From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Virgin Mobile USA (NYSE: VM) is a cellular telephone company that is a joint-venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Sprint Nextel. Virgin Mobile USA uses Sprint's CDMA-based Personal Communications Service (PCS) network. Virgin Mobile USA began operating in the summer of 2002 and was one of the first companies in the United States to offer prepaid cellular service, and was the first prepaid-only provider. As of January 2007, Virgin Mobile USA has 4.6 million users.[1]
The corporate office of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc., is located in Warren, New Jersey. Legal issues are managed in Warren and in the company's offices in New York City. The IT offices are located in Walnut Creek, California. Customer services are handled at its four call centers (known as "Virgin Mobile At Your Service", originally called "Virgin Mobile Central Intelligence") in Manila, Philippines; Spokane, Washington; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Lake City, Florida. The company also has many at-home agents based throughout the United States contracted through West Corporation. ICT Group holds the contract to provide customer support in Spokane and Manila for Virgin Mobile USA customers. Client Logic supports the centers in Lake City and Albuquerque.
Handsets and airtime are sold through the company's website[2] and various retail outlets, such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy, and major grocery and drug store chains such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS/Pharmacy. Additionally, existing Virgin Mobile USA customers can purchase prepaid airtime using a credit or debit card or a PayPal account. Virgin Mobile USA does not maintain its own retail stores.
In 2004, Virgin Mobile USA came under criticism for inventing the "Chrismahanukwanzakah" fictional holiday for use in an advertising campaign which went to air over the Christmas period. The fictional holiday combined elements of Christmas, Chanukkah, and Kwanzaa into one celebration in a satirization of the effect of political correctness on the Christmas season.[3] The "Chrismahanukwanzakah" name was used again in December 2007.
In May 2007, Virgin Mobile USA initiated an Initial public offering filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.[4]
[edit] Current priceplans
As of January 2008, Virgin Mobile USA has two types of plans available to customers: Pay as you go plans (also called "minute plans") and "Monthly Plans". None of these plans requires the user to sign or be bound by a contract.
[edit] Pay as you go
- 20 cents per minute with no monthly charge, but the customer must purchase minutes every three months (at least $15)[5] to keep the account active. Unused money accumulates if it is not used. For example, a never-used phone might carry $15 after three months, $30 after six months, and so on.
- 10 cents per minute to Virgin Mobile phones, 20 cents per minute to other phones. Same rules apply as above.
- 10 cents per minute with monthly $6.99 charge
[edit] Monthly plans
- monthly $24.99 charge (200 anytime minutes + 500 primetime minutes)
- monthly $34.99 charge (300 anytime + 1000 primetime minutes)
- monthly $49.99 charge (400 anytime + unlimited primetime minutes)
- monthly $59.99 charge (600 anytime + unlimited primetime minutes + mobile-to-mobile minutes)
- monthly $99.99 charge (1000 anytime + unlimited primetime and mobile-to-mobile minutes)
Primetime minutes are in effect from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily; all day weekends.
[edit] Text Messaging Packs
- 10 cents per message
- monthly $1.99 charge (30 messages)
- monthly $4.99 charge (200 messages)
- monthly $9.99 charge (1000 messages)
- monthly $19.99 charge (unlimited)
- with monthly plan $10 charge (unlimited) [6]
[edit] Current devices
[edit] See also
Virgin Mobile
[edit] References
- ^ Pearce, James Quintana (January 4, 2007). Virgin Mobile Clocks Up 4.6 Million Subscribers (webpage). MocoNews.net. Retrieved on 2007-06-20.
- ^ Virgin Mobile USA Phones
- ^ ABC news report
- ^ Virgin Mobile USA Initial Public Offering (webpage). www.sec.gov (May 1, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
- ^ Virgin Mobile Help for Prepaid Cell Phone and Plans
- ^ Cellphone Text Messaging from Virgin Mobile
[edit] External links
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.png/175px-Virgin_Mobile_logo(original).png)
Warren, New Jersey
Sir Richard Branson
