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Page Plus Cellular adds annual prepaid plan: $80 a year for 2,000 minutes
Voice-only wireless customers who couldn't possibly care less about messaging or data probably aren't reading this site to hear the news, but if they were, they'd find out that prepaid carrier Page Plus Cellular has just added a pretty wild new plan that lets you pay $80 in exchange for 2,000 voice minutes that expire annually. Let us phrase that a different way: $80 a year for 2,000 minutes. That's not going to do your average smartphone user much good, but if you know someone that carries a phone in their car, purse, or pocket (usually uncharged, may we add) for the sole purpose of making the occasional emergency call, this might be a solid option. Follow the break for the full press release.
Mobilicity ponies up attractive $30, $40 plans for the holidays
Canadian upstart carrier Mobilicity is doing what the little guys often do best -- undercutting its bigger rivals -- and it's doing that in an especially dramatic way this holiday season with a pair of pretty enticing new plans. The "exclusive holiday offers" include CAD $30 and $40 price levels ($30 to $40 US, coincidentally) that include unlimited calling and messaging, while the $40 option throws in unlimited US long distance, global text messaging, and unlimited data. That's not quite as spectacular now that the Canadian and American dollars are at parity -- but even so, it's definitely on the very highest rungs of the value spectrum. Interested? The plans are available through December 24th.
US Cellular rolls out trio of new prepaid plans with unlimited messaging
Texting fanatic? Are your poor, overused thumbs calloused beyond recognition? Well, friend, US Cellular has some new prepaid plans that might be right up your alley. The new $29, $39, and $49 offerings all include bottomless buckets of text and picture messages, paired with 200, 400, or 1,000 voice minutes, respectively -- but let's be honest, if you're texting that much, you probably aren't on the horn that often anyhow. Even better, the $39 plan bundles 5GB of data, which seems to make it the sweet spot if you tend to go light on calling and heavy on the texts and browsing. Follow the break for the full press release.
OnLive ushers in the MicroConsole with all-you-can-eat game plan for $10 a month
OnLive wants to be the Netflix of video games, that much is clear, and today it's rolling out a flat-rate monthly pricing plan called PlayPack to help seal the deal. It'll cost $9.99 a month when it launches January 15th, giving subscribers access to a back catalog of forty retired and indie titles, including a number of games entirely new to the OnLive service. What's more, if you bought the company's $99 MicroConsole, you'll get access to that entire flat-rate catalog free until the formal launch, meaning you'll have fourteen full games instantly ready to play the moment you boot it up. OnLive founder Steve Perlman tells us you can pay month-to-month and cancel PlayPack anytime you want, and OnLive will still store your savegames for a full year in case you decide to rejoin -- or if you want to mix and match flat-rate and a la carte titles without losing your precious progress. So, when are those MicroConsoles going to arrive? If you were among the first to buy, you could get yours this very afternoon, and Perlman says there are "thousands and thousands of boxes" shipping right now. PR after the break.
Verizon execs propose speed-based pricing for LTE data plans, say LTE has 'drawn the interest of Apple'
Paying for data overage is the new hotness in the wireless biz, and Verizon was the latest to dive head-first into the nasty world of usage-based pricing for its wireless data plans just a few weeks ago. But how about paying for speed instead? Seems both outgoing Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg and CFO Fran Shammo commented today that the company's shiny new LTE network could support charging different rates depending on the speed subscribers select -- just like in the landline internet business -- though they wouldn't commit to implementing such a system just yet. Speaking of LTE, Seidenberg also mentioned that he "expects" Verizon's first LTE phone to launch in February (likely the LG we saw or HTC's Mecha, if we had to guess), coming in on the early side of its 1H 2011 plan -- and what's more, he's saying more LTE-equipped devices will launch than originally anticipated. We certainly won't complain about that. On the undying topic of the iPhone, Seidenberg's basically holding the same line he's maintained for some time, which is that the companies' "interests are coming together" and that the phone will come when "Apple thinks it's time." The gem, though, is that Seidenberg specifically says that Verizon's adoption of LTE has attracted Apple's attention and helped it score the iPad -- and seeing how Verizon's cobbled-together iPad / MiFi bundle doesn't support LTE, we can only assume it was a peace offering to help the two companies come together and prepare to work together more closely down the road. Question is, just how soon would Apple like to play the LTE card?
