Briefly: Virgin Mobile offers 15% discount on prepaid iPhone 4/4S
In a web-only exclusive, U.S. prepaid cell carrier Virgin Mobile has discounted Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S by 15 percent, bringing prices down to as low as $280.
The discount, which went live earlier on Thursday, applies to both iPhone models Virgin carries: the 16GB iPhone 4S and the 8GB iPhone 4.
According to the company's website, the limited time 15 percent savings offer is applicable to web sales and is available only "while supplies last." The carrier does not specify how long the sale will last.
With the discount, the no-contract 16GB iPhone 4S comes out to $382, while the 8GB iPhone 4 drops to $297.
Virgin first started sales of Apple's iPhone in June of 2012, with initial pricing for the then-current iPhone 4S set at $649, which matched the cost of purchasing a no-contract iPhone through Apple.
The iPhone has extended its marketshare through smaller prepaid carriers like regional telecom Cricket Wireless. Most recently, Boost Mobile was rumored to be getting the Apple handset in the third quarter of 2013, though no official word on the release has been made.
The discount, which went live earlier on Thursday, applies to both iPhone models Virgin carries: the 16GB iPhone 4S and the 8GB iPhone 4.
According to the company's website, the limited time 15 percent savings offer is applicable to web sales and is available only "while supplies last." The carrier does not specify how long the sale will last.
With the discount, the no-contract 16GB iPhone 4S comes out to $382, while the 8GB iPhone 4 drops to $297.
Virgin first started sales of Apple's iPhone in June of 2012, with initial pricing for the then-current iPhone 4S set at $649, which matched the cost of purchasing a no-contract iPhone through Apple.
The iPhone has extended its marketshare through smaller prepaid carriers like regional telecom Cricket Wireless. Most recently, Boost Mobile was rumored to be getting the Apple handset in the third quarter of 2013, though no official word on the release has been made.
Comments
Originally Posted by jason98
As far as I know 4S a "world phone", but is it sold unlocked there? Can I use it in t-mobile or any other GSM network simply by swapping a sim card?
I forget whose network Virgin piggybacks… If it's AT&T, then it's not unlocked. If it's Verizon's, it is.
Virgin is a wholly owned Sprint subsidiary and they use Sprint's CDMA network. What they call 3G on it is a pathetic EVDO that doesn't even begin to compare with the 3G most GSM carriers use. Sprint originally deployed WiMax for its 4G, but this is a dead standard they're abandoning this year; as a result they're very late to the game deploying LTE. Last I heard Virgin (or any of Sprint's MVNOs) had no access to LTE. Sprint also has the crappiest policies when it comes to unlocking hybrid CDMA/GSM phones: they will do it if you buy the phone subsidized and have an account in good standing for the past 3 months; but if you buy the phone at full price, tough: they will never unlock it. In terms of price, they brag about their unlimited data, but that's a little ridiculous because most of the time you won't even have enough bandwidth to stream audio.
Bottom line, if you're looking for good data service at a reasonable price, stay away from Sprint and its subsidiaries.
Oh. There you go. It's unlocked, then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LordJohnWhorfin
Virgin is a wholly owned Sprint subsidiary and they use Sprint's CDMA network. What they call 3G on it is a pathetic EVDO that doesn't even begin to compare with the 3G most GSM carriers use. Sprint originally deployed WiMax for its 4G, but this is a dead standard they're abandoning this year; as a result they're very late to the game deploying LTE. Last I heard Virgin (or any of Sprint's MVNOs) had no access to LTE. Sprint also has the crappiest policies when it comes to unlocking hybrid CDMA/GSM phones: they will do it if you buy the phone subsidized and have an account in good standing for the past 3 months; but if you buy the phone at full price, tough: they will never unlock it. In terms of price, they brag about their unlimited data, but that's a little ridiculous because most of the time you won't even have enough bandwidth to stream audio.
Bottom line, if you're looking for good data service at a reasonable price, stay away from Sprint and its subsidiaries.
Wow someone has an axe to grind with Sprint. I have been with them for 5 years now and before that AT&T. I switched because of so many dropped calls on AT&T that I had to make calls in my yard. I haven't regretted switching to Sprint since. If I experienced what you described I can assure you I would have left long ago. I got great speeds with WiMax which was around long before Verizon ever thought about LTE and I am with them now that they have LTE fully deployed in Atlanta. As far as their 3G EVDO speeds it is true that it won't come close to the 3G of a GSM network but it is certainly fast enough to stream audio. I frequently drive to Hilton Head, Savannah, Florida and other places and can stream Pandora or Spotify on 3G the whole way. I also didn't have any problem unlocking my iPhone but then again I have good credit and pay my bills on time. I don't doubt you might have had a bad experience but if they were as bad as you make it sound I seriously doubt their 50+ million subscribers would stay with them. I stay because I get great coverage and unlimited LTE which no other carrier offers.
By the way Virgin Mobil and Boost which are indeed wholly owned subsidiaries of Sprint already offer LTE.
I sure do have an axe to grind with Sprint: they're overpriced, underdeliver, and have maddeningly stupid policies, like refusing to unlock A PHONE YOU PAID FULL PRICE FOR. Plus, their use of the outdated CDMA technology allows them to have all sorts of ridiculous restrictions to what you can do with the phones. For instance, they will only activate phones on Virgin that were bought from Virgin. CDMA sucks; at least with Verizon you get good coverage and decent speeds; with Sprint and its cohorts, outside of their limited LTE coverage areas, you pay a fortune for CRAP.
The fact they even got the iPhone 4/4s before T-mobile is a testament to their value to customers, and they'll probably get the iPhone 5 shortly after the 5s ships.
**** Verizon and **** AT&T.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason98
As far as I know 4S a "world phone", but is it sold unlocked there? Can I use it in t-mobile or any other GSM network simply by swapping a sim card?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
I forget whose network Virgin piggybacks… If it's AT&T, then it's not unlocked. If it's Verizon's, it is.
The iPhone 4S fron Virgin Mobile runs on Sprint USA's network. I currently own the device and they will not unlock the SIM under any circumstance. I even filed a complaint with the FCC and got a call from Sprint Executive HQ but they will not unlock it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Oh. There you go. It's unlocked, then.
The Virgin Mobile iPhone 4S is not unlocked and cannot be unlocked by the carrier or any official IMEI unlock means.
Bought aVM Optimus V in early 2011. Had "teething troubles" until an L2 tech rep helped me fix it. Afterwards, no complaints.
This was in the Bay Area. Do you know how unkind the geography and climate there is to cell-phibe providers?