The Prepaid Press - November 15, 2007 - (Page 14)

WIRELESS November 15 · 2007 - 14 011 Mobile Launches Mobile International Dialing Enables Convenient International Calling LAS VEGAS, NV (October 17, 2008) Through its partnership with ANI Networks, 011 Mobile has rolled out an international calling plan that provides low cost international calling from a mobile device. 011 Mobile, a Las Vegas-based MVNO, said it will be providing mobile international rates comparable to both landline and prepaid calling card rates. 011 is attempting to address the growing needs of international customers, who are forced to use a prepaid calling card to make an international call. Even though most customers have cell phones, the rates to international destinations from a mobile phone have not been comparable to landline rates. “We are looking forward to serving those customers with family members abroad, the international business person, and international visitors to our country, with a competitive rate on a network they can rely on. This market has been under served and taken advantage of for far too long,” said Adam Bonaldi, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for 011 Mobile. 011 Mobile says its international rates do not carry additional fees and surcharges. Source: 011 Mobile (www.011Mobile.com) kajeet Adds to Handset Line Expands Retail Locations for Holiday Season BETHESDA, MD (October 22, 2007) kajeet has unveiled the latest handsets in its growing line of phones for tweens and teens: the SANYO Katana II, as well as the stylish Samsung m300, which recently made its debut. This holiday season, families can find kajeet at more than 3000 select retail locations nationwide including: Best Buy, Target, Toys “R” Us, Longs Drugs and Limited Too, as well as online at kajeet. com. kajeet says the new phones come with features desired by its customers such as ﬂipphone styling, a camera, fashion colors and more. All kajeet service are pay-as-you-go; kids and parents get a simple rate plan, along with easy-to-use tools that help them determine who pays for what; who can or cannot call or text the phone; and, what time of day the phone can and can’t be used. “These exciting new handsets validate the unique position kajeet has carved out in the highly competitive cell phone industry,” said Daniel Neal, kajeet CEO and founder. “A cell phone is at the very top of many kids’ holiday wish lists and they’re looking for sleek, fullfeatured phones with all the bells and whistles. Our newest handsets offer all the features that kids want, while our service continues to meet the needs of tweens and their families in ways that no other cell phone company today can. And, our expanding retail presence makes it convenient and easy for families to purchase kajeet phones and reﬁll cards for holiday gifts.” “Parents often have real concerns about getting their kids a cell phone,” adds Neal. “As a parent, I completely understand those concerns. That is precisely why we created kajeet, a cell phone service built from a kid’s point of view that’s right for kids and supported by parents.” The kajeet Conﬁgurator offers easy-to-use tools for managing budget and usage with features like WalletManager, TimeManager, ContactManager and FeatureManager that enable tweens and their families to tailor the service to meet their speciﬁc needs. Wireless network coverage for kajeet is provided by the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network. Source: kajeet (www.kajeet.com) Hop-on Adds GSM Phone to Product Line The GSM 1883 Utilizes Latest Technology IRVINE, CA (October 31, 2007) Hop-on, Inc., a developer and marketer of wireless phones and accessories, will introduce the new 1883 model GSM phone with GPS capabilities to their line of affordable cellular devices. The new 1883 model incorporates the SiRF StarIII GPS chipset a slim, modern design, full-color screen, long battery life, gaming capabilities and a 2.0 megapixel camera for photos and video recording. Hop-on says this technology will appeal to consumers in America, Europe and emerging markets alike, who are looking for a high-quality GPS standard phone. Hop-on has recently begun focusing on the ability to provide effective tracking devices, such as the GPS technology available on the 1883 model GSM phone. The 1883 model’s GPS tracking device is a great tool for both children and elderly adults. If a child is lost, a parent can send an SMS message to ping the phone, and instantly be able to locate their child. The same technology can be used to monitor the locations of teenage children, to ensure their safety as they explore newfound freedoms. The 1883’s GPS technology is also helpful for elderly adults, who may experience slip and fall accidents and need assistance at their exact location as pinpointed by the GPS. “The 1883 offers the latest in GPS technology for a fraction of the cost of similar phones,” says Hop-on’s President, Peter Michaels. “This particular phone has the ability to track its users easily by sending an SMS message to ping the phone to locate the phone’s user anywhere within the carrier’s network.” Michaels adds with a smile, “It will be a great way for me to keep track of my teenage kids!” Source: Hop-on (www.hop-on.com) MarketStar Publishes Mobile Phone Usage Study Sales Associates Inﬂuential to Purchase OGDEN, UT (October 24, 2007) MarketStar recently conducted a market research study, proﬁling typical retail store associates and learning which brand of mobile phone they personally use, and which brands they generally recommend to end users. The study showed that less than half of sales associates actually recommended the brand of phone they currently own and use. Top features that customers asked sales associates about included text messaging, camera features, and an MP3 player. Lower rated features included Bluetooth, email and Web navigation. With smartphones, customers based their buying decision on features such as price, ease of use, and size. The study also shows how sales associate behavior varies based on type of retail store and demographics of the associate. “Because of the highly competitive nature of the wireless industry, understanding the retail store environment is critical for manufacturers seeking an edge,” said Dave Treadway, President and CEO of MarketStar. MarketStar’s Market Research team provides manufacturers with market insight, such as the ﬁndings in this study, to aid them in making effective strategic and tactical decisions. Source: MarketStar (www.marketstar.com) Virgin Mobile USA Launches New Services Opt-In Wireless Listing and Customer Created Content NEW YORK, NY (October 23, 2007) Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. and LSSiDATA have launched ListYourself!, an end-user application that enables wireless customers to control their mobile phone listing information in a national directory assistance database. Virgin Mobile USA’s new ListYourself! service allows its customers to submit their telephone numbers for inclusion in LSSiDATA’s directory assistance database, used by over 60 telephone companies. “ListYourself! is an exciting new option for Virgin Mobile USA customers to be more accessible to their friends and family members,” said Dan Cipoletti, vice president, Voice Offers, Virgin Mobile USA. “Our customer base is now the first to have this easy, privacy-protected option to quickly enter their contact information on-line into a national directory assistance database in the U.S.” A growing number of Americans are opting to give up their landlines and use only wireless phones. According to a May 2007 industry estimate from the Yankee Group, ten percent of consumers do not have a landline. The company has also announced Studio V, a unique mobile content community enabling the creation and sharing of user-generated graphics and ringtones, and rewarding customers for their creativity. With Virgin Mobile USA’s new Studio V, Virgin Mobile USA customers can upload and edit graphics content – including photographs, designs and other graphics - to make personalized wallpaper; and edit pre-existing audio content to make personalized ringtones. Everything that a Virgin Mobile USA customer uploads to or creates on Studio V to be shared with others in the Virgin Mobile USA community is free of charge. Customers can choose to submit their content to a private gallery, which is accessible only to the content creator, or to a public gallery which is accessible to other Virgin Mobile USA customers for download, ratings and comments. As an added feature, content creators will earn ten cents for each item purchased, which will be credited to their Virgin Mobile accounts. All content is screened by 9 Track Mind. Dom Tolli, vice president of Mobile Data Services, Virgin Mobile USA, said, “The ability to upload and share creations is another step in our effort to expand peer-to-peer connections with user-generated content within social networks.” Studio V joins Virgin Mobile USA’s other rewards-based feature, Sugar Mama, which enables customers to earn free air time in exchange for watching online ads. “Studio V provides the youth market, already consuming ringtones and wallpapers, with the tools to be able to express themselves and download mobile content that is unique to them,” said Josh Barkin, president and CEO of 9 Track Mind. Source: Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. (www.virginmobileusa.com) LSSiDATA Corp (www.lssidata.com) 9 Track Mind (www.9trackmind.com) Nokia and Cellﬁre Team Up Mobile Coupons Offered to Users SAN JOSE, CA (October 17, 2007) Cellﬁre will provide mobile coupon and discount offers to Nokia consumers. “Open to Anything” NSeries devices by Nokia, including the new N95, will have Cellﬁre’s discount offer application available on Nokia’s Download! portal to help consumers easily “Download!” savings from major brands throughout the U.S. “Wanting your cell phone to provide added functionality is a universal trend, and that is what we are providing consumers with Download!” said George Kurtyka, business development manager at Noki http://www.011Mobile.com http://www.kajeet.com http://www.hop-on.com http://www.marketstar.com http://www.virginmobileusa.com http://www.cellfire.com http://www.lssidata.com http://www.9trackmind.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - November 15, 2007

