virginmobile
Latest
UK plans to ban sales of locked mobile phones
The UK's communications regulator is proposing a rule to ban carriers from selling phones that are tied to their networks. O2, Sky, Three, Virgin Mobile and some smaller carriers already offer unlocked phones, but Ofcom wants the likes of BT Mobile/EE, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone to do the same. It's also seeking better clarity for customers about whether their handset is locked.
Sprint security lapse gave access to customer data
Add Sprint to the list of US carriers whose security shortfalls put customer data at risk. TechCrunch has confirmed that the provider was using two sets of easily-guessed logins that let a security researcher access a company portal with access to customer data, including for Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. There were issues within the portal, too. The researcher would only have needed an account holder's phone number and a four-digit PIN to access their data, change plans or swap devices, and there was no limit on the number of PIN guesses.
T-Mobile and Sprint will merge to create a 5G powerhouse
After years of on-again, off-again talks, it's official: T-Mobile and Sprint have announced plans to merge. The all-stock, $26 billion deal values Sprint at $59 billion (the combined company would be worth $146 billion) and will give T-Mobile the reins, with the carrier's John Legere serving as CEO and Mike Sievert continuing to operate as COO. Sprint chief Marcelo Claure will serve on the board of directors alongside Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Sprint's parent company SoftBank. As for the ostensible reason for the merger? If you ask the networks, it's all about 5G.
You can use your own iPhone to get Virgin's $1-a-year plan
Looks like Virgin Mobile is on a mission to sign up as many iPhone users as it can. The carrier has just announced that you can now bring your own iPhone and enjoy its $1-a-year subscription offer. When the company began exclusively catering to iPhone users in June, it only offered that deal to a limited number of people buying their devices from the carrier itself. According to Virgin CEO Dow Draper, though, the carrier has expanded the offer's scope, because it understands that "many love their current phones or don't want to upgrade yet."
An iPhone is your only option on Virgin Mobile
It's no secret that American carriers sell a lot of iPhones. Virgin Mobile, however, is taking that to a logical extreme. The Sprint sub-brand has announced that it's the US' first iPhone-only carrier as of June 27th -- if you don't like iOS, you'll have to head elsewhere. In return for the exclusivity, you'll get a fairly good rate as well as some potentially juicy promos.
Australian carrier lets customers win prizes with unused data
Unless you roll it over, the unused mobile data you paid so dearly for is lost in time, like tears in ... rain. For a limited time, however, Virgin Mobile customers in Australia can transform those dead digits into phones, drones and other swag. To be sure, the "data auction" is a publicity stunt that mostly benefits Virgin, since there's but a single prize each day over the month-long promo. In addition, you have to bid all your remaining data, so you can only win once.
Virgin Mobile updates plans, including $20 a month with no mobile data
Virgin Mobile has built its user base by offering no-contract smartphone plans for people who don't want to buy a subsidized device. Now they're slashing prices with the assumption that some people don't need data unless they're on a Wi-Fi network. Say hello to the $20 a month mobile plan that includes 300 minutes of talk time, unlimited texting, and no data unless you're on Wi-Fi. The plan changes don't stop there. The $35 tier now gets to choose between unlimited talk and text, coupled with 250MB of high-speed 3G/4G data or 300 minutes of talk time, unlimited texting, and 2.5GB of data. Virgin's $45 and $55 plans seem best suited for users who often travel between countries. Each plan offers unlimited text and talk, with unlimited international texting and 100 international minutes thrown in on top. At $45 users get 1GB of mobile data, while $55 nets them 3GB of data each month. What do you think? Does the spread of Wi-Fi in public life negate the need for a data plan for some users? It is, after all, still possible to use GPS and mapping services without a data plan, but it requires you to download the maps you'll be using in advance and noticeably slows down service. We look forward to seeing how many users pick up the new budget plan from Virgin. Perhaps we'll all be surprised.
