Prepaid Reviews Blog

MetroPCS will tap lesser known sources for LTE devices

Joe — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:35:43 +0000

Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Telecom conference, MetroPCS COO Tom Keys, unsurprisingly, talked about his company’s LTE plans. We know that they plan to cover more and more people by the end of the year, so it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. What he did mention, though, was the company’s plans for low-cost LTE devices. While a model from LG — featuring a 1.2GHz processor — comes as no surprise, the one from Yulong does. That’s mainly because Yulong is an unknown brand in the US. The phone doesn’t sound like anything special, 1GHz with a 4-inch screen, but it does signal that MetroPCS will look under every rock for low-cost LTE phones for its customers. We should see these sometime in the second half of this year. Unsurprisingly, though, Metro also said it would allow unlocked LTE iPhones to operate on its network. The iPhone 5, rumored for a 2012 release, figures to feature LTE connectivity.

Via FierceWireless and Phone Scoop.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

Boost Mobile getting visual voicemail from Smith Micro

Joe — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:17:15 +0000

On May 31st we know that Boost Mobile will get the EVO Design 4G, their first WiMax-enabled handset. Along with that will come a visual voicemail system from Smith Micro. This includes the option of adding voicemail to text transcription for $1.99 per month. These text translations can be received via SMS or email. It’s not clear whether other devices will get the option of this visual voicemail system, but we’ll surely see it on the Design 4G in two weeks.

Via Engadget.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

T-Mobile 665 provides low-end value to prepaid

Joe — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:02 +0000

It’s rare when we see a new prepaid phone announcement that is not a smartphone. Yet here we are. Pictured above is the T-Mobile 665, which is now available from T-Mobile prepaid. As the picture suggests, it’s not much to write home about. It does have a media player, though, along with a 2-megapixel camera. It’s available now for $49.99 at T-Mobile’s website.

Via Phone Scoop.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

Cricket partners with CD Baby for Muve Music

Joe — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:33:42 +0000

Music aficionados no doubt know the name CD Baby. It is, as they say, “the world’s largest online distributor of independent music.” Founded Derek Sivers, from whom you can learn a lot, it has grown into a place where independent artists can get their music into the hands of an audience. Now those artists will get an even greater chance, as more than four million tracks from CD Baby will be added to Cricket‘s Muve Music platform. The independent artists on CD Baby will likely adore the 600,000 — and growing — users of Cricket’s Muve Music service. Only a few tracks will be available in the near term, but the entire catalog should be available by the end of 2012.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

Cricket to get ZTE Nova 4.0 V8000 this summer

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:00:59 +0000

Remember last week when we learned that Cricket would offer upwards of 10 new devices starting this summer? As it turns out, one of them might be the ZTE Nova 4.0 V8000. It’s not a high-end Android device, featuring a 1GHz processor with a 4-inch screen. But it does have a gig of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, plus the always-present microSD expansion. Plus, ti will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is a big plus. ZTE reps at CTIA 2012 confirmed that it’s headed Cricket’s way, so you can assume it’s part of that new device lineup they promised. There are no further details at the moment, but we’ll probably get some soon enough. You can assume Cricket will change the name.

Via The Verge.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

Voyager Mobile advertises big, but launch delayed

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:12:43 +0000

Yesterday I read something about Voyager Mobile, a new MVNO of the Sprint network. With few MVNO launches every one seems to be something of an event. Yet Voyager seemed to be onto something. They advertised two plans: unlimited talk and text for $19 per month, and unlimited talk, text, and data for $39 per month. Even better, they planned to sell high-end Sprint Android devices, including 4G devices that use WiMax. They had planned to launch this morning at VoyagerMobile.com, and I was excited to see ho they laid everything out. Unfortunately, the launch did not happen, and it’s starting to sound fishy.

The note on Voyager’s site reads: “During its Tuesday, May 15 launch, Voyager Mobile experienced a malicious attack to its primary website: voyagermobile.com. Due to the network outage, Voyager Mobile is postponing its launch to a time and date in the very near future. Our goal of low cost wireless service for all will not be undermined and we strive to continue the voyage for a better wireless world.”