T-Mobile drops the official word on Even More Plus: gone from the website, still available elsewhere
We're happy to finally be closing the loop on T-Mobile's Even More Plus situation -- and the story ends on a happy note, which is nice. As we said yesterday, the carrier's contract-free discounted plans aren't going away, but you'll no longer be able to select any of them from the website. Why? Well, the claim is that they want to "simplify and streamline our customers' online purchase experience," and to be fair, we can understand how the average potential subscriber coming to T-Mobile for the first time would have no clue how to differentiate between the two without some assistance. From here on out, if you want to avoid the contracts on postpaid, you'll need to call into telesales, visit a corporate-owned store, or head over to "select national retail partners and select dealers," though we don't know which ones have been green-lighted at this point. Follow the break for T-Mobile's full, official Q&A on the situation.
T-Mobile keeping Even More Plus around, but not online
Remember how we said yesterday a customer service rep told us T-Mobile was in the process of "sneaking away" its discounted, no-contract Even More Plus plans for full-price hardware? So yeah, the good news is that the plans apparently aren't going away -- but the bad news is that the carrier is trying to make them a little harder to get to. Clicking through to the individual plan listing only shows Even More listings now with no mention of Even More Plus whatsoever; instead, you'll notice that there's a teaser on the screen saying that you can "visit a T-Mobile store for no annual contract rate plans, and more." We're not sure if they're doing this in an effort to simplify what the user sees online -- that is, to make sure they're not overcome with choices -- or if they'd like to limit the number of users considering Even More Plus by making it hard to find and hard to buy, but either way, we're not fans of the new system. We're waiting on an official comment from T-Mobile -- we'll post it just as soon as we have it. Update: Commenter omega1202 notes that he can still see Even More Plus plans when he logs into his account online, so not all hope is lost for existing customers.
T-Mobile quietly kills off Even More Plus plans, suggests going prepaid instead? (update: still available if you call)
We've just heard that T-Mobile very quietly deep-sixed its Even More Plus plans as of the 13th of this month -- and sure enough, if you browse the site, you'll find that any mention of them has been wiped from the shopping pages. As a refresher, Even More Plus was T-Mobile's way for anyone bringing their own hardware (or wishing to pay full price for new hardware) to get a discount on the monthly plan and avoid a contract, but it seems the plans were either not popular enough or too popular for comfort; unfortunately, we're not sure which. In their place, the carrier is apparently recommending customers go with a prepaid plan -- but that's not quite the same thing since there's no unlimited data option... and, well, they're prepaid instead of postpaid. We've reached out to T-Mobile for comment -- we'll let you know when we have more. [Thanks, Mitchell] Update: We just spoke to a customer service rep who said that they're "making some changes" and "sneaking away" the Even More Plus plans, but for the moment, they're still available -- you just need to call in to get them or speak to a store rep.
T-Mobile's $15 tethering option, tiered data available this Sunday
The $14.99 monthly unlimited tethering / mobile WiFi hotspot add-on for your phone that T-Mobile promised in time for the holidays will be getting real this weekend, hitting on Sunday, November 14th. Of course, owners of myTouch 4Gs, G2s with the latest firmware update, and a couple other models in the T-Mobile stable have already been enjoying the option, gratis, for a couple weeks -- so it'll be interesting to see how many subscribers they convert for the $15 upcharge. Certainly makes those roots seem a little more appealing, doesn't it? Available at the same time will be the new 200MB data option for $10, though it won't be available (smartly) in combination with tethering. On a related note, Big Magenta will be rolling out two promotional Even More plans on the same date: a 1,500 anytime minute individual package for $79.99 and a 3,000 minute family plan for $149.99, both including unlimited text and web. Both require re-upping your contract and will be available "for a limited time," though the carrier isn't saying just how long that "limited time" may be. Follow the break for the release.
