Virgin Mobile

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Product Summary

Virgin Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator that offers prepaid plans and music services for a young audience.

CNET editors' take

Reviewed on: 03/21/2008

Editor's note: Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section; the more input we get from around the U.S., the better our users can evaluate coverage at a national level.

The first Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) carrier in the United States, Virgin Mobile has led the way in aggressively marketing its prepaid service to the youth market. If you've been to a Virgin Megastore lately, you've doubtless seen Virgin Mobile phones hanging from display racks. The carrier operates over Sprint's network and is therefore a CDMA carrier. Virgin Mobile is usually offered where there's Sprint network coverage.

Things you should know:

As a CDMA carrier, international coverage is limited.
There is no activation fee.
It offers two payment options: Pay-as-you-go and monthly plans with no contract required.
You have to pay $10 a month for unlimited text and messaging with a monthly plan. It's $20 a month if you have a pay-as-you-go plan.
Most of its devices tend toward basic handsets, ranging from $9.99 all the way to $99.99 (The Kyocera Wild Card is its only device with a QWERTY keyboard).
Carries mostly Kyocera, LG, and UTStarcom phones.
You can make payments via PayPal.
All monthly plans include unlimited nights and weekends. Pay-as-you-go plans have rollover minutes.
There are no roaming or long distance charges.

Fast facts:

Subscribers: more than 5 million

Coverage: Virgin Mobile has CDMA coverage in every state, similar to Sprint. Individual coverage will vary by location. For international coverage CDMA roaming is available in 26 countries.

Technology: CDMA; 1xRTT

3G network: No

Streaming video service: No

Music download service: No

Push-to-talk: No

Analog roaming: Yes

Prepaid plans: Yes

Family plans: No

	AT&T	T-Mobile	Sprint Nextel	Verizon Wireless
Coverage map	AT&T coverage map	T-Mobile coverage map	Sprint Nextel coverage map	Verizon Wireless coverage map
Technology	GSM; GPRS; EDGE	GSM; GPRS: EDGE	CDMA; 1xRTT; iDEN	CDMA; 1xRTT
3G network	Yes, UMTS, EV-DO	No (coming in 2007)	Yes, EV-DO	Yes, EV-DO
Data plans	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Streaming video network	Yes, AT&T Video	No	Yes, Sprint Power Vision	Yes, Verizon V Cast
Music download service	Yes, AT&T Music	No	Yes, Sprint Music Store	Yes, V Cast Wireless Music
Push-to-Talk	Available, depending on phone model	No	Available, depending on phone model	Available, depending on phone model
Analog roaming	No	No	Yes	Yes
Prepay plans	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Family plans	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

	U.S. Cellular	Alltel	MetroPCS
Coverage map	U.S. Cellular coverage map	Alltel coverage map	MetroPCS coverage map
Technology	CDMA; 1xRTT	CDMA; 1xRTT	CDMA; 1xRTT
3G network	No	Yes, EV-DO	No
Data plans	Yes	Yes	No
Streaming video network	No	Yes	No
Music download service	No	No	No
Push-to-Talk	Available, depending on phone model	Available, depending on phone model	No
Analog roaming	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prepay plans	Yes	Yes	No
Family plans	Yes	Yes	No