The Australian Communications and Media Authority has fined Nokia for sending spam-filled text messages to its customers. Nokia had been sending messages with tips on how customers could take advantage of their phones’ features, Reuters said Tuesday, but the government agreed Nokia should allow its customers to opt out of receiving the messages. ”Some businesses are still not getting SMS marketing right,” Australian Communications and Media Authority chairman Richard Bean told Reuters. “The same rules apply to SMS marketing as for email marketing, and the same rules apply to all businesses, big and small.”

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No doubt a response to Virgin Mobile’s serious push to reign supreme in the pre-paid market, T-Mobile today announced two new unlimited pre-paid plans which go live this Wednesday. Under the new plans, $15 will net users unlimited text, picture and video messages with nationwide voice calls at 10¢ per minute, while $50 offers the same in terms of messaging but allows for unlimited nationwide calls with no per-minute fees. Definitely not bad plans if you’re looking to kill off a landline and not get locked into a lengthy contract commitment, but we’d have loved it if T-Mobile were to introduce a third plan with data. We mean, they are trying to play it both ways, right?

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Level with us — for all the complaining you do about your carrier not offering an affordable unlimited talk plan, how many minutes do you actually spend yapping on your cell phone per month? If you’re anything like the average person, you’re not doing it all that much. In fact, your use of data and texts far outweighs the voice minutes you log on a monthly basis, and what calls you do make are shorter.  Since 2008, the CTIA has said voice calls are quickly going the way of the Dodo, with the average call length dropping over 20% from 2008 to 2009 alone. This comes at a time where the use of text messages alone increased 50% year-over-year, with half of America’s teens said to be sending more than 1,500 texts per month. So why is it that people are talking less? For starters, there’s convenience. Shooting someone a text, IM or email is far faster and less obtrusive than a phone call, allowing the recipients to carry on with their daily activities and respond at their leisure. Then there’s social customs. As rude as some might think it is to fire off a text in the company of others, we cannot imagine anyone who would prefer to sit in awkward silence as their friend carries out a 2 minute conversation about what’s happened on last night’s episode of The Hills. Not only that, but according to NPD analyst Ross Rubin, “handset design has become far less cheek-friendly” in recent years with most feature and smartphones requiring users to go through a multi-step process before initiating a simple phone call. So what does the future hold for the wireless industry? In lieu of the traditional charge for voice minutes, industry analysts are predicting that carriers will instead charge for the amount of data used…and we’re not sure that is going to be better.

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Virgin Mobile fired shots across the bow of its pre-paid competition this morning as it officially launched the Beyond Talk plans that we told you about just under a week ago. Starting at $25, the main selling point of the Beyond Talk service offerings is that they all feature unlimited text, email, data and web. The reason for the difference in price between the plans is the number of minutes you get. The $25 and $40 plans are good for 300 and 1,200 minutes respectively, while the $60 plan offers unlimited voice. For an extra $10, you can add BlackBerry data. Of course you won’t be able to use a BlackBerry on Virgin until the end of this month when it launches the Curve 8530 for $299.99, but the prospect of a pre-paid BlackBerry plan for $35 is worth waiting a few weeks for, right?

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Some huge news this evening in the world of prepaid mobiles as Sprint has announced its new strategies for Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. With some 60 million Americans using prepaid mobiles, Sprint feels the time is right to make an all-out assault on the market. Said Sprint’s Dan Schulman: “This is the year that prepaid moves to the forefront of the wireless industry. In the first quarter of 2010, more than half of the mobile gross additions in the U.S. selected prepaid, and we predict that approximately 70% of the net adds in 2010 will choose plans without a contract,” adding that “the no-contract market has clearly moved beyond the credit-challenged and lower income segments.” Here’s what’s in the pipeline.