Verizon trials unlimited text and data cellular plans for preferred customers, starting at $70 a month
Sure, Verizon's pushing tiered data plans in public, but it's simultaneously expanding its unlimited offerings behind closed doors -- yesterday, the wireless carrier launched a promotional plan with 450 minutes, unlimited text and unlimited data for $70 a month. Before you jump at the chance to lower your monthly bill, however, we should warn you that this is very much a limited trial: Verizon will check its computers to verify that you were sent a promotional email before letting you into the deal. Furthermore, the offer doesn't ring up as a new plan in Verizon's computer system, but rather an amalgam of the company's existing $60 Talk and Text plan and its $30 unlimited data plan, with a $20 credit applied to your bill each and every month. The upside of that is that selected customers can basically add unlimited data to any Talk and Text plan they choose for an extra $10 monthly, but the downside is that it's far too early to call the promotion a portent of things to come. See the full offer at our source link... or in your inbox, we suppose. [Thanks, Sam]
US Cellular rolls out $70 Primary Plus plan for smartphones
Targeting "customers making their first foray into the smartphone frenzy," regional carrier US Cellular has put together a new data-focused, all-inclusive plan called "Primary Plus" that should meet the needs of a pretty wide swath of its subscriber base. The $69.99 package bundles 450 voice minutes, unlimited messaging, and 5GB of data, which compares to roughly $90 for a comparable package on Verizon -- granted, you get unlimited data for that price on Big Red, but for most folks, we suspect 5GB of non-tethering data is as good as unlimited. You also get free incoming calls, free nights and weekends, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile, so that 450-minute bucket is probably going to end up seeming a lot bigger in practice. Follow the break for the full press release.
T-Mobile offering unlimited tethering 'this holiday season' as $15 add-on
This one comes as no surprise, but T-Mobile has announced today that the availability of tethering and WiFi hotspot capabilities for "select smartphones" in its lineup in time for the holidays -- and as is often the case with Big Magenta, they're offering the service at a much more aggressive price point than its larger competitors: $14.99 a month on top of your $30 unlimited data plan buys you unlimited tethering on T-Mobile's glorious HSPA+ network (and in its non-HSPA+ areas as well, of course). We still don't know whether this'll start to roll out on November 3rd as was rumored, but that'd be a nice way to get into the holiday spirit, wouldn't it? Don't get us wrong -- we'd prefer if they offered it for free as part of your $30 package, but in our post-apocalyptic world of streaming video and incessant browsing on the go, that just wasn't gonna happen. Separately, T-Mobile is also announcing an alternative to that $30 smartphone data: a new 200MB plan clocking in at $10 on a new two-year deal or $15 a month without a contract extension. As you might imagine, tethering isn't available with this one -- we suspect it's just an answer to the new fad adopted by AT&T and Verizon of offering a tiny-bucket data plan alongside your regular gluttonous-bucket package.
Verizon testing unlimited mobile-to-mobile plans -- regardless of carrier
Sprint's been doing this for some time, but it looks like Verizon is now toying around with the concept of carrier-agnostic mobile-to-mobile plans (it's a mouthful, we know) for at least some of its customers. Specifically, Big Red's trialing such plans in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and "select markets" in Texas, Tennessee, and Florida ranging from $60 to $130 for individual and family plans ranging from 450 to 2000 minutes; notably, both voice and text buckets are bottomless for mobile-to-mobile. The plans are only slated to run through the end of the year, but we imagine that if they're popular enough, they'll be extended -- and hopefully expanded. [Thanks, Kal and everyone who sent this in]
Virgin's payLo service breaks the $20 mold, adds third plan for $30
Virgin Mobile has been attacking the ultra-low end segments of the market with its two-pack of payLo prepaid plans this year, both of which retail for $20. Well, if you're looking for a slightly fancier package, Virgin is answering the call today with the introduction of a third payLo plan at the $30 mark, offering 1,500 voice minutes, 500 messages, and 10MB of data per month. That marks the first time that a payLo plan has included either data or text buckets -- and considering how important both of those are these days, we imagine the new plan will find a taker or two. Interested? It's available immediately.
MetroPCS turns attention away from unlimited momentarily, launches Walmart-exclusive bucket plans
A quick check of MetroPCS' site reminds us what these guys are all about -- unlimited voice, data, and messaging for less than you'd pay with any of the big guys -- but it looks like they might be exploring a shift in strategy with a handful of new prepaid packages that have launched exclusively through Walmart stores. For $20 you can get 500 minutes and 500MB of data, while moving up to $30 gets you 1,000 minutes and just 100MB of data -- both plans include unlimited messaging -- while a third plan for just $10 nets 200 voice minutes and unlimited incoming texts. Unsurprisingly, the packages aren't available with either MetroPCS' smartphones nor with the Craft, its just-launched LTE handset -- but considering how modern phones of both the smart and not-so-smart variety are emphasizing data and text features over voice, we wouldn't be surprised to see the regionals start to experiment more and more with interesting buckets.
