Virgin Mobile 12months Unlimited Everything for $1

[TurbineSeaplane]

You can lead a horse to water but! Some arguments here make no sense.

If I pay full price it better be unlocked immediately so I can leave. Hello, if you plan to leave just buy an unlocked phone full price. Better yet if it takes a year why not get free service for a year.

I guess you decided not to read the posts just above?
Like where I said this just 2 posts above yours...

...some of us have reasons for wanting unlocked phones other than leaving the carrier with a device.

For me, it's that I spend a chunk of time vacationing where Sprint isn't good and I'd like to be able to pop a different sim back and forth in the same device.

[sharp99]

I don't need it, can't afford it right now, but I want it!

[boherez]

Cool plan.

[southchatham]

I guess you decided not to read the posts just above?
Like where I said this just 2 posts above yours...

My point was go buy an unlocked phone if that's what you need.

I think the phones will be unlocked. It only makes sense. Their giving away a year of service then it would be unlocked anyway. Why not issue it unlocked.

[TurbineSeaplane]

My point was go buy an unlocked phone if that's what you need.

I think the phones will be unlocked. It only makes sense. Their giving away a year of service then it would be unlocked anyway. Why not issue it unlocked.

I agree…

And that's what this whole discussion is about…

We have press releases and articles citing sources at Virgin saying they will be unlocked or easily unlockable anytime and then all of their support staff and Twitter engagement people saying the opposite.

I simply would like to know before I purchase what I'm getting into.
Seems fair.

If I could buy a out and out unlocked phone (or BYOD) and bring it to this plan believe me I would… But they're making you buy a phone to get the plan, which is fine, but the unlocking status clarity needs to be "clearer"

[vmobi]

The problem I see is VM is setting themselves up for failure. In a year most will just leave.

You seem so sure of your guess. If in a year anyone wants an upgrade there may be another 12 month for $1 (30 day window) or perhaps a limited 15 day window upon introducing/launching a new iPhone. The New Virgin Mobile iPhone Exclusive Service is just now launching, the possibilities are endless, with iPads and other iOS devices that are sure to be added onto the Mix.... Failure would have been continuing to provide under performing entry level android phones that featured horrible end user experiences without android upgrade paths. That failed experiment is thankfully now being abandoned.

[sharp99]

You seem so sure of your guess. If in a year anyone wants an upgrade there may be another 12 month for $1 (30 day window) or perhaps a limited 15 day window upon introducing/launching a new iPhone. The New Virgin Mobile iPhone Exclusive Service is just now launching, the possibilities are endless, with iPads and other iOS devices that are sure to be added onto the Mix.... Failure would have been continuing to provide under performing entry level android phones that featured horrible end user experiences without android upgrade paths. That failed experiment is thankfully now being abandoned.

As an Android guy I have to agree with you, being known as an iPhone only company is better than being known as Kyoceras on Sprint's network. Prepaid market is so saturated anyway.

Sent from my Z820 using HoFo mobile app

[discord]

How long will this promo run for?

[sharp99]

How long will this promo run for?

End of July.

Sent from my Z820 using HoFo mobile app

[Mosaic55]

Few options come to mind:

1. This Virgin perks thing could be a bit of a halo effort to get you into other services/purchases that do make money off you.
2. Could be banking on people liking it and sticking with it.
3. Might just be pumping up subscriber numbers to get a better deal out of T-Mo acquisition
4. Perhaps there is still some margin on the iPhone sales at full price
5. All 4 + other things we aren't thinking of... LOL

I think you've got a winner with #3 there.

That plus a buildimg a user base with phones that have some GSM compatibility in case TMO wants to phase out cdma service.

I could have been interested 2 or 3 weeks ago, but I just got a gophone SE. AT&T has better signal than Sprint at my house anyway.

[southchatham]

I think you've got a winner with #3 there.

That plus a buildimg a user base with phones that have some GSM compatibility in case TMO wants to phase out cdma service.

I could have been interested 2 or 3 weeks ago, but I just got a gophone SE. AT&T has better signal than Sprint at my house anyway.

Gold star for you! I think you nailed it with the Iphone being able to work on Tmobile. Makes for an easy transfer, unlike the Metro transfer. Giving so much away (a whole year of free service) makes no sense otherwise.

[mogelijk]

As an Android guy I have to agree with you, being known as an iPhone only company is better than being known as Kyoceras on Sprint's network. Prepaid market is so saturated anyway.

Sent from my Z820 using HoFo mobile app

As I've thought about it, I think this is a smart move to make Virgin Mobile as iPhone only. As you point out, the Prepaid market is extremely saturated and Virgin has gotten lost in the noise, especially with the issues Sprint has had since the Nextel buyout. Worse, they've even gotten "lost" among Sprint's prepaid offerings, with Boost seeming to be pushed more than Virgin and not having the "name" that Sprint Prepaid (I guess now Forward). I think this gives Virgin Mobile a unique brand identity, as well as being the only prepaid that is sold directly by Apple.

This basically gives each Sprint Prepaid company their own identity. Boost still has it's wide variety of devices (and like Android only); Virgin become the Apple Prepaid; and Sprint Prepaid is the one available in stores that the associates can push to those who don't pass a credit check.

[brad4cell]

Restricting what kind of hardware you can use I think is a really bad practice and should be illegal for a wireless carrier

On a home ISP they don't tell you what kind of PC you can use. You can use any PC, tablet, phone, TV, etc.

Most carriers already restrict what device you can use too much so i think restricting even more to just iphone will not be successful.

I don't happen to like apple products because their OS is too proprietary and restricted.

[sharp99]

Restricting what kind of hardware you can use I think is a really bad practice and should be illegal for a wireless carrier

On a home ISP they don't tell you what kind of PC you can use. You can use any PC, tablet, phone, TV, etc.

Most carriers already restrict what device you can use too much so i think restricting even more to just iphone will not be successful.

I don't happen to like apple products because their OS is too proprietary and restricted.

Yes, let's have the FCC control that too, heck why not just let them take over all wireless..

[mogelijk]

Restricting what kind of hardware you can use I think is a really bad practice and should be illegal for a wireless carrier

On a home ISP they don't tell you what kind of PC you can use. You can use any PC, tablet, phone, TV, etc.

Most carriers already restrict what device you can use too much so i think restricting even more to just iphone will not be successful.

I don't happen to like apple products because their OS is too proprietary and restricted.

We can argue if it is bad practice but it shouldn't be illegal. Should Best Buy be forced to sell every phone, or every brand and model of TV? Should Apple and Microsoft stores be required to sell each others products?

In this case, it isn't as if there aren't lots of other MVNOs that won't offer the choices that Virgin is restricting. And, again, Sprint owns Sprint Prepaid, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile -- so it makes sense for Sprint to find ways to differentiate the three services.