Jump to content

Virgin Mobile USA announces iphone available on June 29


marioc21

Recommended Posts

On the plus side, Sprint can afford to offer cheap rate plans on the VMo iPhone because

 

1. They aren't subsidizing the phone. At all. Probably making money on it, in fact.

2. They don't have to pay anyone for roaming charges, since VMo phones don't roam.

 

So they're willing to offer a $30 plan of some sort (which has a reasonable amount of minutes if you mostly use messaging/data), and have unlimited available for $50, $5 more than T-Mobile or AT&T unlimited via Straight Talk. The plus of Virgin Mobile here is that you don't have to find an Apple store and order the SIM-only kit to get your prepaid iPhone; it's all sold in one (well, many...Sprint stores everywhere) place.

 

The plus against CricKet? More coverage, a slightly cheaper, slightly more generous-with-data-before-throttling unlimited plan, and a 1200-minute plan that's a full $15 per month less expensive than CricKet's only iPhone plan. If you only talk around a thousand minutes per month (which is way above where I sit on my Sprint account, even counting every single minute), the $40 plan plus the non-subsidized iPhone would end up saving you money vs. CricKet after month 10 or so.

 

Heck, if you don't mind not being able to roam, you could compare the 1200 minute plan to Sprint's 450-minute Everything Data plan. Total cost: $80 per month. Despite a steep $450 subsidy on the device, you'd come out ahead on Virgin Mobile after 12 months, assuming again that you're averaging 40 minutes or fewer on the phone each day, and use less than 2.5GB of data in a month.

 

I bet Sprint sells more of these phones than they think they will...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It'll be nice if VM offered some type of add-on that extended the un-throttled limit. Something like $5 or $10 to move that limit up to 5GB.

 

Overall, the pricing of the plan is great. The phone's cost itself isn't, but it's un-subsidized, so Sprint should be able to let VM keep it's Beyond Talk pricing w/o any problems.

 

I do wonder if they'll ever consider putting new phones on VM the same time that it's launches on Sprint. If a 6th-gen iPhone can be launched simultaneously on both postpaid & prepaid. Two separate markets, separate pricing, and more money in their pocket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

VM only throttles you to 250kbps once you reach your 2.5gb limit, which is actually pretty usable compared to tmobile 60kbps and atts .10ishMbps.

 

I would not complain of they did add a tier system, so you could get more data before the throttling.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends on where you are. My mom keeps a Tracfone active in case she runs out of minutes or needs to roam on Virgin Mobile...$7 or so per month and solves the roaming issue completely. All that said, I've roamed very, very little in the ~5 years I've used Sprint (it's all about where you live).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm surprised at the pricing. I didn't expect it to be available on a $30/month plan. I hope Sprint has enough band-aids for its 3G network until Network Vision is widespread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting...they'll be allowing Mobile Hotspot for not-too-much-extra per month. if the data allotment is addtive with the standard 2.5GB, then you could get 6GB of data, plus 300 minutes, for $45, less than the cost of a 6GB Sprint mobile broadband package (albeit with no chance of ever using 4G).

 

Sad to see that the iPhone won't show up in Sprint stores, nor will it be usable internationally (despite the HSPA radio inside the 4S).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting...they'll be allowing Mobile Hotspot for not-too-much-extra per month. if the data allotment is addtive with the standard 2.5GB, then you could get 6GB of data, plus 300 minutes, for $45, less than the cost of a 6GB Sprint mobile broadband package (albeit with no chance of ever using 4G).

 

Sad to see that the iPhone won't show up in Sprint stores, nor will it be usable internationally (despite the HSPA radio inside the 4S).

 

Is the Sprint version international roaming capable?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is the Sprint version international roaming capable?

Both work internationally, but the Virgin Mobile one will need you to pay the outrageous international roaming fees they charge, while the Sprint one can be unlocked( I believe the first batch of sprint iphones came unlocked by default), so you can just pop in a sim from another country.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand why unlocking VM's 4S isn't a option. It isn't even being remotely subsidized.