As of May 12th, Virgin Mobile will begin offering Beyond Talk plans. Ranging from $25 to $60 per month, each plan includes unlimited SMS/MMS, email, data and web. The $25 plan includes 300 minutes, the $40 plan 1,200 minutes and the $60 plan has unlimited minutes. Throw in an extra $10 per month and you’ll be able to hook a BlackBerry up to BIS. Yes, you read that right. $35 for a BlackBerry with unlimited data. If you’re a bit puzzled as to why Virgin is more focused on data and texts over voice minutes, the reason is simple: the amount of voice minutes used by young adults continues to plummet as email, IM and SMS grows at a rate of 150% during the years 2007 to 2009. Factor in 1800% growth in mobile data in this segment and it’s pretty obvious Virgin is one of the few companies that actually caters to the demands of its customers. This brings us to its new handsets. Virgin Mobile will be bringing the LG Rumor Touch and Rumor 2 ($149.99 and $89.99, both only available off contract), and Kyocera Loft ($69.99) into the fold with the BlackBerry Curve 8530 launching at the end of May with a retail price of $299.99.

As for Boost, not much is new in terms of plans (keep in mind it just announced that unlimited calls to 411, email and IM were recently added to its $50 unlimited plan which also includes all the talking, texting and web you wish), but now we know for sure that it will soon be carrying the Samsung Rant and Kyocera Incognito, Mirror and Juno.

Hit up the jump to check out the press release.

SPRINT’S PREPAID MULTI-BRAND STRATEGY

FOCUSES ON DISTINCT CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Differentiated Brands Old & New Aim to Serve

Increasingly Diverse Audiences, Tackle Specific Competitors

WARREN, N.J. – May 6, 2010 – Sprint [NYSE:S] today officially unveiled its comprehensive multi-segment approach to the prepaid wireless marketplace. Since Sprint’s acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc., the company has rolled out a series of new prepaid products, enhancements and industry-advancing products, each designed to appeal to specific customers in the wireless space.

“We brought together the resources and experience of the Boost and Virgin Mobile teams in late 2009,” said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse.  “Since that time, we have been developing the critical pieces of our multi-brand prepaid strategy.  Our approach to the prepaid market can truly set us apart from the competition with tailored offers that will address specific needs in this growing market.”

“This is the year that prepaid moves to the forefront of the wireless industry,” said Dan Schulman, president of Sprint’s prepaid group.  “In the first quarter of 2010, more than half of the mobile gross additions in the U.S. selected prepaid, and we predict that approximately 70% of the net adds in 2010 will choose plans without a contract.”

“With almost 60 million people now on prepaid service,” Schulman continued, “the no-contract market has clearly moved beyond the credit-challenged and lower income segments.  The prepaid market has changed dramatically, with customers across multiple demographics and lifestyles demanding a wide variety of handsets, features, and plans tailored to their specific needs and wants.”

Sprint’s prepaid portfolio will initially be driven by four brands, with each focused on a specific audience.  “The launch of this portfolio goes far beyond changing prices,” explained Schulman.  “We are introducing innovative and attractive offers for specific groups of customers based on usage and habits – from those who are on limited budgets and use their phones infrequently to those who want high-end devices to use for all their communications, entertainment and social networking.”

Virgin Mobile USA

Reinventing prepaid wireless once again, Virgin Mobile will introduce an innovative new value proposition that focuses on serving customers who use text and data services to power constant connection with their social networks.

With unlimited messaging, email, data and web included on all plans starting at just $25 a month and a new high-end handset lineup, Virgin Mobile will offer a clear alternative for customers who want a data-driven service without expensive annual contracts and thousands of unnecessary voice minutes. With the addition of the lowest-priced BlackBerry® service plan in the market, Virgin Mobile will provide real value for individuals looking to stay connected without compromising on handset or service quality.

The way youth and young adults communicate has changed dramatically over the past few years.  Data from Nielsen shows that usage patterns for postpaid mobile subscribers aged 18-34 shifted from 2007 to 2009.  Minutes of talk dropped over 10% while messages sent and received grew by more than 150%.  The amount of data usage within this group grew by over 1800% during the same time period.

