Virgin Mobile swallows Helio, Helio posts Q&A
If you haven’t heard by now — Virgin Mobile is acquiring Helio for $39M — you’re really living under something… In any case, what’s going to happen to Helio’s 170,000 subscribers? Well, we’ve go a hold of an internal Helio Q&A which answers some of those concerns. A couple highlights? Helio subscribers service will not be interrupted, Helio, believe it or not, is still accepting new activations, and the Helio brand will be dissolved into Virgin Mobile over time. The whole thing is after the jump.
Thanks, Ryan P.!
HELIO + Virgin Mobile USA= J
Two great companies team up to bring you more.
HELIO and Virgin Mobile USA are teaming up to combine our strengths and deliver a better mobile experience. On June 27th Virgin Mobile USA announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire HELIO.
HELIO would gain access to Virgin Mobile USA’s extensive distribution network and broad customer base, while Virgin Mobile USA would gain access to HELIO’s exclusive, high-end devices and premium services. Both companies look forward to coming together to bring exciting prepaid and postpaid opportunities to their customers.
Q: What does this mean for current HELIO members? Can I still use my HELIO device, while keeping my HELIO service plan and number?
A: Current service plans will continue without interruption. HELIO members are at the center of this transaction and we’ll continue to bring them the innovative mobile services they’ve come to expect.
Q: Can new members still sign up for HELIO service?
A: Absolutely. HELIO will continue to offer exclusive, high-end devices and our innovative All-In plans.
Q: Will the HELIO brand be retained, or will everything migrate to Virgin Mobile USA?
A: Over time, we expect that all aspects of the customer experience will be integrated under the Virgin Mobile USA brand. Integration of the direct sales channel will begin immediately, and we expect that existing HELIO products and services will soon be offered through the Virgin Mobile USA website at www.virginmobileusa.com.
Q: So what’s next?
A: We’re excited by the possibilities our new, combined team offers. We have some big ideas, but as you can imagine, a little bit of housekeeping is in order before we share them. Stay tuned!
Q: Does this affect my current contract with HELIO in any way? When Virgin Mobile USA does acquire HELIO, can I end my current contract without paying an early termination fee (ETF)?
A: HELIO contracts remain in effect and unchanged by this transaction. HELIO members who wish to end their contract early will still be subject to an early termination fee (ETF).
Tags: aquisition, Helio, virgin mobile, Wireless
1st.
btw just 39million?
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Just???
More like why really…… I say they overpaid still for that company. They had potential at first but they just didnt stand out enough or have enough strength to compete against AT&T, Verizon, or even T-Mobile and Sprint.
The phones were lackluster except for the helio ocean, thats about it really. The phones on the network can make or break a phone provider. I mean look at AT&T they are signing every damn phone close to being released ages before T-Mo. its sad really how tmobile has been kicked back so behind.
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This post has nothing to do with Tmobile, so why is it being brought up…?
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Read the post fully, AT&T vs T-Mobile was used as a example on my rant/post..
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And yet T-mobile is still highly profitable, and without a 3g network. No use getting the latest and greatest phones if the network doesnt support yet, yet tmobile offers innovative products and service plans that att can’t match (hot spot @ home, my faves)
for the geek, its about the phone, but for the average user it isnt. Look at the deep subsidies with the iphone, is it worth it?
And for virgin mobile is getting helio for about 1/10 for what sprint paid for nextel’s subscribors
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gsm has nothing to do with this strictly CMDA county
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Your missing the point… Helio had a crappy selection of phones. Out of its whole line up only one or 2 stood out. When compared to other providers its line up was pure $hit really.
Compared to Verizon, T-Mo, and AT&T Helio didnt stand a chance.
Of course though its downward spiral was also a result of other issues as well, but you can sure as hell bet its phone line up was one of them.
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i wouldnt say their phones were crappy so quickly. they had the fin, ocean & their first 2 phones were pretty feature packed when they came out. no mnvo can stand up against the major national carriers of course. but some put up a damn good fight and manage to do pretty well. helio’s downfall came when they stopped selling feature packed phones that gave the public exactly what they wanted and more. how they succumb to virgin mobile out of everybody is beyond me.
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In the US since phones are subsidized, the carriers do deals with the manufacturer as to exclusivity deals software, etc. being an engineer and having worked in the wireless industry, the manufacturers would like to make a phone that would work on any network which would make the phones a lot less expensive in the long run even without subsidies from the carriers, the manufacturer can make more profit making one million of the same unit, than they can making 200,000 for one carriers network, and 100,000 for another, even though you have a CDMA phone in the US, the software varies from carrier to carrier, the firmware may be the underneath but the top layer software is going to be software developed for the carriers.
Carriers fight this because it would basically mean you could take your telephone number, and you mobile phone to any carrier, and there would be no need to unlock a phone. Just reprogram the mobile to the appropriate SID.
The carriers subsidizes the phones for about 300.00 per mobile, and lock you into a 1, 2 or 3 year contract plus they make money on providing you service and even if you don’t like the service you still have to pay them to get out of the contract, and since most people stay with their carriers even after the contract is up, and the customer has paid for the subsidy paid to the manufacturer, and the carrier has made a profit.
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SK Telecom sold Helio so it can buy Sprint. LOL
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fuck you bitches i still love my helio
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dont be so quick to judge VM i had them as a teen up until november of 07 which is 2 years plus never had a dropped call(can u say that cricket?) plus their interface works well as far as CS theyve gotten jd power and associate awards they arent like peoples choice awards but as far as helio they had the 1st phones that actually had features their demographic preferred and used only other competition is the sidekick and g1
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