Nationwide MVNOs
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is a discount MVNO that's popular among students who can't always afford expensive phone plans. It leases its network from Sprint Nextel.
| Pros: |
Affordable, stylish phones that appeal to kids; a camera phone with a music player and a handset with a keyboard are available; free incoming text messages; themed MTV content; can port over your old wireless or landline number (depending on location). |
| Cons: |
Daily access fees, depending on the plan. |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
Yes |
| Roaming charges: |
No |
| Phones: |
Virgin Mobile sells its own handset lineup. They include:
· UTStarcom Super Slice
· Kyocera K325 Cyclops
· Kyocera Marbl K127
· LG Aloha
|
TracFone
A subsidiary of Latin American wireless giant America Movil, TracFone is a discount MVNO that offers prepaid phone service. It has a large national service footprint, thanks to its agreements with a variety of wireless carriers, and its phones are available in more than 65,000 retail stores. TracFone offers phones that work on either GSM or CDMA networks, leasing space from AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile, among others. TracFone provides service in the U.S. as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
| Pros: |
Basic, affordable phones; the choice of GSM or CDMA phones, depending on the network coverage in your area; Minutes carry over on all plans; can port over your existing landline or cell phone number; number of remaining minutes appears on your phone's screen. |
| Cons: |
International calling requires a separate plan. |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
Yes |
| Roaming charges: |
No for GSM handsets; Yes for CDMA (charged for double-minute rates) |
| Phones: |
TracFone does not offer its own brand of handsets, and instead uses existing handsets from other providers, which include:
· LG CG225
· Motorola C139
|
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile targets the young and urban demographic in their marketing campaigns. All of their phones support Push-to-Talk or walkie-talkie-style communications. Boost Mobile's content offerings including ringtones and wallpaper also have hip-hop overtones, which fit nicely with the street-savvy image the company is trying to project. Boost Mobile leases its network from Sprint Nextel.
| Pros: |
Sleek phones designed for younger chatters; it's the only prepaid carrier with PTT; offers a camera phone with a video recorder and an MP3 player; reduced-rate night and weekend calls. |
| Cons: |
Relatively pricey daytime calling and PTT fees. |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
Yes |
| Roaming charges: |
No |
| Phones: |
Boost Mobile sells its own handset lineup. It includes:
· Motorola i885
|
Helio
Helio is targeted more toward the young and upwardly mobile. The company's slogan claims that the devices it offers aren't really "phones," which implies that their handsets can do so much more than make calls. And that appears to be right--all of Helio's phones, such as the Helio Ocean and the Helio Fin, are highly connected to the Internet with EV-DO support, and come with multimedia abilities including 2-megapixel cameras and built-in music players. The phones also have the ability to upload photos and videos directly to Flickr and YouTube. Helio was the first cell phone carrier in the nation to support the mobile version of MySpace, which again points toward their young target demographic. Helio leases its network from Sprint Nextel.
| Pros: |
Attractive full-featured phones with 2.0-megapixel cameras, music players, GPS, EV-DO support, and more. Features also include MySpace Mobile, direct upload to Flickr and YouTube, and GPS applications such as Buddy Beacon, Helio's own friend-locator service. |
| Cons: |
Expensive phones and expensive plans. |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
Yes |
| Roaming charges: |
No |
| Phones: |
Helio sells its own handset lineup. They include:
· Helio Ocean
· Helio Fin
· Helio Heat
· Helio Drift
|
Kajeet
Kajeet is a family-oriented MVNO focused on kids as well as 'tweens. The key to Kajeet's concept is its pay-as-you-go model--the prepaid model is designed to teach kids financial responsibility and encourages them to use their available minutes wisely. Parents can then give them an allowance of minutes as time goes on. Parents are also able to control the child's contact list on the phones and block or approve phone numbers as needed. As an extra perk, kids can download Nickelodeon-themed graphics and ringtones for the phones as well.
| Pros: |
Pay-as-you-go phone plans |
| Cons: |
Doesn't have GPS location services, and there are no free nights and weekends. Handset options are limited. |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
Yes, but only with a calling card. |
| Roaming charges: |
No |
| Phones: |
Kajeet does not offer its own brand of handsets. It utilizes existing handsets from Sprint's own lineup, which include:
· LG LX 150
· Sanyo Katana
|
GreatCall
Finally, there's one MVNO that's focused on senior citizens. GreatCall offers services designed for senior citizens or the elderly, as well as handsets such as the Samsung Jitterbug Dial and the Samsung Jitterbug OneTouch. The Samsung Jitterbug Dial has a large and bright keypad with a basic user-friendly design, and the Samsung Jitterbug OneTouch has only three buttons that connect to an operator, emergency services, and a programmable contact, respectively. GreatCall attempts to guide their customers through the entire cell phone process, right down to preprogramming the phone with all your contacts before you even receive it.
| Pros: |
Complete hand-holding process right from the start; easy-to-use handsets, operator services |
| Cons: |
Expensive plans |
| Free long distance? |
Yes |
| International calling? |
No |
| Roaming charges: |
No |
| Phones: |
GreatCall offers its own handsets. They include:
· Samsung Jitterbug Dial
· Samsung Jitterbug OneTouch
|
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