Today has brought with it the second new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) of the week, and while the latest provider comes with a name some of you may be familiar with, you likely wouldn't have guessed that the firm would be interested in entering the cellular arena. Video games retailer GameStop has introduced GameStop Mobile, an MVNO that operates on AT&T's network. Interested customers can buy a SIM card from GameStop Mobile and then insert it into an unlocked GSM or AT&T device, select a plan and then they'll be ready to roll.
Speaking of plans, there are a number of different offerings for users to select from. The cheapest plan is a $20 per month Pay As You Go option, with minutes and texts priced at 10 cents apiece and data set at $1.50 per megabyte. Next up is a $35 plan that includes unlimited minutes and texts but still has PAYG data priced at 30 cents per megabyte. The $45 option also includes unlimited talk and text and also includes 100MB of data usage, and the most expensive offering tops out at $55 per month and includes unlimited talk and text as well as 500MB of data. There's also a data-only option that offers 1GB of service for $55 per month.
It's definitely a tad surprising to see GameStop launch an MVNO. After all, while GameStop does offer iPhones, iPads and Android tablets, the retailer is primarily known for selling video games. Gamers have been known to be enthusiasts of other types of technology, though, and I'm sure that there are some folks out there that'd be down with the idea of getting an unlocked handset and signing up for GameStop Mobile. Whether or not there'll be enough of those people to keep GameStop Mobile around long-term remains to be seen, but it'll be interesting to see how the public reacts to the MVNO. Would any of you consider switching to GameStop Mobile?
