Helio Wireless

I will be coming back with more info on these guys. I just heard about Helio, but they are going to be notorious B.I.G. Helio is a joint venture between earthlink and SK telecom. SK telecom is South Korea's major wireless player who also manufacturers incredible phones.

Helio

Press Release

SK-EarthLink Changes Its Name to HELIO to Leverage SK Telecom's Innovation in New Service

The US-based SK-EarthLink, Inc. announced last week that the company changed its name to HELIO, Inc. The name HELIO will also be used as a mobile brand to target young, tech-savvy consumers.

The company is a $440-million joint venture between SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM), one of the world's most advanced wireless carriers, and EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK), a next-generation Internet service provider (ISP). Each company invested $220 million for a 50% equity share of the new company.

According to a company official, the name HELIO, which means "sun" in Greek, was chosen in relevance to the heliocentric view, which was considered radical when Copernicus preached it in the 16 century, saying that the sun was at the center of the solar system. In the same way, HELIO recognizes that for millions of young consumers today, the mobile device is at the center of their lives.

HELIO brings together the strengths of its parent companies with extensive market research to deliver the only premium, custom built mobile experience for young, tech-savvy consumers, including the following:

- Advanced Wireless Services - HELIO is leveraging research and development innovation from SK Telecom to create a constant pipeline of new, proven service platforms, systems, and applications that are, on average, two or more years ahead of the US market. Customers will also benefit from HELIO's use of the leading 3G networks in the US (EVDO) that will enable the speedy delivery of data-rich content, such as music, video, and multi-player gaming.

- Exclusive Gadgets - HELIO will offer the world's most cutting-edge mobile devices that are built for a fully-loaded 3G experience. The company's handsets will be exclusive and unique in the US market.

To firmly establish a national sales marketing network of their new brand, HELIO members are currently visiting many of the major cities across the US for 10 days, Nov. 1-10. The company plans to start a nationwide commercial service within the first half of the year 2006.

Free Prepaid Cell Phone - Cingular Go Phone

I have seen so many ads for Free Cell Phones that I am dizzy, but they are all for contract plans so you really never know how much you actually paid for that "free" mobile phone.

I have NOT seen any straight, right now FREE, prepaid cell phone offers. Sti mobile has a deal for a free after rebate pay as you go new Flip phone, which is excellent, but you have to wait 3-4 months for the rebate.

At Dealking.com, they are offering through Cingular Prepaid the closest to a truly free, right now, prepaid cell phone. Check out the Cingular Go Phone. It ends pretty soon and is very popular as you might guess.

Free Cingular Prepaid Go Phone

Amp'd or Ampd Mobile Launched This Week

I would not call Amp'd Mobile cheap prepaid cellular, but it is prepaid cellular with a bang. Ampd Mobile started selling their phones this week and have been running Don't Die Yet Commercials for the last two weeks. Basically, don't die until you buy one of the hottest most feature rich prepaid cell phones available (their claim).

The Ampd Mobile TV Commercials have been something else. The latest is a hooker giving a Senator CPR - yelling don't die yet - Amp'd Mobile is Coming.

Another Amp'd Mobile Commercial features hotel maid service trying to revive an apparent OD'ed rockstar. Don't Die yet - Amp'd is coming. A little distributing, but what do I know about cool. Yeh, put a cap in his ass - boyzs. But not before he ordered an Ampd Mobile Phone.

"somehow, ampd have managed to top the outrageousness of the virgin mobile ads and continue to push the limits of daylight TV decency standards. (saw these at 10AM Saturday on VH1.) i'm no prude (honestly - check my browser history!) but these commercials are a bit too much. makes me think Enzyte just launched an MVNO..." comment in a forum that I saw - sorry I forgot which one.


Launching in late 2005, Amp'd Mobile will premiere its broadband wireless service EVDO), combining clarity and coverage with the fastest download speeds in North America. Amp'd will offer traditional services such as voice and text within a completely fresh user interface designed just for third-generation technology. With fully customizable handsets and content, Amp'd will bring a more relevant, personal experience to the wireless lifestyle with unique music, video, community, entertainment, sports and gaming plus pricing plans that make sense.

I just found it... It is "Try not to die—Amp'd Mobile is coming"






Also, I was looking at their site and only saw contract plans being offered and not prepaid programs. I was thinking it might be a prepaid monthly program, but it said two year contract. Maybe it was a typo....sometimes these companies worry more about the ads and hype than actually the product. However, I think it was correct that they are going to have plans and prepaid, but have not added the prepaid program.

Amp'd Mobile started with the launch of only one phone the Kyocera Jet, then will be followed by the Motorola E815 which will be known as Hollywood early next year. Plans start as little as $29.99 USD all the way up to $199.99 USD. You can also add Push to Talk for only .99 cents a day. For $199.99 USD you get Unlimited Voice, Data, and PTT (Push to Talk).

Verizon provides the Network for this MVNO. Verizon's own prepaid program is the least competitive and they do not really have any real successful MVNO's. I am guessing that they have not been particularly interested in seeing prepaid grow so it will be interesting to see if Amp'd Mobile can get Verizon interested in supporting a Prepaid Cell MVNO or if Verizon will unplug Amp'd.

Ampd Mobile

Cingular Go Phone - Cheap Prepaid Cell Phone

The Cingular Go Phone is one of the cheapest no hassle ways to enter the prepaid no contract cell market.