Boost Mobile announces 'Shrinkage' plans, cost goes down over time
Loyalty has its benefits, and that's certainly true in the wireless industry; though carriers don't always advertise it, it's not uncommon for longtime customers to get lower upgrade prices and early availability on hardware -- not to mention sweet, succulent grandfathered plans. To that end, Boost Mobile is introducing its questionably-named line of "Shrinkage" plans that will reduce your plan pricing by $5 a month for every six months of on-time payments. Two plan types are eligible: the standard monthly unlimited plan starts at $50 and can go as low as $35 over time, while the BlackBerry unlimited plan starts at $60 and can fall to $45. They're available starting today, but existing customers need to get in touch with Boost to sign up. Follow the break for the full release.
T-Mobile's Passes prepaid data plans leak out
We've been saying prepaid data plans are going to be the next big wave in mobile, and it looks like T-Mobile's getting on board -- we were just sent this employee training sheet detailing the upcoming Passes plans. All of T-Mobile's mobile broadband products are eligible, which is nice, but the plans themselves are a bit lame -- $10 gets you 100MB of data or a weeks' access, whichever comes first, $30 gets you 300MB or a a month's worth of access, while $50 nets you 1GB or 30 days. That's an odd blend of tiered data pricing and prepaid limits, and it compares poorly to T-Mobile's standard $39 / month data plan with a 5GB cap. But hey -- flexibility isn't cheap. Expect to see this one launched at CTIA for October release -- the docs say the new plans will arrive with a new Jet USB modem and a prepaid SIM card retail package as well.
AT&T lowering some GoPhone plan pricing this weekend, adding bundled data option
Prepaid wireless plans are seeing a resurgence in popularity lately, due in part to the fact that top-tier carriers like Verizon are getting with the program and adding prepaid smartphones into the mix. AT&T is looking to get a little more competitive with its GoPhone brand this weekend, it seems, taking a gander at this chart we've obtained that shows a few options actually decreasing in price -- an absolute rarity for this business. Notably, the unlimited daily talk and text plan will be dropping from $3 to $2, and the per-minute "simple plan" will be dropping from 25 cents to 10 cents. The 1MB and 100MB data add-ons remain the same at $4.99 and $19.99, but there'll also be a new $75 unlimited talk and text plan that bundles 200MB of data into the mix with additional kilobytes charged at one cent each. Starting to make postpaid look a little lame, isn't it? Look for it all to go into effect this Sunday, October 3. [Thanks, anonymous tipster] Update: Confirmed -- here's the press release.
US Cellular launches The Belief Project, a slew of customer initiatives rolled into one
So US Cellular just spilled all the beans on its mysterious Belief Project today, and basically, they've just rolled up a whole bunch of policy tweaks under one neat, tidy name for marketing purposes. The list of changes is a long (and generally good one), featuring "one and done" contracts -- meaning you can get contract benefits forever after you serve out your first two-year contract -- along with free phone replacement for accidentally damaged handsets and $100 replacement for lost or stolen ones, three to five percent plan discounts based on payment method and paperless billing, overage caps and warnings, and a new rewards program that lets customers exchange points for discounts and free stuff. Follow the break for USCC's full press release.
PSA: AT&T doesn't charge you for OTA firmware updates
In speaking with AT&T today about the Captivate's latest update, we learned something interesting that we thought we'd pass on: data isn't deducted from your bucket for over-the-air firmware updates. That's important since updates can climb into triple-digit megabytes -- and if you're on one of AT&T's newer DataPlus or DataPro plans, you really don't have any data to squander. Obviously, this isn't going to take away the sting of unlimited data's untimely demise -- but the next time you get a notification on your phone that some shiny, new system update is available, don't hesitate to kick it off (unless you're in some foreign country, we suppose, in which case you could very well be bankrupted).