 

It may not be an option from Sprint. But I don't think there's anything stopping you from unlocking it yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand why unlocking VM's 4S isn't a option. It isn't even being remotely subsidized.

 

Once the iPhone 4S is activated on VM, the baseband locks down all the GSM radios making it impossible to use it anywhere but Sprint's native network. Just like the domestic GSM radios are blocked when the 4S is activated on Sprint or Verizon. It's really stupid that they do that too. I just hope that the jailbreakers figure out how to break thru the baseband so they can unlock all the radios, and then the phone could be used on any GSM carrier worldwide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • This has been approved.. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/fcc-approves-t-mobiles-deal-to-purchase-mint-mobile/  
    • In the conference call they had two question on additional spectrum. One was the 800 spectrum. They are not certain what will happen, thus have not really put it into their plans either way (sale or no sale). They do have a reserve level. Nationwide 800Mhz is seen as great for new technologies which I presume is IOT or 5g slices.  T-Mobile did not bite on use of their c-band or DOD.  mmWave rapidly approaching deadlines not mentioned at all. FWA brushes on this as it deals with underutilized spectrum on a sector by sector basis.  They are willing to take more money to allow FWA to be mobile (think RV or camping). Unsure if this represents a higher priority, for example, FWA Mobile in RVs in Walmart parking lots working where mobile phones need all the capacity. In terms of FWA capacity, their offload strategy is fiber through joint ventures where T-Mobile does the marketing, sales, and customer support while the fiber company does the network planning and installation.  50%-50% financial split not being consolidated into their books. I think discussion of other spectrum would have diluted the fiber joint venture discussion. They do have a fund which one use is to purchase new spectrum. Sale of the 800Mhz would go into this. It should be noted that they continue to buy 2.5Ghz spectrum from schools etc to replace leases. They will have a conference this fall  to update their overall strategies. Other notes from the call are 75% of the phones on the network are 5g. About 85% of their sites have n41, n25, and n71, 90% 5g.  93% of traffic is on midband.  SA is also adding to their performance advantage, which they figure is still ahead of other carriers by two years. It took two weeks to put the auction 108 spectrum to use at their existing sites. Mention was also made that their site spacing was designed for midrange thus no gaps in n41 coverage, while competitors was designed for lowband thus toggles back and forth for n77 also with its shorter range.  
    • The manual network selection sounds like it isn't always scanning NR, hence Dish not showing up. Your easiest way to force Dish is going to be forcing the phone into NR-only mode (*#*#4636#*#* menu?), since rainbow sims don't support SA on T-Mobile.
    • "The company’s unique multi-layer approach to 5G, with dedicated standalone 5G deployed nationwide across 600MHz, 1.9GHz, and 2.5GHz delivers customers a consistently strong experience, with 85% of 5G traffic on sites with all three spectrum bands deployed." Meanwhile they are very close to a construction deadline June 1 for 850Mhz of mmWave in most of Ohio covering 27500-28350Mhz expiring 6/8/2028. No reported sightings.  Buildout notice issue sent by FCC in March 5, 2024 https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/letterPdf/LetterPdfController?licId=4019733&letterVersionId=178&autoLetterId=13060705&letterCode=CR&radioServiceCode=UU&op=LetterPdf&licSide=Y&archive=null&letterTo=L  No soecific permits seen in a quick check of Columbus. They also have an additional 200Mhz covering at 24350-25450 Mhz and 24950-25050Mhz with no buildout date expiring 12/11/2029.
    • T-Mobile Delivers Industry-Leading Customer, Service Revenue and Profitability Growth in Q1 2024, and Raises 2024 Guidance https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-q1-2024-earnings — — — — — I find it funny that when they talk about their spectrum layers they're saying n71, n25, and n41. They're completely avoiding talking about mmWave.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...