Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Virgin Mobile users get access to the iPhone 5 next week

Mike Flacy
By
iphone-5-review-main
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Detailed by the Los Angeles Times today, Virgin Mobile will start carrying the iPhone 5 with unlimited data plans as cheap as $30 per month on June 28, 2013. Up to this point, only the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S have been available to Virgin Mobile users. The 16GB version of the iPhone 5 will be sold for $550 in Virgin Mobile stores, but customers can also find the 32GB version for $650 and 64GB version for $750 through the online store. Alternatively, the 16GB version of the iPhone 4S is currently priced around $380 on the site.

Virgin Mobile USA to get Apple iPhoneVirgin Mobile plans differ from other carriers since data is technically unlimited while voice minutes are sold at a premium. In addition, there’s no contract required to activate Virgin Mobile service. Service providers like Verizon and AT&T require two year contracts in addition to putting premium prices on data while offering unlimited voice minutes.

Recommended Videos

Operating a 16GB iPhone 5 on Virgin Mobile’s network for two years will cost between $1270 to $1870 depending on the voice plan while operating the same phone on Verizon for the same two years will cost between $2120 to $10,160 depending on the data plan (300MB per month up to 50GB per month).

Related

Virgin Mobile’s three main Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans include $35 for 300 anytime minutes per month, $45 for 1200 anytime minutes per month and $55 per month for unlimited minutes. As a bonus, subscribers can get an additional $5 off their bill each month simply for signing up for automatic payments. 

While data is technically unlimited with the Beyond Talk plans, Virgin Mobile does throttle 4G and 3G data speeds after a subscriber passes a 2.5GB monthly threshold for data usage. Once the user hits that cap, data speeds automatically fall to 256Kbps for the remainder of the billing cycle. This is a similar policy that’s implemented by other prepaid carriers that offer smartphones. However, average monthly data usage for iPhone users is less than 2GB per month according to a FierceWireless study published during March 2013.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mike Flacy
Mike Flacy
Contributing Editor
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
This new folding phone costs less than half the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max
ZTE Flip 5G color options.

Earlier this year, ZTE offshoot Nubia showed off a foldable phone, and expectedly, the biggest draw was its supposedly attractive asking price. As U.S. shoppers waited for the phone to hit retail shelves, ZTE launched it in Japan as the Libero Flip. Thankfully, the wait is finally over on this side of the Atlantic, as well.

Nubia's website has recently listed the Nubia Flip 5G for pr-eorder on its website. The best part is the asking price, which is only $500 for the base variant with a respectable 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. You can bump the RAM to 12GB and double the storage capacity for an additional $200.

Read more
The 10 best photo editing apps for Android and iOS in 2024
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Google Pixel 8 Pro Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Smartphones tend to have pretty good camera systems these days, whether you're talking about the very latest Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the iPhone 14. But even the perfect photo can sometimes need a little additional pizazz. A little extra sparkle can come in the form of a simple color filter, artificially added background blur, or can extend as far as diving into an image's levels and other advanced features. Heck, now that we're in the AI era, it can also include using a tool to transpose yourself into a medieval setting or swapping a face with a friend.

Read more
Why you should buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max instead of the iPhone 15 Pro
Someone holding an iPhone 15 Pro Max outside on a patio, showing the back of the Natural Titanium color.

If you want the best iPhone money can buy in 2024, you have two options: the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. They have the same chipset, similar display technology, nearly identical cameras, etc. It's a really close battle, save for the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro is $200 cheaper.

It might be tempting to save some cash and choose the iPhone 15 Pro, but I recommend you splurge for the larger (and more expensive) iPhone 15 Pro Max. Why? Let me explain.
It's a big iPhone you won't hate using

Read more