Simple Mobile had already rolled out the first all-everything plan with unlimited 4G data at $60/month. Now, the company is offering a new middle ground to combat rival Virgin Mobile.
Simple Mobile is one of only two Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) on the T-Mobile USA network. However, they have gained praise by many for supporting and embracing unlocked (and T-Mobile-compatible) devices and for offering rates competitive with first and second-party prepaid offerings.
Today’s offering slots in Simple Mobile as having the cheapest unlimited-everything plan in America. The plan is $20 cheaper than Virgin Mobile’s unlimited everything plan, and $15 cheaper than Boost’s similar offering. Boost Mobile customers can use the Shrinkage offering to lock in a lower rate, as low as $35 per month, but that requires a customer to constantly pay on-time. Otherwise, the rate goes back up to $55 the moment a customer misses a payment, or chooses to suspend service.
It is not yet clear how Simple Mobile is offering “3G Only” service. Like T-Mobile, Simple Mobile uses HSPA+, an upgrade to HSPA, and declares it to be a 4G technology. It is possible that Simple Mobile is barring access to HSPA+ on SIM cards provisioned with the new plan, but it is more likely that the carrier is throttling.
The company also began formally supporting BlackBerry BIS customers. Similar to Virgin Mobile, the $60 plan price-point remains the same, however for customers that wish to forgo 4G service, the company also offers a 3G unlimited everything plan for $50 per month.
Read more below for industry positioning, analysis, and more on how this new price-point will shake up the sector.
The past month has been fast-paced in offerings from MVNOs. AT&T MVNOs such as H2O Wireless have begun offering unlimited calling-and-data plans for the first time, however, speeds are significantly throttled. H2O for example throttles customers below a half-megabit in HSPA coverage areas, and to below 1.5 mbps in HSPA+ coverage areas.
The move puts Verizon MVNOs such as Page Plus Cellular in an embattled position. Page Plus was the first MVNO to offer an unlimited calling plan that undercut the national carriers. However, in doing so, the plan made compromises, initially offering only 30 MB of data per month. This was due to Verizon charging significantly high per-kilobyte usage rates, which they continue to do so.
Page Plus was expected to increase the allotment to 300 MB within the past month. However, sources informed PhoneNews.com that they have halted such plans after hearing of these changes, and are instead pushing Verizon to offer lower wholesale per-kilobyte rates, as well as a plan to access Verizon’s 4G LTE data network.
Verizon’s Unleashed plans are also significantly undercut by this move; unlike Verizon Unleashed, Simple Mobile heavily touts compatibility with nearly all unlocked GSM smartphones, even unlocked iPhones, which are now officially sold and supported by Apple in the United States. With AT&T’s capped and throttled data, many chose to run iPhone devices on T-Mobile and Simple Mobile, despite the iPhone’s inability to use the 3G network frequencies that T-Mobile operates on.
MVNO unlimited offerings remain a cloudy forecast. Virgin Mobile will begin throttling customers at the end of the month, when they go beyond 2.5 GB. And, as we mention, all AT&T unlimited MVNO data plans also appear to be throttled. Simple Mobile themselves have threatened and cancelled customers that use high levels of data, in direct contrast to their marketing and promotions. Verizon’s Unlimited plans are throttled whenever customers exceed 2 GB of data in a particular month, as are AT&T’s customers.
I love it, who will buy contracts though?
[…] Posted in T-Mobile, Virtual Operators (MVNOs) | Tagged ATT, boost mobile, h2o, Page Plus, page and cellular, Simple Mobile, sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Virgin Mobile | 1 Response […]
i guess you have to figure out if this really is a good deal by taking the full price cost of the phone (which can be $300-800 or more) and seeing if that over 24 months gives you saving. Im also reluctant to sign on with these small carriers that are unproven, could disappear tomorrow, and have very limited customer support services and no local stores .
If I had a phone Id take them up on the 40 plan just to have unlimited calling and texting – forget the web. But if I have to pay $300 for a phone for an untested carrier that might be gone tomorrow, Im less likely to do that. I have a 2.5 year old tmob phone that I prob could get unlocked but it will probably die soon and doesn’t have any web access
sj: In my experience, I was able to use a simple mobile SIM card in regular T-Mobile phones even if they are not unlocked… YMMV, but just my experience.
Well, this does change things a little. No longer is Straight talk, Tracfone’s ‘heavy user’ subsidiary the cheapest in the country – Simple Mobile…who? But it’s great that there are more and more prepaid options entering the market (a pity about only being able to draw from a few major carrier’s networks). SM must be praying for the AT&T, and T-Mobile merger to go through, cause then they’ll have decent coverage also. Till then tracfone is still the most reliable choice.
I’m not sure Simple Mobile would be in a better position if the AT&T merger goes through. As one of T-Mobile’s few MVNOs, they can negotiate better deals and undercut rates that would be set by AT&T.
I suspect if the AT&T merger goes through, wholesale rates will go up… and these MVNOs will either have to raise rates, increase throttling on data, or both.
that great, so I can get this sim card http://www.ebay.com/itm/110749653790 with this great plan. Thanks you
Just to note, SIMPLE Mobile’s website does not list Iphone as an approved device so no tech support.
The article is incorrect about Boost Mobile’s unlimited plan. Current Android customers begin at $50 per month. After six “on-time” payments, their monthly rate is reduced by $5. Those payments are NOT required to be consecutive. So, if a Boost customer pays “on-time” five months in a row, pays late one month, and then pays “on-time”, the reduction comes in month seven.
However, any customer who adds Android service AFTER October 7 will begin at a monthly rate of $55. That rate will be reduced $5 for six “on-time” payments, down to a minimum of $40 per month. I have been with Boost almost a year, and decided to upgrade to Android last week to retain my current rate, which will drop to $35 per month next June. According to Boost, I will be able to retain that $35 per month rate “forever”, as long as I don’t let my Boost service lapse, which requires going 90 days without paying my bill.
Wal-Mart’s Straight Talk now has the android Samsung Precedent for just $150 with a $45 a month unlimited plan. Customers paying for 90 days in advance pay a bit under $43 a month. The Precedent will be using the Sprint network, just like Boost Mobile’s Prevail. So, a new Android customer gets a choice of identical android phones, the unlimited use of the Sprint network, but pays $45 for their first month at Straight Talk, compared with $55 for their first month at Boost Mobile.
I just switched to Simple Mobile plan a couple of weeks ago. They way they do it is that you only get 120Kb data speed, this is slower than 2G. I have tried two different phones and because I travel with my job have checked in several cities. Believe me, it will always be 119 or 120KB data. That’s why they say “up to 3G speeds” I have read several articles about many other people with the same exact result. This should be illegal because NO ONE can ever get 3G speeds. So how can they say “up to 3g speeds”. I would sue them if I had time and energy. It is basically the old $50 a month 2G only plan for $40. They should not be allowed to advertise 3G speed if they limit data to less than 2G speeds full time. Don’t believe me check for yourself.
Can’t beat the price and I could live with slow internet but they have horrible customer service and tech support as I called many time to find out why data is so slow. Got hung up on several times. I will drop them when my month is up. I suggest no one sign up with them as they are dishonest.
If they would just say that they lowered the old $50 plan to $40 then that would be okay and would have happy customers. Do a google search for Simple mobile internet speeds and find out more for yourselves.
BOOST MOBILE IS THE BEST!!!!!! T-MOBILE ARE CROOKS