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Aio Wireless takes a cue from Sprint's Framily plan with new group discounts
Cheesy moniker aside, Sprint's newly minted Framily plan is not one to be ignored. It allows you to save money by sharing an account with, well, friends and family, all while being billed separately on up to 10 lines. Following in similar footsteps, AT&T's prepaid subsidiary Aio Wireless has now announced Group Save, which allows users to get a maximum monthly discount of $90 per account. It's simple, really: the more lines you add, the more cash you save every month on your bill total, not per line. With Aio's Group Save, you can have up to five lines; the first two get you a $10 discount, while lines number three, four and five knock off $30, $60 and $90 per month, respectively.
ZTE comes to CES with voice-savvy Grand S II smartphone, fitness-ready BlueWatch
ZTE clearly wants to make its presence felt at CES this year; it's coming to the show with no less than seven devices. The Grand S II headlines the pack as the company's first smartphone with "high-precision" voice commands, which let you both unlock the phone and trigger the camera. The company is shy on other details, although we'd expect the Grand S II to have the best (grandest?) performance of ZTE's range. The company is also launching the 5-inch Nubia 5S and 4.7-inch Nubia 5S mini; just what they offer beyond the Nubia 5 isn't clear, but the larger 5S will have the horsepower to capture 4K video through its 13-megapixel f/2.0 camera. Frugal Americans will want to check out the Sonata 4G, a 4-inch budget phone launching on Aio Wireless with a 1.4GHz Snapdragon 400 chip, 1GB of RAM and a 5-megapixel shooter. An unnamed "iconic" 5.7-inch handset is also coming with a dual-core chip and wireless charging. A trio of accessories will debut at the same time. The company's promised smartwatch will launch as the BlueWatch, with support for both remote phone control and a built-in pedometer. ZTE is also promising a 4G-equipped hotspot and an AT&T Wireless Home Base that connects landline phones to the carrier's cellular network. Ship dates and prices aren't available for any of the CES introductions at this stage, but you can be sure that we'll get more details on the show floor.
AT&T's prepaid subsidiary, Aio Wireless, is now available nationwide
You can go ahead and consider Aio Wireless an option the next time you're shopping among mobile carriers, because the prepaid subsidiary of AT&T is now available nationwide. Service plans at Aio feature unlimited voice, messaging and overage-free data, and start at $40 per month for simple phones. Smartphone users can expect to pay at least $55 at Aio, which fetches 2GB of high-speed data, whereas the $70 plan comes with a healthy 7GB allotment. As one potential gotcha, the carrier throttles its high-speed data to a relatively paltry 8 Mbps -- a shame if you're sporting an LTE handset. If you're on a budget, it's worth mentioning that Aio Wireless is one of the sole providers of the Lumia 620 within the US, and at just $100 outright, it's a very tempting proposition. [Thanks, Krishan]
Aio Wireless to offer nationwide prepaid cellular service in September
Color-based lawsuits aside, things appear to be going well for Aio Wireless, as the company will begin offering cellular service to the entire U.S. by mid-September. To this point, AT&T-owned Aio was only an option for folks living in Texas, Florida or Atlanta, Georgia, but now the rest of us will soon be able to get in on its prepaid plans. All plans provide unlimited talk, text and data, but they range from $40-70 depending upon how much of the speedy secondhand AT&T LTE you want to use. So, if you're a GoPhone user looking to stick with AT&T's network, but don't like the recent changes to its prepaid data plans, Aio may be just what you're looking for.
T-Mobile sues AT&T over Aio Wireless' logo, goes magenta with rage
It's no secret that T-Mobile feels very strongly about a specific shade of magenta. Long time readers will remember when Deutsche Telekom famously came after your favorite tech site (spoiler alert: that would be Engadget) over the particular hue we'd chosen for our mobile section. T-Mo has evidently been jonesing for another chromatically inspired legal battle, as it just sued AT&T over the color of Aio Wireless' logo. While DT does technically have a German trademark on a single shade of magenta (RAL 4010), to anyone with eyes, it's evident that T-Mobile and Aio employ two completely different colors. Big Magenta's CEO John Legere weighed in on Twitter when he said, "Here is the Crayon box that @ATT must have been using :)," alongside a picture of RAL 4010-hued crayons (available at the source link below). Nobody wants to show up to prom in the same dress as someone else, but T-Mo appears to be grasping at straws. Magenta straws.
