AT&T will begin to throttle data speeds during the first week of October, 9to5 Mac reported on Thursday. The carrier could move to throttle the data speeds of its biggest data users in an effort to ensure network stability for its first LTE devices, which are expected to launch later this year. It remains unclear how low AT&T will knock the throughput down to, but 9to5 Mac says Virgin currently forces data hogs down to 256Kbps until the next billing cycle after they use more than 2.5GB. T-Mobile also throttles its data speeds after users go over their monthly 5GB “unlimited” cap. The move should actually be beneficial for most AT&T customers looking for stable performance and will only affect those who use much more data than the average customer according to the report.

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The Motorola Photon 4G from Sprint wasn’t the only Motorola device that got official a little while ago. The company has introduced a low cost Android handset for prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile, and it definitely tries to set the bar for what a prepaid phone is in today’s market. For starters, the Motorola Triumph’s styling is eerily similar to the first Motorola DROID, just thinner, and without the slide-out keyboard. The unit is solid, and while we noticed a bit of resistance using the display, Motorola informed us that it wasn’t a final production unit and that could change. Pricing wasn’t communicated to us, but it sure looks like it will be the prepaid Android handset to beat so far. Check out another image of the Triumph after the break.

LG continues to pedal is low-cost Optimus handset to carriers, complete with an alphabet-soup of surnames. So it comes as no surprise that today, via a press release, pre-paid wireless carrier Virgin Mobile USA announced that it would be offering the LG Optimus V handset effective immediately. The device, which has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 3.2 megapixel camera, 3G, and Wi-Fi, will retail for $149.99 and can be paired with one of Virgin’s affordable unlimited data plans (which start at just $25). The phone, which can be purchased at RadioShack or at virginmobileusa.com, will also be able to leverage the carrier’s Virgin Mobile Live streaming music service; the second phone with such capabilities.  Hit the jump for the full press release.

LG Optimus V™ Joins Virgin Mobile USA Offering “Optimal” Experience for No-Contract Customers

Virgin Mobile Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Launch of LG Optimus V To Make Your Sweetheart Swoon

WARREN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Virgin Mobile USA continues to enrich its handset lineup with the introduction of LG Optimus V, expanding its selection of Android handsets. Rolling out at Radio Shack stores and at www.virginmobileusa.com beginning today for $149.99, LG Optimus V creates a unique user experience that will keep people connected and in-the-know while on-the-go. LG Optimus V will become available in other major retailers throughout the month as well.

“More than 44 percent of smartphones purchased in the third quarter of 2010 were Android based with the iPhone coming in second1,” said Bob Stohrer, vice president-Marketing, Virgin Mobile USA. “With LG Optimus V on Android, Virgin Mobile customers who crave constant connectivity get a highly functional device with a high-resolution 3.2” touch screen paired with an affordable monthly plan and no annual contract.”

“Users get the best of both worlds with LG Optimus V,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of LG marketing. “Bringing an easy-to-use blend of applications and sleek design, LG Optimus V delivers the features users want with the efficient performance capabilities they deserve.”

Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk plans start at just $25 dollars a month for 300 minutes of voice and include unlimited messaging, IM, email, social networking and web access. For those who talk a bit more, the $40 plan offers 1,200 minutes of voice and for heavy gabbers, the $60 plan offers unlimited voice minutes each month.

Top handset review websites have described the LG Optimus S™, “as the best Android phone available,” “affordable yet full-featured,” “impressively quick and with [all of] the functionality most consumers need.” LG Optimus V, similar to the LG Optimus S, gives Virgin Mobile customers full integration of social networking apps, Microsoft Outlook Exchange e-mail and advanced messaging capabilities. In addition, Optimus V users also have access to more than 100,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™.

LG Optimus V also comes with a 3.2-inch touch-screen display, 3G and Wi-Fi capable, a 3.2 MP camera and video, and preloaded applications, including popular social apps such as YouTube® and Google Talk™. Additional features include:

• Swype, a faster and easier way to input text on any screen, with one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard. The patented technology enables users to input words faster and easier than other data input methods—at over 40 words per minute
• Contact and calendar sync via ActiveSync
• Android Web browser
• Full integration of Google Apps™ such as Google Maps™, Gmail™ and Google Navigation™
• Document file viewer
• Built-in music player

Optimus V is the second Virgin Mobile phone to offer Virgin Mobile Live, an online music stream of performances by past & present Virgin Mobile Festival artists including studio tracks, exclusive Festival performances and more, for free!

The launch of LG Optimus V also marks Virgin Mobile’s new handset packaging that is more eco-friendly. The green packaging is now composed of 100% recycled plastic and uses almost 50% less plastic. The design of the outer box has been revised to more clearly highlight the device, its features and Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk Plans. “The new packaging will provide a better customer experience in opening the package as well being kind to the environment,” said Stohrer.

Perhaps it was too good to be true. In a conversation with PCMag, Virgin Mobile made known that its $40 per month truly unlimited data plan was going the way of the Dodo. Citing the need to implement network controls to ensure optimal experience,” the company said the $40 Broadband2Go plan would now carry a monthly cap of 5GB. Since all Virgin Mobile subscribers are on month-to-month agreements, the new 5GB cap will take affect on the first day of a new billing cycle after February 15th. Any Broadband2Go users out there upset?

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We just received a tip that Virgin Mobile Canada will not be left out of the smartphone party this November. According to our tipster, Virgin Mobile will be launching the upcoming BlackBerry 9780 on November 9th, and the Samsung Galaxy S on November 15th. Pricing information wasn’t provided to us but we doubt it will vary much from the competition.

Thanks, T!

