New 'brightspot' prepaid MVNO tipped to be coming from Target and T-Mobile [UPDATED]

Editorial Director of News and Content

| September 30, 2013

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brightspot: Target/T-Mobile prepaid MVNO. S3, F3, F6, 521, unlocked GSM. $50 unlimited talk, text, web (1GB 4G). pic.twitter.com/NRaGvIhPra

— @evleaks (@evleaks) October 1, 2013

After first teaming up to sell wireless goods way back in April 2010, it looks like Target and T-Mobile may have another partnership in the works that'll bring them even closer.

A new prepaid MVNO dubbed "brightspot" is reportedly set to be introduced as a collaboration between Target and T-Mobile. That's according to @evleaks, who claims that the service will offer a plan with unlimited talk, text and web, including 1GB of high-speed data, for $50 per month. It's also said that customers will receive a $25 Target gift card for every six consecutive months of service. The Target/T-Mo collabo is expected to support unlocked GSM hardware with a SIM kit and will have devices like the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S III, LG Optimus F3 and F6 and the Nokia Lumia 521 available to consumers.

Target is no stranger to the mobile game, as the retailer has been selling phones in its stores for years and has its own dedicated sales website. Apparently the bullseye crew is feeling a bit more ambitious now, though, and while brightspot's $50 plan sounds decent compared to all of the other prepaid options out there, the perk of receiving a $25 Target gift card for six straight months of service could make this MVNO attractive to some consumers. There's no word yet on when brightspot will officially launch, but that packaging up there looks to me like it's ready for the fluorescent light of retail stores, so it may not be long before we hear more.

UPDATE: A new report from Droid-Life claims to have more details on "brightspot" and exactly how it'll work. The service is expected to offer three different plans, starting with a $35 option that includes unlimited talk and text but no data. Smartphone users can choose from the aforementioned $50 plan that includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of high-speed data (throttled after that point), or a $65 option with unlimited talk, text and 4GB of high-speed data. International add-ons will be available that include texting for $5 per month or calling and texting for $10.

The $25 Target gift card reward is also backed up by this latest report. It's said that brightspot subscribers will receive the gift card by mail around 2-4 weeks after qualifying. An internal document comparing brightspot to both StraightTalk and Verizon pre-paid can be found below. It's expected that brightspot will officially launch this Sunday, Oct. 6.