Samsung teases the US by bringing the Galaxy Alpha to Canada
Samsung is being a bit cruel to Americans jonesing for the Galaxy Alpha. The company has announced that its upscale Android smartphone will launch just north of the border (that is, Canada) on September 26th through Bell and Virgin Mobile. There's no mention of Virgin's pricing, but Bell is already taking orders at either $150 CAD on a two-year contract or a pricey $700 if you go contract-free. This isn't an exclusive, though, so you should expect the Alpha to make its way to other Canuck providers in the "coming months." As for the US? Sorry, there's still no official word on that yet -- barring success with an importer, you'll just have to sit tight.
HTC's big, budget-minded Desire 816 phone reaches the US on August 12th
If you've been intrigued by HTC's big-yet-affordable Desire 816, you no longer have to go through an importer to get one in the US. The 5.5-inch Android smartphone will be available through Virgin Mobile on August 12th for $299 contract-free. Nothing has changed apart from the support for Virgin's network, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- while we're not fans of the cameras, the 816 is a good deal if you want a large display at a low price (and haven't scored a OnePlus One invitation). Don't despair if you want something smaller or cheaper, either. AT&T recently launched the 4.7-inch Desire 610 for $200 on prepaid GoPhone service (free on a regular contract), so you have at least one other option for a modern HTC phone if the One and One Remix are too rich for your blood.
Virgin Mobile lets you customize your family's prepaid phone plan
In the US, prepaid cellphone service tends to be a like-it-or-leave-it proposition that rarely fits perfectly, especially for families. Virgin Mobile may have a smarter approach in store; it's launching Custom, a prepaid family plan that lets you tailor usage to your liking. You can put as many as five people on plans that start at $7 each ($35 for unlimited talk and text) and scale up depending on individual needs. If Mom is a big fan of streaming music but rarely makes calls, she can pile on the data (or use a $5 Unlimited Music plan) and reduce her voice minutes; a chat-happy kid, meanwhile, can have gobs of messages but only minimal internet access. You can change the plans at any time from mobile apps, and built-in parental controls let you declare certain apps as off-limits during specified hours.
You can take your Sprint phone to other US carriers next year
If you're with Sprint, you don't have many options for unlocking your phone's SIM card slot; if you can do it at all, you're limited to service on foreign networks. You'll have far more flexibility in the near future, though. The carrier has revealed that it will unlock devices for American use starting with those launched on or after February 11th, 2015. The move will let you use SIM-based features (such as LTE data) on AT&T, T-Mobile and other US providers as long as your device supports the right frequencies. Sprint's prepaid brands, including Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, will also offer the added freedom.
Samsung's Galaxy S5 is coming to Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile
Long gone are the days of prepaid carriers being stuck with low-end smartphones. Need proof? That's easy: Sprint has announced that both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile will carry Samsung's Galaxy S5 in the second quarter of the year, or sometime around the worldwide launch in April. Neither wireless brand is giving out prices at this stage, although it's safe to presume that the brand new, Spark-compatible flagship will carry a premium. Even so, its presence should be welcome to Boost and Virgin customers who've had to go without high-end Galaxies.
Sprint announces Virgin Mobile hotspot with Spark LTE support, adds six new markets
Most carriers shy away from offering LTE on its prepaid plans, but Sprint is diving right in by making it available on its first Virgin Mobile device. The network will take advantage of Sprint's Spark service, which will offer tri-band LTE support at faster speeds on the company's Broadband2Go plans. The first device to leverage it is the Netgear Mingle, which is essentially a red version of Sprint's Zing (pictured above). You can get the fast service at a cost of $5 per day, or you can choose monthly plans of 1.5GB for $25 or 6GB fof $55. Additionally, Sprint announced that it will launch Spark in six more cities: Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and Fort Lauderdale.
iPhone 5c, 5s launch on Virgin Mobile for $100 off
If you've been waiting to grab the newest iPhone 5c and 5s, you may want to think about getting one now -- from Virgin Mobile. That's because the carrier is offering the unlocked 16 GB models of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c for US$100 less than Apple's normal retail price, notes AppleInsider. The 16 GB iPhone 5s normally costs $650 unlocked from Apple, but customers can snap it up for only $550 at Virgin Mobile. Likewise, the 16 GB iPhone 5c normally costs $550 unlocked from Apple, but it's currently $450 at Virgin Mobile. The new iPhones went on sale for the first time at Virgin Mobile yesterday. There's no word from the company if the prices on these 16 GB iPhones are an introductory price or the standard price -- but either way, they're a great deal.
