Guess who's back?? Millenicom!!

[Mark Blue]

It has been a little over a year since we lost a significant resource in the cellular service provider market, but it is back. I'm talking about Millenicom. Yes that is right, your eyes didn't deceive you! Here's a link to their temporary webpage: http://spartacus15.wix.com/millenicom

They have inked a deal with T Mobile to get back in business. These details only recently leaked out on certain internet forums, so I thought I'd let everyone here know in case you're in the market for service. These are SIM only plans, so you would need to keep that in mind. Just in time for chase season, so I hope this helps!

 

[Matt Salo]

T-Mobile?? The thing that was attractive about the previous Millenicom was that they offered Verizon, which has a much better coverage area, especially in rural areas where we chase. I still have my old Millenicom Verizon JetPack that I now use directly through Verizon. I also have AT&T on my phone with Tethering. My AT&T loses service in chase areas often enough to make it unreliable for chasing, and I rarely lose service with the Verizon JetPack.

 

[Mark Blue]

I realize T Mobile isn't the best option for us chasers, but at a minimum subscribers will get a set amount of LTE data to use, but unlimited data at speeds lower than 4G. I like the fact that T Mobile is putting pressure on the other data providers who meter their data out like it's a rare wine or something. In the current environment, I don't know that Millenicom could've made a deal with Verizon or AT&T until they stop with the data buckets, especially Verizon.

Who knows, a year or two from now they might be able to strike up a deal with the one or both of the big two, then we'll be completely back on track. There's no debating that Verizon is the overall best for chasers, but this is good news in my book and I hope that Millenicom can return to their former glory.

 

[Ethan Schisler]

lol T-mobile...I always joke about the commercial where the lady is riding the bike between cities at like light speed...because she has to keep up with the signal before it drops off. Unless you live in a major city, I think T-mobile is pretty much useless.

 

[Mark Blue]

It wasn't that long ago that Millenicom was a boon for the chaser community, then they just disappeared into the vapor-sphere. I have to believe it had something to do with the direction the four major carriers took with data buckets and the fact they could no longer repackage services in the form of unlimited data, because unlimited had mostly gone away. I'm happy they're making a comeback in a marketplace that is anything but static and ever-evolving.

With this first offering from Millenicom there will be few, if any, chasers dumping their current plans to sign up with them, but it bears watching based on their former business model. In a year or two from now they might be repackaging unlimited data service from Verizon or AT&T, who knows. Verizon currently has a workforce that is on strike, the customer base is becoming increasingly disgruntled, regulators are watching and applying massive pressure, and they don't have as much leverage as they once did. These are the catalysts that bring about change in a marketplace that is currently designed in favor of bigger and bigger profits. I'll be curious to see how it all shakes out and what Millenicom will have to offer in a year or two from now. Officially the doors aren't even open for business yet, but it appears they're making a comeback. I can only hope it leads to bigger and better things and that data limits go the way of the dinosaurs!

 

[Matt Tottle]

The worst part of all these faux "unlimited" plans is that they give you a couple GB at LTE and then they drop you back to 1xRTT at 100kbps (they don't even give you 3G FFS!) for the rest of the month. That coupled with T-Mobile's god awful coverage means this new venture is going to die unless they can get back into bed with Verizon pronto. Those prices aren't anything earth shattering either like they used to be, they're pretty much the same as Straight Talk.

 

[Mark Blue]

Time will tell with these guys. Verizon recently made some policy changes regarding their grandfathered unlimited data plans and are allowing AOL (Assumption of Liability) again. The conditions to get one are somewhat tricky but the door is slowly being opened up whereas it used to be slammed shut. Could this be a sign that they're rethinking data buckets? I wouldn't go that far, but it's interesting to note.

If this were a buy, sell, or hold trade I'd be holding and just watching and waiting to see what happens with Millenicom with a glass half full mentality, but that's just me.

 

[ericjkelly]

So obviously like most I am a Verizon guy. I wonder how service would be with T Mobile and a GOOD amp such as weboost? Could a good amp overcome the crappy service? Unlimited data WOULD be nice!

 

[Mark Blue]

If there's a usable signal an amplifier will lock on to it and usually make it better, but if it gets too weak or distant it won't make much difference. T Mobile is now the 3rd largest carrier after last year and in certain circles are known as the carrier to watch. For chasers though, I still don't think it would work as we always find those remote places in no mans land. Wouldn't it be nice if Verizon at least had rollover data and didn't axe it at the end of each billing cycle? I get tired of them blowing away what I've paid good money for each month!

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

Time will tell with these guys. Verizon recently made some policy changes regarding their grandfathered unlimited data plans and are allowing AOL (Assumption of Liability) again. The conditions to get one are somewhat tricky but the door is slowly being opened up whereas it used to be slammed shut. Could this be a sign that they're rethinking data buckets? I wouldn't go that far, but it's interesting to note.

If this were a buy, sell, or hold trade I'd be holding and just watching and waiting to see what happens with Millenicom with a glass half full mentality, but that's just me.

what changes did Verizon make to their grandfathered unlimited data plans?

I still have mine, but the data cost went up $20 a month [emoji35]

6 years of loyalty and thats how I get repaid. [emoji19]

 

[Mark Blue]

http://bit.ly/1XjUw1s

Above is a link to that has a lot of the details regarding your question and quite a bit more. There are inline FAQs you can expand, especially peek at the first one where it recaps policy changes over the recent past. Your $20 hike was the October 2015 policy change related to unlimited data plans. Then as you scroll down, follow the links (there are many) for additional or related information all the way down. I think most of that is public, hopefully you won't hit any member only material. Let me know what you think.

Verizon has taken a hardline stance that no new unlimited data plans will be offered this year in January 2016. Not the news I'd like to hear, but someday it'll hopefully change.

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

that's interesting stuff. thx for the link

 

[Mark Blue]

No worries and glad you found it interesting. It's kind of addicting once you start digging deeper.