president and general manager, said in an interview with Wi-Fi Net News, “[we’re looking] to address the remaining reasons people were reluctant to cut the cord.”

After all of the activity this week, you have to wonder whether these communications conglomerates have well defined strategies, or are they winging it to see what sticks. My guess is a little of both. Does anyone really know the long term impact of these new plans, and whether they will provide enough margins for these carriers to continue them? Or is this just a “land grab” to shake out competitors, and then the market adjusts with fewer players?

Cellular South Launches Unlimited Calling and Data Bundle

Bernie — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:22:03 -0400

Cellular South, a Mississippi based regional wireless carrier has launched an unlimited wireless and data bundle. The new plan offers unlimited calling, text messaging, and data transfer for $79.99/month ($99.99 for PDA plans).