Voce's promises are now just a hollow echo of P.T. Barnum's famous dictum, "there's a sucker born every minute." "The ultimate service," the now-defunct mobile virtual network operator's Web site still assures viewers. "Voce redefines customer care." In the case of Voce, which...
Urban, youth-oriented MVNO Helio L.L.C. is racking up "record growth," the company said yesterday in announcing that founder Sky Dayton will leave the CEO post to become chairman. Dayton replaces current chairman Jinwoo So, president of global business at SK Telecom. Helio is a...
A Pennsylvania law firm slapped Virgin Mobile USA Inc. with a lawsuit claiming the operator misrepresented financial information in advance of its October initial public offering.The class action suit, which was filed by the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, claim that Virgin Mobile...
Virgin Mobile USA Inc. announced that it has promoted Bob Stohrer to chief marketing officer of the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). Stohrer, who served as VP of brand and integrated marketing, will replace Howard Handler, who's leaving the company after serving as CMO...
Editor's Note: The following are the stories that had the biggest impact on the wireless industry in 2007, as chosen by the RCR Wireless News editorial staff.1. Jan. 15 issueApple Inc. introduces the iPhone.2. Feb. 19 issueAT&T Mobility announces plans to use Qualcomm Inc.'s...
MVNO Helio L.L.C. continues to roll out devices in the face of financial challenges, offering a new Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. slider handset sporting haptic feedback on exterior keys.The Mysto is available for $149 with contract to subscribers of "Helio powered by SK Telecom,"...
Brightpoint Inc. announced it extended its distribution agreement as an authorized distributor for Nokia Corp. gadgets in the United States through next year. Brightpoint North America L.P., the subsidiary responsible for the company's domestic distribution, sells wireless devices to operators, MVNOs (define), independent agents...
The latest casualty in the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) space is XE Mobile, which targeted college-age youth and marketed itself as a hip, provocative alternative to traditional carriers with an affinity program and cheap long-distance calling.According to a message on the pay-as-you-go MVNO's...
Virgin Mobile USA Inc. said it deployed a product from Telespree Communications that automates the mobile virtual network operator's handset programming process via over-the-air technology."With Telespree, we focused on the device programming process, eliminating manual entry and any associated errors, creating an even simpler...
Word has it that German mobile virtual network operator Debitel is offering to rebate almost $900 to people who want to buy an unlocked iPhone (retail price about $1,500) in an attempt to try to take away T-Mobile's current exclusivity in offering the device....
A class-action law firm has begun an investigation into mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile USA Inc. to determine if it bears any civil liability under federal securities laws to its shareholders.Kahn Gauthier Swick L.L.C. alleges that the MVNO may have withheld actual losses...
Virgin Mobile USA Inc. named a telecom and customer service veteran as VP of its customer management team.Ted Vagelos will oversee Virgin Mobile USA's 4.8 million wireless customers, and the company said his primary objective will be "integrating the company's established service offerings with...
After shutting down two mobile virtual network operations in the United States, Walt Disney Co. is hoping the third time is the charm; the company is restarting its "Disney Mobile" offering, this time in Japan.The company said it will work with Japanese mobile operator...
Quarterly results from Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. came as no surprise: Verizon Wireless did well and Sprint Nextel didn't.Although Verizon Wireless was outpaced in net customer additions by AT&T Mobility, the carrier added 1.8 million net retail customers during the third quarter,...
EarthLink Inc. posted a third-quarter loss driven by restructuring costs and its investment in mobile virtual network operator Helio L.L.C., but promised that it was in the midst of a turnaround.EarthLink's loss for the quarter was $79.4 million on revenues of nearly $300 million....
Virgin Mobile USA Inc. is offering its subscribers the chance to create their own wallpapers and ringtones-and reap the benefits if someone else downloads their handiwork.The new service, called Studio V, allows customers to upload and edit graphics content such as photographs, designs and...
Sprint Nextel Corp. is expanding the reach of its Boost Mobile L.L.C. unlimited calling offer to an additional 10 states.The carrier said that, based on the offer's success in trial markets in California and Texas, Unlimited by Boost will now be extended to participating...
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, tween-focused mobile virtual network operator kajeet Inc. announced a new line-up of handsets as well as an expanded retail effort. The MVNO's new handsets include the Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. m300, an $80 phone available in...
Helio L.L.C., which has made a point of maintaining its handset pricing, is offering a limited-time, online-only promotion with at least $50 off each of the three currently available handsets. The discounts include $50 off the dual-slider Pantech Corp. Ocean handset, reducing its price...
With the content-centered, postpaid mobile virtual network operator market in decline, analysts have already begun talking about the next evolution of the MVNO model. Apple Inc.'s iPhone is one example. So is recently launched Sonopia.Juha Christensen, CEO of Sonopia, compares his company to credit...
Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C.'s stock began trading publicly as the company completed an initial public offering with share prices at the low end of its expected range. Virgin Mobile USA had planned to price its shares between $15 and $17 apiece; the shares were...
Tween-focused mobile virtual network operator kajeet Inc. is trying to snap up customers who must leave lame-duck MVNO Disney Mobile, which is slated to be shut down at the end of December. Kajeet, a pay-as-you-go service with parental controls on when and how the...
Editor's Note: Welcome to our Monday feature, Analyst Angle. We've collected a group of the industry's leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry. In the coming weeks look for columns from Current Analysis' Avi Greengart, iGR's Iain...
Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There's a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCR Wireless News to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the...
