A new mobile virtual network operator named Simple Mobile has launched today, making some tall claims about how they’re going to change the U.S. wireless market. Here’s the pitch; you can judge for yourself:
Today the chaotic wireless industry just got … Simple. Executive leaders from some of the nation’s largest wireless mega giants have come together to revolutionize the unlimited prepaid wireless market by launching the new MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), Simple Mobile™.
How will Simple Mobile change the market? Simple, by offering the nation an unheard of SIM card program that instantly delivers affordable, unlimited access with everything wireless has to offer. Unlike other programs with corporate agendas, Simple Mobile customers are encouraged to B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Phone). Service is obtained by placing a Simple Mobile SIM card into over 180 approved cool GSM phones. Customers will immediately get access to a national network that offers Unlimited Nationwide Talk, Unlimited Global SMS, and Wireless Internet Access (IM, MMS, Email & social networks). OMG! This is a game changer.
Simple Mobile (http://www.mysimplemobile.com) promises an affordable way of bringing the nation a much better wireless experience. Their promise of no compromising includes no minimum term lengths in contracts, no credit checks, no hidden fees, and unlimited plans starting at $40 a month.
It’s a simple approach based on their strong belief that wireless can be made less complicated. Simple Mobile plans to cut through the noise and offer a flexible handset solution on a high quality network with a full suite of web capabilities, at a crazy low price. Finally, today’s wireless customers will get what they have always wanted: EVERYTHING – NO MORE COMPROMISING!
While you’ll be able to bring your own GSM phone, Simple Mobile will be offering the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Pearl Flip, the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) razr V3, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 6030, and three Alcatel phones: the OT-800, OT-363, and OT-303.
Now, the idea of cheap unlimited access sounds suspiciously familiar to Zer01, only Simple Mobile is much more concerned with voice. Their $50 plan only includes 20 MB, with the option to double it to 40 MB for $5. Still, no contracts is sweet, and an ideal situation if you’ve already got your hands on hardware you like. As for coverage, it’s hard to tell if these guys are partnering with AT&T (NYSE: T), T-Mobile (NYSE: DT), or some combination thereof, but you can compare their coveragemaps with Simple Mobile’s (I’m inclined to think it’s AT&T based on similar CA coverage in the north), and draw your own conclusions. It’s a tempting proposition, and I think there will be many customers out there interested in unlimited plans with no contracts. If you’re one of them, check out Simple Mobile’s home page for more info. I really hope wind brings something similar to Canada soon…
Fashion brands are not new to the idea of having their brand associated with a mobile phone. That said, we’ve spotted a new contender to the game at the FCC’s website – the Alcatel-made Miss Sixty phone.
From what we’re seeing, it’s an entry-level clamshell, with a large golden Miss Sixty logo promptly placed on the red back and front of the device. The phone also comes with golden keys and the same-colored headphones.
Rest of the specs include dual-band (850/1900 MHz) GSM/GPRS connectivity, Bluetooth support, some camera, media player, and of course a microSD memory card slot. And that’s about all we have at this stage. We’ll certainly post more about it as soon as Miss Sixty release some officially announcement…
China Unicom has a brand new 3G network called “WO” and has started offering new devices that use all the benefits of the high speed data. One of the devices we caught is the Alcatel OT-S988W, a Windows Mobile-powered smartphone.
It has a large touchscreen (3.2-inches, 240×400 pixels), coupled with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Rest of the specs include Bluetooth and WiFi wireless connectivity support, GPS receiver, 3.5mm audio jack, 256MB of RAM and 256MB of ROM, Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM)’s 528 MHz CPU, and we guess a microSD memory card slot. Size wise, the OT-S988W measures 110×55x15.1 mm and has a weight of 124 grams.
Details on pricing are unknown at this stage, and we’ve no idea whether this baby will ever be sold in the Western hemisphere…
Alcatel has recently unveiled two new devices, both targeting low-to-mid range of the market. The twist is in the form factor, as both of these bring interesting features to the entry-level segment.
The first of the two, OT-707 (pictured on the right), is a small all-touchscreen device, measuring just 95×53x13 mm. Specs wise, it comes with a 2.3-inch QVGA touchscreen (kinda small for a touchscreen, though in real-life that may be just enough), dual-band (900/1800 Mhz) GSM/GRPS radio, Bluetooth, music player, FM radio, 1.3-megapixel camera, 10MB of internal memory that is further expandable with microSD memory cards.
As for the other model, OT-800 (the one on the right), again it’s an entry-level device, which dumps the touchscreen for the full QWERTY keyboard. In that sense, this low-end messenger is an ideal handset for young, savvy texters, who don’t necessarily like having bulky devices in their pockets — the OT-800 measures 111×58x14 mm. In terms of specs, it comes with a QVGA screen, tri-band (900/1800/1900 MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, FM radio, 2-megapixel camera.
Availability details are unknown at this stage. We do however, know the prices. Once they hit the market, the Alcatel OT-707 and OT-800 will be available for 100 EUR ($126) and 95 EUR ($120), respectively.
