Affordable phones and plans without a contract provide basic talk ‘n’ text consumers with choice and flexibility
WARREN, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE), August 03, 2012 – payLo by Virgin Mobile and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States and the No. 1 smartphone provider worldwide1,prove once again that mobile devices for budget-conscious consumers who mainly talk and text can still be affordable, reliable, well-designed – and available without a contract.
Approximately 149 million people2 – or more than 45 percent of wireless customers3 – still want a feature phone that focuses on basic wireless communications. That’s up from 28 percent in 2010.
Samsung Entro™
Available today online and at independent retailers for $14.99, the Samsung Entro features a 1.77 in. main display screen, web access, external color display, text messaging, speakerphone and more in a flip-phone form factor.
“In an economic climate where every penny counts, consumers are looking for ways to save money without giving up basic conveniences like mobile phone service,” said Mark Lederman, Business Line director, Virgin Mobile USA and payLo. “With a leading company like Samsung, we’re able to match cutting-edge design, popular features, and award-winning customer service with the value of our unlimited talk and text payLo plan for $40 per month, without a contract.”
Samsung Montage™
On August 20, the Samsung Montage offers more advanced features including a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 2.0MP camera and camcorder, Bluetooth®, threaded text messaging, email, web access, MP3 and video player, voice mail and caller ID. Available for $49.99 on the Virgin Mobile USA website, the Montage supports microSDTM cards with up to 32GB to store pictures, videos and more. The Samsung Montage will be available at national retailers later in the month.
About payLo by Virgin Mobile
payLo by Virgin Mobile, one of Sprint’s prepaid brands, offers affordable alternatives to long-term wireless contracts for cellphone users seeking more basic communication services. payLo’s $40 Monthly Unlimited Talk and Text plan adds value with unlimited voice minutes and messages plus 50MB of Web access, all without a contract. payLo branded handsets are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Best Buy, RadioShack and Target. Adding to a monthly balance is simple with payLo or Virgin Mobile Top-Up cards or with a credit/debit card or PayPal account online. payLo offers Top-Up cards in various denominations to purchase monthly service and other items such as international calling, ringtones and downloads; they are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide. Consumers can purchase and experience payLo on the Web at http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/paylo-plans.jsp.
About Samsung Telecommunications America
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, (Samsung Mobile) a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets, wireless infrastructure and other telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
Samsung, Entro, and Montage are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. payLo is a trademark of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. Other company names, product names and marks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks.
| 1 | Samsung is the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States and the No. 1 smartphone provider worldwide according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2012 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipment and Global Smartphone Shipment Reports. | |
| 2 | CTIA Wireless Quick Facts, http://www.ctia.org/consumer_info/index.cfm/AID/10323 | |
| 3 | Smartphone Operating System Share, June 12, Nielsen Mobile Insights, http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/?p=32494 | |
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50365627&lang=en
Contact(s):
| Virgin Mobile USA Jack Pflanz, 315-374-0693 Jack.Pflanz@Sprint.com or MWW for Samsung Mobile Martha Thomas, 214-414-3335 MThomas@MWW.com |
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