Sprint (NYSE: S) MVNO Scratch Wireless is offering unlimited cellular voice and data for 24 hours on Sprint's network for $4 when customers are out of range of Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi-first Scratch said it wants to give its customers more flexibility and control to choose the services they want, when they want them, without having to pay for more than what they use.
Now, Scratch is offering unlimited cellular voice for $1.99 and unlimited cellular data for $1.99 on a 24-hour pass. Previously, Scratch's $1.99 24-hour voice and data passes provided 30 minutes of cellular calling or 25 MB of cellular data.
Scratch makes text, voice and data services free when a user is on Wi-Fi. Like with fellow Sprint MVNOs Republic Wireless and TextNow, when a customer is out of Wi-Fi range, they roam onto Sprint's network.
However, unlike those services, Scratch customers can choose whether or not they want to buy passes to get access to voice and data services--or not. The passes provide minimal amounts of each, but can be purchased on a daily or month-long basis.
In terms of additional cellular voice passes, Scratch offers:
- $6.99 for 100 minutes over 30 days
- $14.99 for unlimited voice over 30 days
For cellular data, Scratch offers these additional passes:
- $14.99 for 500 MB over 30 days
- $24.99 for unlimited data over 30 days
In addition to its new passes, Scratch is also launching a holiday promotion for its lone existing smartphone, the Motorola Photon Q, with special pricing at $99 on Cyber Monday (it normally costs $269). The offer, which starts at midnight on Monday, Dec. 1, is valid only until supplies last.
Wi-Fi calling has gone much more mainstream during the past year. T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) made a major push starting in September for Wi-Fi calling by letting customers upgrade to a new Wi-Fi capable smartphone if they don't already have one. In addition, the carrier is offering postpaid customers a free (with a $25 deposit) proprietary "Cellspot" Wi-Fi router for their home to enhance their in-home coverage. Additionally, T-Mobile is the first and only U.S. carrier to support Wi-Fi calling on the new iPhone.
Sprint offers Wi-Fi calling and Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE: T) have indicated they will launch their own Wi-Fi calling services in 2015.
For more:
- see this release
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