It seems noble enough. They might have even elicited some sympathy due to the attacks. But call me a skeptic on this one. It seems highly unlikely that they could offer service, even unlimited talk and text without data, for $19 per month. That’s just so far below the rest of the industry right now. The $39 plan seems even more out of line, especially given the presence of WiMax.

Remember Zer01 Mobile? Three years ago they were the talk of the wireless industry, scoring an award from Laptop Magazine for best in show at CTIA 2009. Their service, unlimited everything, including data, for $70 per month, was pretty below the industry norm at the time. Things started to seem fishy when their service didn’t launch on schedule. A few weeks later we started to hear some disturbing details, and finally the whole operation crumbled.

I’m not saying that Voyager is traveling the same path. But given the history with Zer01 and its then-outrageous claim of unlimited prepaid talk, text, and data for $70 (and the still-outrageous 5G claim), I’m going to approach Voyager with caution. Here’s to hoping all is well and that they really did only suffer an attack this morning. But history makes me a skeptic when it comes to deals that are too good to be true.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

Straight Talk gets Huawei Ascend II at Walmart outlets

Joe — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:32:33 +0000

It’s hard to believe that nearly a year ago Cricket launched the Huawei Ascend II. At the time it wasn’t that impressive a handset, clicking in at 600MHz with a 3.5-inch screen while running Android 2.3. According to a recent Howard Forums post, some Walmart stores have started selling the Ascend II for Straight Talk. It’s the same exact phone, of course, just with different branding and service plans. You currently cannot get it at Straight Talk’s website, unfortunately. As of this writing it’s just at Walmart stores. The price tag is said to be $179.99, though, which is $80 more than it sells for at Cricket — and Cricket’s version has Muve Music.

Via PhoneNews.com.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

AT&T and Leap continue to talk Cricket deal

Joe — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:04 +0000

Merger and acquisition rumors are nothing new in the prepaid realm. Years ago a month wouldn’t go by where we didn’t hear someone speculating on a MetroPCs-Cricket merger. In the last few years we’ve heard little on that front, though. Instead, we hear about bigger companies trying to acquire these regional carriers. Last week we learned that T-Mobile was talking merger with MetroPCS. A few months ago we heard that AT&T was talking acquisition with Cricket. Late last week Reuters published a report restating AT&T’s interest in Leap Wireless. The talks were held “in recent months,” according to the report, so it’s unclear if anything new has developed since February. But given the general lack of spectrum and the value it holds to the biggest carriers, we could see further movement on these fronts. It would not be a surprise to see larger carriers purchase both MetroPCS and Cricket in 2012.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

LG Optimus Elite on presale with Virgin Mobile

Joe — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:30:33 +0000

Update: Apparently the pre-order is sold out. That was quick. The handset will go on sale to the general public tomorrow. We’ll have to wait and see if they have any units available, or if they really did sell through them all in the pre-sale.

The LG Optimus Elite Android smartphone is now available for preorder from Virgin Mobile. We first learned of the Optimus Elite in March, and then Virgin made the official announcement last month. The Elite is a mid-range Android handset, featuring an 800MHz processor, 3.2-inch screen, and Android 2.3. It’s expected to ship on Tuesday, so you can get in your last-minute preorder now, or you can just wait to pick it up at a later date. It’s available for $149.99 on Virgin Mobile’s website.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

T-Mobile gains on strength of prepaid

Joe — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:05:53 +0000

It’s a familiar story: T-Mobile lost postpaid customers in the first quarter of 2012: 510,000 to be exact. But they actually gained 187,000 customers on the whole. Yes, they posted big gains in prepaid. It amounts to 249,000 subscribers added to T-Mobile branded prepaid offerings, and a whopping 449,000 to wholesale subscribers. As we’ve been saying for a while now, T-Mobile prepaid is really keeping the company afloat right now. They managed to do better than a number of prepaid carriers, including MetroPCS. We recently learned that T-Mobile and MetroPCS have been holding merger talks.

Via CNET.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!