It looks like the Canadian BlackBerry faithful won’t have to wait too much longer to get their hands on the BlackBerry Pearl 3G, as one of our Virgin Mobile connects just sent us in a bunch of pictures of a newly arrived dummy model. We have been told to expected the actual devices to arrive in stores very, very shortly, and that the 3-year price will be $49.99, with the option for a 30-day contract at $349.99. One more pic after the jump.

Thanks, T!

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.

Looks like Virgin Mobile Canada is ready to break its iPhone hymen. Yesterday they announced that they will be offering both the iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS in retail stores in “the coming months.” Oh Sir Richard, how we love thee. We suppose you want details, but we don’t have any — the press release is a blistering 31 words and 198 characters long, hell if they had been a bit more succinct they could have just tweeted it — as Virgin Canada’s website has yet to be updated with the news. We’ll continue to follow this one as it develops.

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Didn’t see this one coming… Apparently Branson’s Helio-hawking MVNO Virgin Mobile is about to be gobbled up by the nation’s number three. Sprint has officially announced its intentions to acquire the popular prepaid peddler and according to the release, it’s a done deal. Sprint will cough up $483 million in total for the acquisition, though its current 13.1 percent stake in the company factors into that figure. The carrier will also cover VM’s $250 million in debt at closing. We’re not yet sure how the VM brand will be positioned in Sprint’s arsenal — perhaps it will remain a separate brand or maybe it will be folded into Boost Mobile — but the bottom line is Sprint sees plenty of potential in the prepaid market. You know what they say… There’s no money like up front money.

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Just one day after we scooped fresh product shots of Virgin Mobile USA’s first mobile broadband device, the Novatel Wireless MC760, the company has announced the availability of its contract-free Broadband2Go service. Touted as a 3G nationwide wireless Internet service, the MVNO’s new offering is sure to pique the interest of infrequent travelers and light mobile broadband users who simply can’t justify a $60 per month service for sporadic usage. Out of the gate, the pricing structure is a bit different than we had believed back when we first broke news of the coming broadband offering. Users will be able to purchase Broadband2Go Top-Up cards in the following denominations:

• $10 — 100MB usable for 10 days
• $20 — 250MB usable for 30 days
• $40 — 600MB usable for 30 days
• $60 — 1GB usable for 30 days

On the surface these options appear to be a bit pricey but again, postpaid options from other carriers can cost $720 per year or more. For users who only need mobile broadband access a few months out of each year, spending a total of $60, $120 or even $180 for Top-Up cards that will get them through a full year translates into massive savings.

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Patience Virgin Mobile subscribers, patience. Last month we scooped an upcoming mobile broadband offering from Virgin Mobile that is slowly but surely making its way to Best Buy Mobile. Shortly thereafter, we scared up some possible details as far as pricing and data cost are concerned. Well folks, it looks like we might be getting closer to launch time as one of our readers tossed on his mining hat and managed to dig up some dirt. Found camping out on a Best Buy image server, two images of an upcoming Virgin Mobile USB modem sit ready and waiting. We’ve verified their presence on Best Buy’s servers and the item numbers match so you’re indeed looking at what will be VM’s first mobile broadband accessory here in the US. To refresh your memory, Virgin Mobile will supposedly offer both prepaid and postpaid mobile broadband packages and the modem will run $150. Hit the jump for one more shot.

Thanks, Andrew!

We’re not sure how many readers out there are sitting on the edges of their seats waiting for more info on Virgin Mobile’s upcoming broadband card we scooped last week. If there is even one however, we would be remiss if we ignored him or her. Consider this unconfirmed for the time being, but a tipster whose intel has panned out in the past just hit us with the missing puzzle piece from our scoop — prepaid pricing. Virgin Mobile is all about prepaid after all, so we were pretty curious to find out how attractive its prepaid pricing structure would be. Answer: meh. It looks like VM will offer $20 prepaid cards alongside its broadband offering and each card will be good for 250MB of data. We’re not yet sure if additional denominations will be available. 250MB for $20 might not seem like a great deal but it’s actually not terrible — users looking for a mobile broadband solution for light use while traveling every few months for example, will definitely save hundreds of dollars or more by avoiding a monthly subscription fee.

So to recap what we have so far: $149.99 for the card / Postpaid options: 5GB of data per month for $40 or 1GB of data per month for an unknown fee / Prepaid option: $20 per 250MB prepaid card.

You know everyone has a mobile broadband card when Virgin Mobile is going to be carrying one… We just got word, and this screenshot, from one of our ninjas saying Best Buy is going to be carrying the data card starting June 14th. Just like everything else from Virgin Mobile, there will apparently be a prepaid option as well! Do you find yourself constantly worrying that you’re about to pass the 5GB softcap on your plan? If so, prepaid can definitely put an end to your troubles. Pricing isn’t solid yet but as far as monthly plan options go, we’re told it should be competitive with Cricket — possibly $40 for 5GB and a cheaper 1GB plan as well — and the card itself will run $149.99. Details on how prepaid will work are not yet avaialble.

While there has yet to be a formal announcement of any new handsets, some eagle-eyed observers noticed two new handsets from Kyocera for sale on Virgin Mobile’s website. Being Virgin Mobile phones, they’re not much to write home about but given the current economic climate we’re in, it’s a given that these phones will garner more interest than they would during prosperous times. Starting off with what is nothing more than a Virgin-branded S1300 Melo, the JAX is a plain Jane candybar that features… a color screen. Moving on to the more promising of the two, the X-tc sports a full-QWERTY slider, QVGA display, 1.3 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth and comes pre-loaded with a Facebook and MySpace application. Not bad at all for a $100 phone.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Read – X-tc
Read – JAX