Apple iPhone 5s and 5c now at Virgin Mobile for $100 below retail
You knew this day would come, Virgin Mobile fans, and now the highly sought after iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c are available for purchase at Virgin Mobile. Better yet, you're in for a rather nice discount, as Sprint's prepaid subsidiary is selling each of the phones outright for $100 less than you'd pay elsewhere. This puts the 16GB iPhone 5s at $550 and the 16GB iPhone 5c at $450. Each of these phones should be available for purchase either online or in a retail setting, but if you want to score an iPhone with larger storage (either 32GB or 64GB), you'll need to direct your browser to Virgin's website. With its surprisingly low pricing, perhaps Virgin Mobile is retraining its brain as well.
iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c on tap for Virgin Mobile starting October 1
The iPhone 5s and 5c are flying off the retail shelves, and soon they'll be expanding their reach. Yesterday we reported that smaller regional carriers would start selling the new iPhones on October 1. Today Virgin Mobile has announced it will get in on the action starting October 1 as well, via two posts on Twitter. iPhone 5s is coming to Virgin Mobile on 10/1. http://t.co/xXVf5YAy8h pic.twitter.com/hVXsZcRKm8 - Virgin Mobile USA (@virginmobileusa) September 27, 2013 iPhone 5c is coming to Virgin Mobile on 10/1. http://t.co/xXVf5YAy8h pic.twitter.com/EQZyndcdLj - Virgin Mobile USA (@virginmobileusa) September 27, 2013 While the expansion of the iPhone 5s and 5c to other carriers is good news for Apple, it is sure to put even further strain on the already tight supply of the popular handsets.
Virgin Mobile teases iPhone 5s and 5c as 'coming soon,' prepaid pricing TBA
Just a few short months after Virgin Mobile's Sprint-fueled US arm listed the iPhone 5 for sale, the MVNO is teasing the smartphone's successors as "coming soon." According to the firm's homepage, both the iPhone 5s and 5c will debut for prepaid customers, though pricing and availability remain unknown. Judging by the previous-gen's starting price of $550, however, you might want to start saving up now. The iPhone 4S, meanwhile, remains on the ticket. That handset is currently listed for 15 percent off its $450 sticker price, available today for $382.49. [Thanks, Jay]
HTC Desire 601 shows up at the FCC, likely headed to Sprint or Virgin Mobile
While we've already spent precious quality time with the HTC Desire 601, we still weren't sure where exactly this mid-range smartphone would be available. Well, if this FCC listing is any indication, it could be arriving stateside some time soon, and with Sprint's LTE bands in tow. The documents show a HTC handset with the 601's "Zara" codename in the build number (as seen above) as well as support for LTE band 25, which seemingly points it in the Now Network's direction. This also lends credence to an @evleaks tweet posted two weeks ago that claimed the Desire 601 was headed to Virgin Mobile, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sprint. Other tidbits revealed from the FCC filing include Android 4.2.2 as the firmware and features such as WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, most of which we already knew. Alas, we don't yet know the pricing and availability of the device, but we're guessing it'll show up any day now. In the meantime, treat yourselves to our in-depth hands-on to see if it's worth the wait.
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 9th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Virgin Mobile brought two new smartphones to the table and Play Music All Access subscribers received one more way to discover new tunes. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of September 9th, 2013.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 19th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a free TV streaming service for Bell subscribers, the arrival of NFL Mobile to BlackBerry 10 and little bit of Windows Phone love from General Motors. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 19th, 2013.