Beyond Talk™

On May 12, Virgin Mobile will unveil three new “Beyond Talk” plans that all include unlimited messaging, email, data and web [with no incremental fees or taxes]:

• The revolutionary $25 plan is the industry’s lowest price point for unlimited messaging, email, data and web with 300 minutes of voice per month, ideal for high-end device users seeking an unbeatable price to enable the text and data services they need.
• The $40 plan includes unlimited messaging, email, data and web with 1,200 minutes of voice per month — the perfect value for those seeking an affordable plan with everything they need.
• The $60 plan includes unlimited messaging, email, data and web with unlimited voice to offer great value for high-end smartphone users expecting an unlimited plan to cost much more.

For the first time, Virgin Mobile customers can add Blackberry® data service to any of these plans for just $10 more, enabling an unprecedented $35 plan consisting of both voice calling and Blackberry data service.

“Our new offers target a continuing evolution in wireless consumer behavior – increased use of text and data services as a form of wireless communication over talk,” explained Schulman.  “These Beyond Talk plans offer the most accessible solution for customers seeking that data-driven lifestyle — unlimited text and data on their terms without a contract, at prices they will love, without requiring them to buy extra minutes they don’t need.”

New Handsets

Virgin Mobile’s new handset lineup proves that a two-year contract isn’t necessary to get a hot data-driven device:

• The Blackberry Curve™ 8530 smartphone is a particularly desirable device without a contract.  Key features include an approachable form factor, full-QWERTY keyboard, optical track pad, Wi-Fi connectivity, dedicated media keys, and 2 MP camera.  The Blackberry Curve 8530 smartphone will be available for $299.99 at retail and at www.virginmobileusa.om at the end of May.

• The LG Rumor Touch™ at $149.99 is the first full touch interface handset from Virgin Mobile and is only available without a contract on these plans. Customers can use all the data they want and message all of their friends easily and simply with a Beyond Talk plan. This handset is ideal for the super-connected with an external memory drive that can store up to 16GB of data.

• The very popular LG Rumor 2™ QWERTY launched last year, also only available without a contract from Virgin Mobile.  For $89.99, it allows customers to message quickly and easily with preloaded apps like the Ultimate Inbox, threaded messaging and Connect social networking. The popular Opera Mini web browser is included as well.

• The Kyocera Loft QWERTY for $69.99 suits message-savvy customers perfectly with an embedded instant messaging and email application, and message threading for SMS and MMS in a single inbox. The camera phone includes the networking features mentioned above as well as a Google Maps and other navigational applications.

Virgin Mobile USA continues to serve its current base of prepaid customers with a wide range of handsets, monthly unlimited plans, Minute Packs, Texters Delight and Broadband2Go.

Broadband

Broadband2Go, launched last year under the Virgin Mobile label, also targets the needs of the high data-using crowd that wants easy wireless Internet access wherever they are but doesn’t want to sign a long-term contract.

“Since we expanded distribution, lowered the price, and added more data capacity without changing prices, sales have tripled,” said Schulman.  “We’ll continue to enhance this product line as well, possibly under multiple brands to include new services and the very latest in high speed networks, including 4G where available.”

Broadband2Go operates on Sprint’s Nationwide Network, unlike other prepaid broadband offers.

Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile continues its popularity by focusing on consumers who love to talk and text and stay connected with the best value and straightforward monthly unlimited pricing.  With more than 25% of U.S households now wireless-only for voice, Boost offers value and service that is second to none.  This week, Boost added unlimited 411 calls, email and instant messaging to its $50 Monthly Unlimited plan, which also features unlimited talk, text and web access.

Boost’s ever-increasing suite of CDMA handsets, introduced in late January, is driving significant consumer demand.  The Blackberry Curve 8830 smartphone, launched earlier this year, is joined by the Samsung Rant™ and, from Sanyo by Kyocera, the Incognito™, Mirro™ SCP3810 and Juno™ on the CDMA side.  Depending on a customer’s choice of features, Boost Mobile also is available on the Nextel National Network for push-to-talk technology.

