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Just like Straight Talk, which was the result of Walmart teaming up with TracFone back in ’09, Walmart is teaming up with a few regional carriers to offer a new no-contract cellphone service for thrifty consumers. “U Prepaid” will be the fusion of both Alltel and US Cellular in collaboration with Walmart to offer wireless service with an emphasis on easy to understand service plans, minus the contract.
U Prepaid will be available in 500 Walmart locations, spanning across 18 states. Depending on where you live, will determine whether or not you’ll be able to receive service from either US Cellular or Alltel. Pricing for plans hasn’t revealed just yet but the handset lineup will include the Samsung Repp powered by Android as well as a few feature phones like the Samsung Chrono, LG Attune and LG Saber. U Prepaid is expected to go live next month. Full press release below.
CHICAGO AND LITTLE ROCK (April 30, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) and Alltel Wireless have joined together to begin offering U Prepaid, a no contract wireless service, in select Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) in local communities across 18 states beginning in May. The alliance, the first of its kind in the industry, offers customers flexible payment options without signing a contract.
“Teaming with Alltel to gain distribution in Walmart gives us another opportunity to be where our customers want to shop and to offer more customers a prepaid service that helps them control their monthly budgets,” said Carter S. Elenz, executive vice president of sales and customer service for U.S. Cellular. “U Prepaid customers with U.S. Cellular will be backed by our high-speed network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier.”
The new alliance provides Walmart customers simplified, easy-to-understand service plan choices. Depending on where customers live, the U Prepaid service will run on either U.S. Cellular’s high-speed national network or Alltel’s advanced coast-to-coast network.
“Alltel is proud to bring the strength and equity of our U Prepaid brand to U.S. Cellular to create this unique alliance,” said Lesa Handly, chief marketing officer for Alltel Wireless. “Together, we can leverage our position as the “local” wireless carrier offering a hometown alternative in the communities we serve.”
Customers will be able to select one of four U Prepaid devices that best meets their personal needs. The Android-powered Samsung Repp is a touchscreen smartphone for customers who want to stay productive while on the go. The LG Attune/LG Exchange and LG Saber make staying connected to friends and family easy with full QWERTY keyboards, and the Samsung Chrono provides the features and functionality for customers who prefer to use their phone for calling and texting.
Customers will be able to choose from a variety of value-packed plans to match how they use their phones. There are multiple data options and plans that include unlimited talk and texting. All of the plans are nationwide with no roaming charges.
How will the prices compare to Straight Talk?
I just had a look now at their website, and no….there’s nothing there that would turn me away from Tracfone at the moment. As it is they’ve introduced a BYOD policy, which is quite frankly, almost unbelievable….up until I realized there must be a catch – and there must be a catch cause it’s too good…BYOD (assuming it’s any GSM handset as the whole BYOD thing is SIM card related), and they’ll sort you out for unlimited everything including data for a month for $45….c’mon that’s cool! This new alliance is offering it for $60, with inferior handsets. Answer your question?
Alltel still exists?