The Prepaid Press - November 15, 2007 Online Wireless Recharge It's a Wrap for Gift Cards Contents GENERAL PREPAID Prepaid 101: Merchandising Regulatory Rundown: Wireless Broadband, LNP, Internet Taxes, and Stored Value Legislation Guest Editorial: Honest Minutes: "The Times They Are A-Changing" 5 Minutes With Daniel Neal, CEO of kajeet The Legal Line Prepaid Wireless Roundup WIRELESS Wireless in Brief 011 Mobile Launches Mobile International Dialing Hop-on Adds GSM Phone to Product Line Virgin Mobile USA Launches New Services kajeet Adds to Handset Line MarketStar Publishes Mobile Phone Usage Study Nokia and Cellfire Team Up Verizon Selects Firethorn iVisionMobile Launches Messaging Platform Sprint Expands "Unlimited by Boost" INTERNATIONAL Spot Rates NOMAD Brings MasterCard EMS to Europe R&M Finds Potential in Africa International in Brief TELECOM & TECHNOLOGY Caveat Emptor When Negotiating IP Licensing T&T in Brief MySpace and Skype Ink Deal Octastic Announces New Media Gateway DSP Pactolus Selected by Global Crossing Tadiran Announces New Loyalty Incentive Program Oblio Telecom Launches New Prepaid Products Total Call Enhances Prepaid Calling Cards PAYMENTS A Gift Card Technology Guide Pinnacle and PaySpot Roll Out POS/Prepaid Solution TIO Networks Announces Membership Program TransFund$ Partners with TruckersB2B AMR Finds Retailers Returning to Main Street Payments in Brief Diebold to Offer Prepaid Gift Card Technology InComm to Sell nFinanSe Discover Cards iVisionMobile Offers Retailers Mobile Payments i2c to Offer Stored Value Webinars Mobilians Starts U.S. Mobile Payments Operation NetSpend Increases Savings Program Interest EXTRAS Classifieds Contact Us Our Advertisers

The Prepaid Press - November 15, 2007

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