Zer01 goes nationwide with unlimited voice, data service

After a few months of delay, MVNE Zer01 Mobile announced the nationwide launch of its unlimited, prepaid, voice and data service that the company is selling to distributors. The company said its low-cost offering can support unlimited service via mobile VoIP technology running over an unnamed carrier's GSM network.

"Many years of research and testing have culminated in the public launch this week of the new, truly unlimited voice, data and Web mobile wireless service from Zer01 Mobile. Thanks to the ingenuity of the Zer01 Mobile engineering team, our new Veritable Mobile Convergence technology allows each smartphone user to make voice calls or transmit data through a VoIP system," explained Ben Piilani, CEO of Zer01, in a release.

The company's offering is not intended for end users. Instead, Zer01 is selling the service as a mobile virtual network enabler, meaning that the company developed the relationship with a carrier (T-Mobile USA, according to Current Analysis) and will supply handsets and other services, but won't actively sell the service to phone shoppers. That task falls to the company's distributors, which include Buzzirk Mobile and others, according to a Zer01 spokesman. A cursory check of Buzzirk Mobile's website indeed showed an offer for unlimited voice and data service for $79.95 per month.

A Zer01 spokesman said the company is moving forward with its plans and expects to add additional distributors in the near future. The company said its system runs on Windows Mobile phones, and it will offer devices from HTC and Pharos. He said Zer01's service also includes low-cost international calling.

Zer01 unveiled its plans in March, and at the time said it would launch in April with a service for $69.95 per month. However, the company has since backed off offering that specific price, apparently to provide more flexible pricing options to distributors.

For more:
- see this release [1]

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Article updated July 1 and July 7.