C Spire says it’s offering “no bull” pricing in the form of a $45 monthly plan, starting with the first line that provides unlimited talk, text and 10 GB of high-speed data.
The Ridgeland, Mississippi-based operator says it’s all about disrupting the wireless industry with a plan that doesn’t require the customer to buy three or four lines in order to get a discounted price. C Spire names AT&T and Verizon in its press release as those with pricing that “requires consumers to pay from $60 to $90 a month for one or two lines.”
“We’re disrupting the industry with a plan that doesn’t encourage individuals to subscribe to four lines to get the best pricing, benefits and service deal,” said Brian Caraway, general manager of C Spire’s wireless division, in a statement. “We’re not about confusing consumers – this is easy-to-understand, simple, straightforward and transparent.”
According to C Spire, the plan's flexibility makes it attractive to consumers who have been pressed by other carriers, in some cases, to subscribe to more lines than they need to get the maximum benefits. "One of the main reasons we developed this plan is because the price you see is rarely the price you pay in wireless today," he added.
The move is reminiscent of the kinds of plays T-Mobile has done as part of its “un-carrier” movement. C Spire didn’t name T-Mobile in the release; T-Mobile offers a “Magenta” plan for $35 a month with four lines with auto-pay and a third line “on us,” for a total of $140 per month.
"Most competitors advertise price points in the $40+ range, but they don't tell you that you have to have four lines to get that price," Caraway stated. "In fact, the price in many cases can be much higher if you want one or two lines.”
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The company points to research by Strategy Analytics and the Pew Center for the Internet and Technology that shows a majority of the nation's 422 million wireless subscribers use 10 GB of data or less a month, meaning that most consumers are paying for more than they need.