Virgin Mobile USA New Tariff Plan without Annual Contracts

Virgin Mobile USA has unveiled a host of new Monthly and Pay As You Go Plans Without Annual Contracts that offer consumers even better value and more flexibility.  Information about the new plans — with clear comparisons to the competition – is online at www.virginmobileusa.com and materials are currently rolling out across Virgin Mobile’s retail partners.  With no annual contracts, Virgin Mobile USA allows its more than 5 million customers to change plans at any time without hassle or extra charges.

From the press release

“There is no reason for consumers to lock themselves into the restrictive terms of a postpaid contract plan to get real value,” said Dan Schulman, chief executive officer, Virgin Mobile USA,  “especially at a time when many people need greater control over their spending and use of credit. We’re closing the gap between those features traditionally offered by postpaid carriers and the value available from our plans without annual contracts.”

Monthly Plans With Even More Value vs. Competition
Virgin Mobile USA has enhanced its highly competitive monthly plans, already a smart alternative to traditional postpaid offerings, and is providing consumers with clear comparisons to its competition.  For example, Virgin Mobile USA offers include 7PM Nights and Weekend Minutes [500 minutes for $24.99, e.g.] and Unlimited 7PM Nights and Weekends for just $49.99. “At this entry point, none of the leading national competitors with monthly recurring prepaid plans offer Unlimited Nights & Weekends beginning at 7:00 p.m., making this the smarter choice,” added Schulman. 

Virgin Mobile USA offers more value than many of its prepaid challengers as well.  For example, its $34.99 monthly plan gives customers 300 Anytime Minutes per month as well as 1,000 Nights and Weekend Minutes that begin at 7:00 p.m. instead of the usual 9:00 p.m. for calls to anyone in the U.S.

Virgin Mobile USA’s recurring monthly plans now feature discounted Messaging Packs, which cover email, IM, text and picture messaging.  For just $10 per month, customers on these plans also get access to Unlimited Text & Messaging.  Other wireless offers, for example, require up to twice that amount and don’t include all types of messaging.

What we think?
Yikes is the US so far behind. Tariffs without monthly fees have been around for yonks in Europe.

But this actually just sounds like a roll over minutes introduction for Pay As You Go rather than a special tariff.

But, you seem to have to pay USD 10 per month to benefit from the extra rollover. Hmmm. This is all a bit strange actually. I just read the press release again and it seems that the term contract is the only thing that has actually changed.
This is basically a prepaid contract with fixed monthly fees for optimum benefits.

The best thing about it is the name – You Rule, man.