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MetroPCS adds over half a million subscribers in fourth quarter

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Late in December we got the first indications that Leap Wireless and MetroPCS would have good showings in the fourth quarter. With the economy trending downward, it makes sense for people to eschew the typical two-year cell phone contract. Since Leap and Metro both offer unlimited calling services, they’re logical destinations for many consumers. Today we learn that MetroPCS added 520,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter. Those are some big numbers for the regional carrier.


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Virgin Mobile tries to solidify its prepaid message

Throughout the current economic downturn, we’ve seen a number of media outlets begin to discuss prepaid wireless as a way to cut household costs. We’ve seen prepaid carriers gain subscribers in this time, and even saw T-Mobile add more prepaid customers than postpaid in the third quarter. We haven’t, however, seen prepaid carriers aggressively pushing this message. That could change soon, as Virgin Mobile has hired Shift Communications to help convey its message.

 

Get $70 cash back with a new kajeet phone and plan

We’re officially in the post-holiday season, which typically means a lull for retail sales. Consumers have spent their lot and will generally refrain from major purchases over the next few months. That doesn’t mean kajeet won’t try, though. Via Ian we find out about a neat promotion they’re running from now through the 15th of January. It essentially gives you $70 cash back, but of course there are some restrictions. Check them after the jump.

 

Polarizing the wireless industry

Happy New Year everyone. Hopefully next week will bring us some news in the world of prepaid wireless. For now, we’re going to continue discussing issues related to the industry. Today we’ll look at the issue of smartphone vs. prepaid. They’re on two different ends of the spectrum. Prepaid is considered a low-cost alternative to contract cell phone service, while smartphones not only require a contract (for the most part), but a data plan which can add $30 to your monthly bill. So if the economy is headed downward still, will the reaction by consumers be to slow the smartphone trend in favor of the cheaper prepaid option?

 

Non-cancer health risks of cell phone usage

Nope. Still nothing going on the prepaid side of things. So let’s end the year with one of those boogeyman posts. Caught this one on Engadget Mobile. The scientists at the European Research Institute for Electronic Components have studied multiple effects of radiation on red blood cells. This comes from low-level radiation, meaning that your cell phone probably gives off this level. So what do you have to be scared about this time? Your hemoglobin can leak, leading to kidney damage and heart disease. Scurry.

 

You’re being gouged for text messaging

As if you needed to read that title to know that your wireless carrier is making boatloads off SMS charges. Apparently, though, some people think that the rise in text messaging costs over the past two years has been “business as usual.” The demand has increased, so that means higher prices right? Not so fast. Randall Stross of the New York Times walks us through text messaging, focusing on the insane profits wireless companies reap from the poor consumer.

 

Donate your old phone to charity

As we slog through the week between Christmas and New Year’s, news might be a bit light. So instead of just going dark, we’re going to talk about various prepaid issues. Today it’s phone recycling. Cell phones are always a hot holiday gift, and everyone is always excited to get a new one up and activated. But what about old reliable? Many times, an old phone can end up in a drawer or worse, in a landfill. While it’s always good to have a backup (you never know when your phone will get wet), you can find a way to put that old handset to good use.

 

MetroPCS, Cricket showing gains in economic downturn

One of the themes we’ve discussed over the past six, eight, ten months at Prepaid Reviews has been the prepaid advantage in economic downtimes. We’ve seen signs, like T-Mobile adding more prepaid subscribers than postpaid in the third quarter. The latest involves MetroPCS and Leap Wireless. They’ve seen some significant stock gains in the past month or so, indicating investor confidence in the flat-rate, unlimited calling prepaid companies.

 

Sprint paying more for Virgin Mobile subscribers

Times have not been good for Sprint. The nation’s No. 3 wireless carrier has been losing subscribers all year, and it’s unknown if that will change during this fourth quarter. If they do lose another million or so, though, it won’t be for lack of effort on their part. They scored well on their second straight customer service survey, which means they’re improving on their biggest weakness. They’re also offering more incentives to MVNO Virgin Mobile. They’ll pay out a bonus for customers added in the fourth quarter of 2008.

 

Quick note on Verizon INpulse

Why are so many blogs writing that Verizon has rolled out new prepaid offers? I know they issued a press release last week — I even wrote about it. However, that doesn’t mean that there are any new plans. Nothing has changed at Verizon. They’re merely trying to get people talking about their prepaid service — which apparently is working.

 

Waiting for a prepaid iPhone? Don’t hold your breath

Back when we launched the Prepaid Reviews blog in June of 2007, the iPhone was a massively popular topic. Apple was set to release the device at month’s end, and much hype surrounded the product. There were a number of rumors about using the iPhone on prepaid, but there was nothing definitive. The device was never officially offered on prepaid, though many figured out workarounds. Rumors surfaced again this year that AT&T would offer an iPhone with prepaid plans. MacBlogz has some information about this, though it’s not looking particularly pretty.