Cellular South, one of America’s smallest wireless operators with less than 1 million subscribers, is rumored to be rebranding themselves to “Personalized Wireless” on September 26th. There’s a video that goes through what the new operator will be offering using extremely vague terms. They even have a website with a countdown timer. Why the rebranding? Cellular South has been purchasing smaller operators over the past few years, letting them keep their brand. This move will give Cellular South a new image, and make them more recognizable to the areas which they serve through their acquired companies. If you’re not in a state where you can already get Cellular South, then forget about signing up. You’re better off going with one of the big guys even if you are in a Cellular South coverage are. To be honest, we don’t really even know what Cellular South brings to the table. They don’t have a better network, better customer service, better anything. If you’re a Cellular South customer, then we can’t really tell you what’s going to change, except for logo on your monthly bill.
Want our advice? Go with any of the top 4 operators if you need a subsidized device, or go with either H20 Wireless (MVNO that uses AT&T’s network) or Simple Mobile (MVNO that uses T-Mobile’s network) if you want to shove a SIM card inside a device you already own. You can pick up an unlocked iPhone 4 straight from Apple and shove a SIM card in it from one of the prepaid operators and enjoy rates that are half what your friends pay, but for the exact same service. If you really want that subsidized handset, then consider the math. Pay more up front and half for service for 2 years, or pay less up front and double what you’d otherwise pay on prepaid for 2 years. You’ll save yourself enough cash to buy a new smartphone every 24 months. You can even sell your unlocked device and eBay and get more money since it’ll be more attractive to those who want to use their own network of choice.