Yet another gem found whilst cruising through my photos of Mobile World Congress was this clip showing Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU)’s Enhanced Reality, which is still in its early stages. By initiating a video call through the service, video content can be superimposed onto real-world objects viewed through your phone’s camera. Two U.S. carriers are sniffing around the project, although no announcements have been made as of yet. It’s vaguely reminiscent of Nokia (NYSE: NOK)’s Point and Find object recognition software shown off at CES, but I think Alcatel-Lucent’s offer has the potential for more pizazz. Point and Find will certainly be useful if it see the light of day, but simple links to relevant information lack the wow factor that will rope in early adopters.
The first Mandarina Duck phone was obviously a success when we have the company extending its relationship with Alcatel to launch a new device called MOON. Again, we’re not talking about a high-end smartphone here, but a reasonably priced (they say it will have a “tempting price”) fashion phone that prides itself to be a “feminine and sophisticated mobile phone.”
Sporting a clamshell form factor, the MOON sports a music player, Bluetooth 2.0, and an array of standard mobile phone apps like calendar, calculator, and alarm clock. No other specs were given, but we’re guessing there’s some camera included in the mix, too.
Once it hits the stores, the new Mandarina Duck phone will be available in three 3 pearlescent colours: white, pink and orange, with each one of the versions coming with the specially colored UI to match the handset’s color…
It’s not that often that we hear about some new Alcatel phone. The French company seems to have almost abondend its handset business, hence the device we’re showing you today, Alcatel OT-I650, is manufactured by China-based TCL Communication Technology.
Anyway, the candybar-shaped device is made for those that don’t want a smartphone with its complicated mambo-jumbos. Rather the individuals Alcatels is targeting want a simple and easy to use phone that fits their active lifestyle. That being said, the Alcatel OT-I650 does go beyond “classic” low-end phones we’re seeing thanks to the built in G-sensor (accelerometer), which allows users to switch between apps by shaking the phone. In that sense, this device reminds us such handsets as Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 5500 or Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) W580, though the mentioned two are way more capable than Alcatel’s baby.
In addition to G-sensor, the OT-I650 also comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, FM radio, Bluetooth, as well as several sport apps pre-installed like pedometer.
The Alcatel OT-I650 will first be available in Russia in two colors (black and orange) for 3,190 rubles, which is about $120.
Orange has teamed up with BIC to launch the easy-to-use, ready-to-go BIC phone. Manufactured by TCL (Alcatel), the entry-level device comes with 60 free minutes, the battery charged, and the SIM card already in place. Once you spend the free minutes, refilling is done using prepaid cards called “mobicarte.”
The idea seems to reach those users that don’t care about high-end features of today’s smartphones, but rather prefer simple phone for texting and calling. Additionally, the France Telecom owned mobile operator may push the device towards a large number of tourists, who in most cases just need a cheap solution to stay in touch while visiting France.
That being said, the two companies will push the BIC phone through over the counter channels, major supermarkets and local convenience stores. Starting from August, 7th, BIC phone will be available in citrus orange and lime green in metropolitan France for 49 EUR with all the taxes.
Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) and Telstra have opened a “mobile TV handset testing service centre” in Melbourne, Australia. The facility has been developed to support Telstra’s Mobile Foxtel TV service and will ensure that Alcatel-Lucent’s MiTV application and the Mobile Foxtel service are compatible with and operate smoothly on the handsets that Telstra offers to customers.
Apparently the facility will test up to 100 3G handsets per year to ensure that the typical issues found with complex applications and services and met ahead of time. The testing will also include Streamezoo, who supply a client software app to AlcaLu for MiTV. Whereas as previously testing had been done overseas, it will now be handled locally, and over time the idea is that the service centre can provide testing for other service providers too.
So, a pretty logical step – the best tests are always those that approximate reality the most closely, and therefore where better to test than your own network….!
Alcatel is looking to bring hardware to the US through O2 (NYSE: TEF) Wireless (not to be confused with O2 in the UK). The Alcatel E206a will be offered as a super-basic (read: cheap), dual-band GSM handset. The Alcatel E206a doesn’t offer Bluetooth or even GPRS (let alone EDGE) data services, and is aimed at the entry-level market. In fact, the Alcatel E206a’s spec-sheet is devoid of much more than basic voice calling functionality.
O2 Wireless’s parent company, Locus Communications, operates MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) like CallPlus, Locus Mobile, and POP in the US and will be distributing the Alcatel E206a through these pre-paid channels.
A new mobile virtual network operator named Simple Mobile has launched today, making some tall claims about how they’re going to change the U.S. wireless market. Here’s the pitch; you can judge for yourself:
Orange has teamed up with BIC to launch the easy-to-use, ready-to-go BIC phone. Manufactured by TCL (Alcatel), the entry-level device comes with 60 free minutes, the battery charged, and the SIM card already in place. Once you spend the free minutes, refilling is done using prepaid cards called “mobicarte.”
Alcatel is looking to bring hardware to the US through O2 (