Prepaid in itself is no worries and no hassle, but if you can get a phone for under $30 then that is just a bonus. Cingular Prepaid has the Nokia 6010 (refurb) for $29.99 and sometimes they list other "new" phones for $29.99 like the Samsung C207. The Samsung is $49.99 today, but was $29.99 all last week.

Please use this link for the latest and best Cingular deals.


GoPhone from Cingular!

STi Mobile Reviews and Ratings

You can find a lot of talk about STi mobile on the net. That vast majority of the reviews have been very good to excellent with an occasional less than satisfied customer. These review and comments regarding STI mobile cell phones are coming from highly critical bloggers and forum participants, yet they mostly remain positive.

Author: Rick T.
Awesome phone. Color Screen and cool features. No contract and a ton of minutes. I am a medium to high user and this seems to be beating my plan. Amazing.

Author: Razzledazzle
Best deal imaginable!!! Love the phone!! I got 2 of these FAR!!
Thanks CheapPhoneCards!! ;)

Author: A.
Good phone (the LG 1200 is good, and the 5225 seems even better), great service (Sprint network at least around here), and excellent retailer (cheapphonecards.com).

Author: Ktime
I ordered two 5225s on Friday, August 5th and got the phones Monday, August 8th (I'm live in NC - same as cheapphonecards). The phones are great. I seem to have better coverage and the batteries are better than then 1200.

Author: Flats
Just activated my phone and added minutes. Reception is great and the phone is nicer than I expected. Great deal!! Thanks again!!

Author: Dan
I agree with the other comments. With the rebate, this deal is unbeatable, and I really like the phone and the rates. I've e-mailed cheapphonecards with questions, and they've been really responsive. Have recommended the phone package to two of my friends.

Author: Doug
Great product from STI mobile and cheapphonecards.com is an excellent e-retailer. Don't forget the 20% off coupon code for cheapphonecards.com: paymecell
Cheers

STi Mobile Guides and Faqs

I am attaching the FAQ page from the STI web site as a comment to this post.

Some common questions?

1) Can I move (port) my existing number to STI yes? Read all about here.

2) Are there any monthly fees? No monthly fees. You just have to use the at least once every 60 days and maintain a postive balance. There is a $4.95 activation fee.

3) Is my area coverage and do I receive a local phone number? The answer is most likely yes. Sprint's coverage has always been terrific and they recently expanded coverage. Very few coverage issues. Here is a coverage map. However, coverage and customer satisfaction has been broader than even the coverage map.

4) Does the phone have a warrantly? If the phone is defective you can exchange within 14 days from STI or cheapphonecards.com (if you bought from cheapphonecards.com). Also, the manufacturer of your phone offers a one-year limited warranty from the date of purchase. To find out more about the manufacturer's warranty, please visit the manufacturer's web site. (Note: Warranties are exclusive to the manufacturer. STi Mobile has no liability in connection with the manufacturers' acts and/or omissions).

5) When do I receive my rebate? Just view the terms of the rebate. STi mobile has an excellent reputation in regards to rebates.

6) Why is my cell phone beeping? You probably have a voicemail message, a text message or your phone is charging. Just erase all messages and don't forget to erase the text messages if you have any.

7) How do I retrieve my STi Mobile Voice mail messages? Just dial Voicemail from your cell phone, which is preprogrammed into the #1 key or dial your STi cell phone number from your STi cell phone.

8) Can I retrieve STI mobile voicemail messages from any touch-tone phone?
In order to retrieve messages from a touch-tone phone other than your STi Mobile phone:

1. Dial your STi Mobile phone Number and wait for the call to roll to voicemail.
2. Once your voicemail greeting begins, press * (star key).
3. Enter your passcode.
4. Listen to your messages, then save or erase them.

Real Life Story Monthly Plan versus Prepaid Cellular

My wife and I were on a Verizon Shared Monthly Plan. She lost her cell phone so we decided to go with Prepaid Cellular for her. Even though we were supposed to be on a $79.00 plan with Verizon our bill was always $97. I don't know why - maybe fees and taxes.

Anyway, since she was the main number on the plan, when we cancelled her, they increased my rates and we still received a bill in the upper $90 range again (with one phone). I called to ask why and the Verizon representative told me that she had it in her notes that I was warned this would happen. I told her to cancel my service as well. She informed me there was a $175 cancellation fee to cancel my Verizon Plan. I said, fine. Also at the same time, I lost service because of lost check. We received our next bill and it was in the $270 range for the month. I was not even using my phone. I paid the bill thinking it was due to the cancellation fee. We then received bills for $97 each month for the next few months. I tried cancelling again. What they did for that first huge bill was re-connect me after the lost check and charged me a bunch of reconnect fees. I called to cancel for the third time and the Verizon representative informed me that they had no record of me ever calling to cancel, but a clear record of notifying me that I would face huge fees if I did not commit to another plan.

I finally wrote the state Attorney General. Verizon, surprisingly, admitted that I did call to cancel two months earlier, and agreed to wave one of the $97 monthly bills. I hate to admit this, but I paid a total of close to $500 to cancel Verizon service. This story is true and not uncommon.

Now the good part --- My wife and I have been spending a combined total of less than $70 per month for two higher use phones on the STi Mobile "No Contract", "Pay as You Go" service. Not only is it $20 cheaper per month than our Verizon Monthly Plan, but we will NEVER HAVE TO PAY CANCELLATION FEES AGAIN. In addition, we received brand new LG 5225 Color Flip Phones. They were free after rebate. They are on the Sprint Network and it has been terrific.