Virgin Mobile Transitioning To iPhone-Only, Offers Year Of Unlimited Data For $1

It seems like the four major wireless providers are changing their plans daily to undercut each other and steal customers, but one prepaid wireless company is basically trying to out-promo everyone else by paring down to just one phone and offering a year of data for just(ish) $1.

Virgin Mobile announced today that it will transition to be an iPhone-only carrier, add its service to those offered in Apple stores, and provide a limited-time promotion of unlimited data for $1.

The Sprint-owned company, which claims it will be the first iPhone-only carrier, is already offering the iPhone SE, 6, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, and 7 Plus on its website.

The Inner Circle deal, available only until July 31, provides customers with 12 months of service for $1. After that, the introductory offer decreases to six months of unlimited data for $1. When a customer’s promotional offer runs out, users will be transitioned to one of Virgin’s regular pricing, which starts at $50/month for “unlimited” talk, text, and data. (More on what Virgin means by “unlimited” in a minute.)

Additionally, the $1 deal doesn’t include taxes and requires an iPhone purchase and enrollment in AutoPay when you upgrade as an existing Virgin Mobile customer, or new members must transfer their number.

Of course, the unlimited plan isn’t completely unlimited. Per Virgin Mobile’s terms, the company can terminate service if off-network roaming use in a month exceeds 800 minutes or a majority of minutes; or 100MB or a majority of KB.

Customers who use more than 23GB of data during the billing cycle will be deprioritized during times and places where the network is constrained, the company says.

Virgin Mobile says that those who sign up for the new offer can also receive other Virgin-branded perks, including a round-trip companion ticket to the UK on Virgin Atlantic, a one-night stay at Virgin Hotels, a $170 introductory offer to Virgin Wines, up to 20% off flights to Virgin America, and 20% off the Virgin Sport San Francisco Festival of Fitness. These offers end Sept. 30.

The carrier’s new plan comes just months after each of the four major wireless providers debuted their own unlimited plans, and a month after parent company Sprint began offering a free year of its Unlimited service for any Verizon customers who switch to the carrier.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist