Mobilicity officially announces their plans, and they’re pretty good

Mobilicity is the latest of the new mobile carriers to officially announce their plans in the Canadian marketplace. As we mentioned before, Mobilicity (should be launching in June has offiically opened it’s doors).  Yesterday they launched their site, phone line up and plans, which include an all-you-can eat option for $65/month. Like Wind Mobile, who was first out of the gate after the spectrum auction, Mobilicity advertises the fact that there are no contacts, no hidden fees and no subsidized phones. The only thing extra on your bill is taxes.

Also comparable to Wind Mobile is the Mobilicity launch schedule, with Toronto (or the GTA really, being the first market, and additional cities to launch in the coming months. As most of us here at rgbFilter are long time smartphone users, the Mobilicity $65 plan is the closest yet to real unlimited. For that you get unlimited calling (including long distance in Canada and the US), global TXT, voice mail, call waiting/forwarding and 3 way calling, and of course, unlimited data. This pricing puts the pricing structure of incumbents like Bell, Rogers and Telus in a harsh light, and and compares favourably to Wind Mobile’s options.

The Wind comparisons don’t end there.  The initial phone line up includes the Blackberry Bold 9700 (our video review of the Telus version) and the HTC Snap (similar to Wind’s HTC Maple), and the Huawei U7519, as well as a couple of more traditional flip phones.

PRESS RELEASE

Toronto, ON – May 14, 2010 – Cutting through symbolic red-tape to reveal a giant Mobilicity phone box and signal the end of wireless complexities, Chairman John Bitove and President and CEO Dave Dobbin announced tomorrow’s launch of Mobilicity’s first city-based, unlimited mobile network and presented six simple, unlimited plans.

The industry-leading, pay-in-advance plans offer the best value in the marketplace, including:
–    unlimited North American text at $15/month;
–    unlimited local talk at $25/month;
–    unlimited local talk & text at $35/month; and
–    unlimited global text, talk, North American long-distance and data (with voicemail, call forwarding, three-way calling and call waiting) at $65/month.
All Mobilicity plans are unlimited, include free caller ID, Mobilicity-to-Mobilicity calling and do not require a contract or credit check.

“Canadians deserve easy and affordable wireless service,” said Bitove. “Mobilicity applies the simple unlimited local usage principles of landline calling to mobile communications. Pay a flat monthly fee and use the Mobilicity unlimited network as much as you want – it’s that simple.”

The company also revealed that it will have hundreds of points of distribution across the Greater Toronto Area. “We want to ensure that everyone in Toronto is able to take advantage of the Mobilicity unlimited 3.5G network, so it was important to us to have Mobilicity dealers in every neighbourhood in this city,” said Dobbin.

Canadian-industry first: $20 unlimited long-distance to China or India
Mobilicity, whose name stems from the words ‘mobile’ and ‘simplicity’, also introduced a wireless long-distance first with $20 unlimited monthly add-on bundles to East Asia (China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam) and South Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).  Customers will benefit from direct dialing and excellent call quality.

“We’re bringing down the cost of mobile overseas calling in a big way and making it easy to call faraway friends and family from anywhere in the city,” added Dobbin. “No one can put a price on talking to loved ones halfway around the world, but Mobilicity’s $20 East Asia and South Asia long-distance bundles sure make the process a lot more convenient and affordable.”

Unbeatable value: $169.99 Nokia 5230 with free Bluetooth headset
The company showcased its lineup of six brand-name handsets, including the HTC Snap and BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphones. Mobilicity’s feature phone, the Nokia 5230 (featuring a brilliant 3.2” touch widescreen) is priced at an industry-leading $169.99 and comes with a free Nokia Bluetooth Headset, valued at $30. A $99.99 data stick was also featured for consumers looking for unlimited mobile internet access.

With Mobilicity, consumers don’t have to compromise quality service, features or coverage in order to save money. The company is working with best-in-class wireless partners; Ericsson built and is maintaining Mobilicity’s 3.5G state-of-the-art unlimited wireless network, while Amdocs, the leading customer experience systems provider, designed its billing, ordering, customer care and operational support systems.

“Mobilicity is the new wireless entrant with the unlimited 3.5G network that Canadians have been waiting for,” added Bitove.

No more hidden charges
Mobilicity’s pay-in-advance, unlimited service model ensures customers can use their phones as much as they want within their city coverage area without the worry of incurring extra charges.

For customers travelling outside the Mobilicity unlimited network coverage area in Canada and the U.S., low per-minute-rate roaming will be available on a pay-per-use basis, as will other extra features, such as international calling, downloads and 411 directory assistance.  Customers must first add funds into a dedicated, personal pay-per-use depository called My Wallet.

In describing the company’s unique service delivery platform, Dobbin said, “Forget everything you know about wireless companies. We’ve created a fair and uncomplicated model where all customers pay the same rates – regardless of whether they’re able to pass a credit check.”

Mobilicity’s Corporate Stores, Exclusive and Authorized Dealers, and online store will be open for business tomorrow. The company will roll-out its service in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa later this year.

About Mobilicity (DAVE Wireless)
Mobilicity, Canada’s UNLIMITED 3.5G mobile operator, provides city-based consumers with simple, value-packed talk, text and data plans on its state-of-the-art, unlimited 3.5G network – without contracts, credit checks or hidden charges. Formerly known as Data & Audio Visual Enterprises Wireless Inc. (DAVE Wireless), the company is led by Obelysk, a diversified Canadian holding company, and Quadrangle Capital Partners, a global investor in the telecommunications and media sectors with more than $3 billion of capital under management. Mobilicity was recently named one of Canada’s Top 25 Up and Coming Information & Communication Technology start-ups by the Branham Group Inc. Further information about Mobilicity can be found at www.mobilicity.ca.