Aio Wireless gains LTE support, intros the ZTE Overture to match
Now that AT&T is willing to offer LTE on budget services like GoPhone, the floodgates are open: it just extended the faster cellular data to its Aio Wireless prepaid brand. An automatic update is rolling out that enables LTE on Aio customers' existing SIM cards when they're in one of the provider's coverage areas. To mark the occasion, the carrier is launching the ZTE Overture, a 4-inch phone packing LTE alongside a 4-inch display, Jelly Bean, a 5MP rear camera and an unspecified front shooter. Aio hasn't divulged pricing for the Overture, but we wouldn't expect a large outlay when the handset ships within the next month.
AT&T's Aio Wireless offers pre-paid service, iPhones
AT&T has launched a new pre-paid wireless mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) named Aio Wireless. The carrier will operate on AT&T's network, but is only available in Houston, Orlando and Tampa at the present time. Four plans will be available from Aio Wireless. For phones, the Aio Basic plan offers 250 MB of data for US$35 - $40 per month, 2 GB of data for $55 and 7 GB of data for $70 a month. Each plan also offers unlimited text and calls. Aio also offers a tablet plan at $15/month for 250 MB. One caveat: although the phones operate on AT&T's nationwide network, 4G data is capped at 4 Mbps, so don't expect to get the same fast LTE service you can get from AT&T. Aio Wireless carries a number of smartphones, but Apple fans will be happy to hear that they can purchase the iPhone 5 for $649 (without subsidy, of course) or the iPhone 4S for $499. Show full PR text Aio Wireless™ Announces New Nationwide Voice and Data Service No-annual-contract wireless provider kicks off new service with launch in first three markets Alpharetta, Georgia, May 09, 2013 Today Aio Wireless announced the launch of a new nationwide wireless service for consumers interested in a first-class wireless experience at a value price, without an annual contract. Aio provides new choices, seamless customer experience, and simplified service and offerings to value-conscious customers interested in an unlimited talk/text/data plan with no annual contract. Aio expects the service to roll out in multiple markets across the U.S. over the next year, with an initial launch today in select stores in Houston, Orlando and Tampa, and with additional stores in these three markets opening in the coming weeks. Store locations and Aio information will be available starting later this morning atwww.aiowireless.com. Aio (pronounced "A-O") is a brand name that encapsulates Aio's brand promise: simply, delightfully, more. "We talked with no-annual-contract customers and created our service around what they want. They want simple, easy plan choices with unlimited offers; first-class service at affordable prices; great devices; nationwide voice and data coverage; and no annual contracts. Today's wireless customers don't want to compromise," said Jennifer Van Buskirk, president of Aio Wireless. "We are set up to win over value-conscious customers who are increasingly moving towards smartphones and mobile broadband." Aio makes prepaid wireless easy for customers with a friendly in-store and on-line experience, three simple rate plans to choose from, and an attractive portfolio of devices that include smartphones, tablets, and feature phones from a variety of manufacturers, including Samsung, Nokia, ZTE and others. Aio's unlimited talk, text, and data rate plans range from $35 to $70 per month, with pricing varying by market, and will offer 4G download speeds of up to 4Mbs per second. Customers will also have the opportunity to bring a compatible, unlocked device for activation on the Aio network. Aio will delight customers with an attitude of gratitude, easy pre-payment options, and an involvement in the local communities in which we serve. Aio Wireless is a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. AT&T does not expect this announcement to change AT&T's January 2013 financial guidance. Aio's plan pricing includes applicable state and local taxes, and fees. Each unlimited plan includes a pre-established amount of high speed data access, and service is subject to Aio's Terms and Conditions of Service and Unreasonable Use Policy. Coverage and services are not available everywhere. Restrictions apply. © 2013 Aio Wireless LLC. All rights reserved. Aio, Aio Wireless and the Aio logo are trademarks of Aio Wireless LLC. About Aio Wireless Aio Wireless (pronounced A-O) was created for today's value-conscious connected consumers who want it all. We created a new class of service for individuals who expect a first class wireless service at a value price - one with no-annual contract, friendly service, uncomplicated plans and the mobile phones and tablets you love. All of Aio's phone plans include unlimited talk, text and data, with taxes and fees included - the price you see is the price you pay. Aio Wireless is a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. Visit www.aiowireless.com to find out more.
AT&T-owned Aio Wireless launches prepaid service in Houston, Orlando and Tampa
Aio Wireless, a prepaid subsidiary of AT&T, is launching with a nationwide "unlimited" voice and data service. (As is so often the case, that buzzword comes in quotes because speeds will be throttled once you meet your plan's data cap.) The three plans range from $35 to $70 per month, and 4G downloads will reportedly top off at 4 Mbps. Customers can either choose from Aio's modest selection of handsets -- including the iPhone 5 and the Lumia 620 -- or bring a compatible, unlocked device of their own. The service will kick off in Houston, Orlando and Tampa, with additional markets launching later this year. Head past the break for the full press info.