Assurance Wireless

First launched late last year, Assurance Wireless is a free wireless service developed specifically for the 37 million eligible low-income households who need it most. Qualifying customers – often cash-constrained individuals eligible for government- assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps) – receive a free cell phone and 200 free minutes of airtime for local and long-distance calling every month.

Sprint is “proud to offer this valuable program,” according to Schulman, which is currently available in Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia and will continue to expand as individual states approve the program. To date, hundreds of thousands have signed up for this uniquely tailored offer.  Sprint anticipates that Assurance Wireless will be available in approximately 25 states by the end of 2010.

A New Pay By the Minute Brand

During Sprint’s first quarter earnings call, reference was made to another new brand to launch this month targeting budget-conscious customers who spend less than $30 per month and are focused on the value they pay per minute.  Roughly 63% of the no-contract market chooses to pay by the minute or by the day.

“There are millions of people who don’t want or can’t afford smartphones and expensive data plans,” said Schulman.  “This is the traditional no-frills prepaid customer base.  For these ‘basic communicators,’ we are creating a fresh brand with industry-leading value and consumer-friendly offers.”  Designed to resonate directly with cost-conscious consumers, this new brand is expected to initially debut at retail in approximately 16 markets.

Hot on the heels of the Mini and GT350, LG announced the GS500 Cookie Plus. Carrying on in the tradition of the plain old Cookie which sold some 10mm units world-wide, in reality the Cookie Plus aims to please with a “cartoon-like UI” complete with 18 blinding themes, a 3 megapixel camera enhanced by the devices ability to edit pictures before firing them off as an MMS (this should thrill paranoid, sexting weary parents), FM tuner, all the social media support a tween could ever hope for and dozens of widgets. Pricing was absent from the press release, but the GS500 Cookie Plus will start to hit shelves in Italy and France next month with 45 more countries to follow. Oh, how could we forget — LG “plans to offer a full batch of new Cookie handsets in 2010″. Cute.

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After we whispered that AT&T might be requiring messaging plans when you purchase select feature phones, we were hit up by a flood of connects. Long story short, it’s true, and here’s the break down:

• Phones that require a messaging plan at time of purchase include: Pantech Reveal, Pantech Impact, Motorola Karma, Samsung Flight, Samsung Impression, Samsung Magnet, Samsung Solstice, Samsung Mythic, Samsung Propel, LG Xenon, LG Neon, and the LG Vu.
• It looks like the minimum monthly cost when buying a “Quick Messaging” phone is around $20. That’s a $5 200 SMS/MMS plan and a $15/month unlimited data plan. It doesn’t look like you can walk out of the door without paying less than $20/mo in features in addition to your voice plan.
• There are slightly different requirements if you have a family plan, so check those out in detail with your AT&T liaison.
• If you have an existing “Quick Messaging” device, you don’t have to do a thing. But, if you want to ever upgrade to a new device, you’d then be hit with the messaging feature requirement.

Not exactly the best news for those looking to keep their wireless bill pretty low (and straight forward). Catherine Zeta Jones, where you at?

Thanks, to all our connects that broke this down for us!

Like we exclusively reported yesterday, Verizon is overhauling most of their voice, text, and family plans. To start things off, there’s an Unlimited Talk rate plan which will run $69.99/month that can also be upgraded to $89.99 to be all inclusive of text, photo, and video messaging, dubbed the Unlimited Talk & Text plan. Continuting the revamp, we have new Family SharePlan plans like $119.99 which will get you unlimited voice, and $149.99 which will include voice as well as unlimited messaging. Those rates apply for the first 2 lines, and each additional line is $49.99. Our other exclusive scoop on Verizon redoing featurephone data plans also turned out to be spot on, as Big Red will now start requiring a $9.99/month 25MB data plan with select “multimedia” handsets. You can look for these new plans to get into effect starting January 18th. Hit the link for the rest of the details!

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One day after it was announced that WIND Mobile is allowed to launch its network without without delay, Canadians across the country are still giddy with excitement as they anticipate the impending launch of the nation’s fourth major wireless carrier. And while WIND has yet to publicly announce plan pricing (or a specific launch date, for that matter), HowardForums user Windsider has publishing what is claimed to be the official plans and their respective pricing. So without further ado, hit the jump to check out the plans; they’re impressive to say the least.

