Editor’s Note: In this monthly feature, RCR Wireless News talks to retail managers across the country to get a first-hand view of what’s hot in wireless.
Despite the travails of Amp’d Mobile Inc., not all news is dour in the mobile virtual network operator space. Helio L.L.C. opened its newest retail store in New York City in June, as well as recently receiving additional funding pledges of up to $200 million from its parents SK Telecom and Earthlink Inc.
The MVNO now has five flagship stores in California, Colorado and New York, and also distributes its wares through various dealers and some retail chains.
Jasmine Jimenez is the store manager for the New York store, located on Broadway in lower Manhattan, and spoke with RCR Wireless News about sales trends at the new location.
What is your most popular device, and why does it appeal to customers?
Our most popular device is the Ocean [priced at $295 with a new service agreement]. It’s our premier device. It’s the ultimate inbox, and we have the ability to have almost every e-mail carrier or provider-Yahoo, AOL-all in one inbox. People also like the form factor, the way it slides up for you to make phone calls and up [to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard] for messaging. It’s convenient for a lot of heavy e-mailers and texters.
What accessories are the most popular?
Mostly Bluetooth headsets, the Ocean carrying case and car chargers for every device that we carry.
Which plan is the most popular?
I would say that the average customer member would choose the $65 or the $85 All-In membership. It includes unlimited text messaging, mobile-to-mobile, unlimited data, unlimited night and weekends starting at 9 p.m., access to Google Maps, the Buddy Beacon [GPS friend-locating service] and a number of free applications that we offer our customers. . Customers are pretty happy to hear that everything is included, as opposed to some of the other carriers that we know of, where they charge for every single feature you add on.
Which data services or applications are customers most interested in?
Google Maps would be the first and foremost, and then it would probably be followed by-depending on who the customer is-the mobile MySpace and then the Buddy Beacon.
What trends do you expect to see in the rest of 2007?
In terms of what our customers look for, I think we have provided that with the Ocean-the ultimate inbox, the e-mailing is convenient with the Ocean; that pretty much establishes the trend for the rest of the year. The No. 1 thing that people are always looking for is something to simplify their life, and I think we do that with the Ocean in terms of the service providers integrated into one inbox. And social networking, anything that connects you. I think that every day, it’s hard for you to manage your life and . the Ocean simplifies life a lot, in one little device.
