Virgin Mobile has joined the ranks of mobile opertors offering $50/month unlimited calling plans, ratcheting up competition amongst mobile operators as cash-strapped consumers look to cut back on their mobile bills. Virgin Mobile new Totally Unlimited Calling plan comes in at $49.99 a month, and offer unlimited voice minute throughout the United States with no roaming charges; customers can add unlimited text and messaging for another $10 a month, and the company is also promising an even cheaper $39.99/month plan that offers unlimited calling after 7 PM and on weekends.
With its $50 a month plan, Virgin Mobile is now matching price points set by the likes of T-Mobile and Boost that debuted earlier this year, although the move is largely being viewed as a response to increased competition from MetroPCS and Leap Wireless, which both offer unlimited pre-paid service for $35 to $350 a month in some areas. MetroPCS has been expanding into Virgin’s core markets in the northeast U.S., including Boston and New York.
Virgin Mobile operates as an MVNO on Sprint’s network, and currently has about 5.4 million subscribers. Existing Virgin Mobile customers will be able to switch over to the $50/month plan after April 15 by contacting Virgin Mobile directly.