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

VOICE PLANS

Chat:

• $15
• 100 Province-wide minutes
  
• Unlimited WIND to WIND calling (Canada-wide)
• Unlimited incoming  SMS / 50 sent

Always Talk:

• $35
• Unlimited province-wide calling
• Unlimited WIND to WIND calling
• Unlimited incoming SMS / 50 sent

Always Shout:

• $45
• Unlimited Canada-wide calling
• Unlimited SMS
• Voicemail

DATA PLANS

Infinite Mobile:

• $35
  
• Unlimited data for phones (includes tethering)

Social BlackBerry:

• $10
  
• Unlimited instant messaging, Facebook and MySpace

Infinite BlackBerry:

• $35
  
• Unlimited data for BlackBerry

Infinite Laptop:

• $45
  
• Unlimited data for USB data sticks

ADD-ONS

Voice:

• 10c Per Minute with the $15 plan

SMS:

• $0.10
  

MMS:

• $0.20

Voicemail:

• $5

Long Distance:

• $20
• Unlimited calls to North America

If WIND’s plans are even half as good as rumored to be, how many of our Canadian friends plan on dropping everything and scrambling to one of their swanky retail stores to sign up as soon as sales commence?

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We’ve been following T-Mobile’s Project Dark ever since it was a little twinkle in the eyes of Robert Dotson’s crew, but now the day has come for it all to become official. There are a lot of different options to chose from, but for simplicities sake we’re going to focus on the two biggies. Individuals will be able to get unlimited talk, texts and web for $99.99 with Even More (Contract) and $79.99 with Even More Plus (no contract). We admit that the plans aren’t anywhere near as good as we or anyone else had initially thought, and no doubt a lot of people who sign a contract aren’t going to be thrilled at paying a lot more than their contract-free counterparts, but hey, at least another major carrier has entered the unlimited business for the second time. Now where are those new handsets at?

Thanks, Achilles!

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Oh yeah. You read that correctly. We’ve received a couple tips about MMS possibly being down completely for some AT&T subscribers and a quick call to AT&T’s customer care line revealed that there is a known latency issue with MMS in all states with no estimated time of repair.

So we ask you, dear readers: is your MMS feature working on your iPhones?

If you haven’t updated already, you’ll be happy to know that AT&T has released their much-awaited carrier update file through iTunes. That means all you have to do to get MMS active on your AT&T iPhone is plug that bad boy in, update it through iTunes and reboot your phone.

Thanks, to Rob, Dima, and everyone else that sent this is!

Just a quick little reminder to all of you who are going about your lives rocking an iPhone from AT&T — MMS will go live today. AT&T hasn’t yet put out a press release bragging about MMS finally touching down but according to a blurb on its Facebook page from a few days ago, it should go live by this afternoon on the East Coast:

MMS Update: We know you’ve been eager for this service so we wanted to offer a quick update on the launch plans for MMS on Friday, Sept. 25. Late morning, Pacific Time, on Friday, the new carrier settings update enabling MMS should be live and ready to download through iTunes. We’ll provide the steps and all of the details you need right here at that time.

Who is going to help us try to crash AT&T’s servers by sending hundreds of photos and videos once MMS goes live?

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Well would you look at that? Rogers Wireless has become the last Canadian carrier to enter the 21st Century by allowing its subscribers to track their voice, data and SMS/MMS usage in near real-time. All one has to do is log into his or her MyRogers account at Rogers.com, click “Manage My Wireless Services” and select “Voice & Data Usage” to see exactly how bad the damage is. There does appear to be a four hour delay in the information provided, but we’re too elated to care at this point. What we do care about however, is the fact that Rogers’ mobile portal currently does not have any mention of Voice & Data Usage. It’s coming soon, right Rogers? Anyway, while we try and get some answers, hit the jump to check out the screenshots.