Virgin Mobile Hybrid Plan is their Bread Butter

Sometimes more subscribers isn’t always better. The bad news for Virgin Mobile that they lost a net 269,000 subscribers in the second quarter. One would think it’s tough to find a silver lining in that, but it’s certainly there for them.




Beyond their acquisition by Sprint Nextel, Virgin saw a consumer shift to more profitable hybrid plans. This allowed their net income to rise while their operating revenue fell. So while Virgin is losing customers like its to-be parent company, at least Virgin is seeing those remaining customers migrate to plans which benefit the company.

It makes sense that hybrid plans — those which mimic contract plans by offering a set number of minutes for a fixed monthly price — would bring in more revenue. When balances run low, they’ll conserve,delaying the purchase of another top-up card. But with hybrid plans,the customer is already locked into a set amount monthly. That gives Virgin a steady income.

Over the next quarter, Virgin will likely focus on getting more customers on hybrid plans, even if it means losing subscribers overall. Perhaps this will be part of an industry-wide movement, where pay-as-you-go customers will move to a carrier like Net10, which specialized in pay-as-you-go, while hybrid customers will pick up Virgin or Boost Mobile.

Airtel Special 5 Plan

This was surely coming from the countries largest mobile operator, Airtel. Ever since TATA Indicom was launched with all ‘first of its kind’ rates in India, other mobile operators should have been on their feet.




Airtel now announces ‘Special 5‘ offer where you can call any 5 Airtel numbers for incredible rates. This offer looks similar to the one which BSNL has for its customers. But it’s interesting to see Airtel jump into such offers, prior to which Airtel has seemingly high rates compared to other networks but was relying hugely on its Network quality.

Under this ‘Special 5′ offer you can not only call local Airtel numbers but also add any Airtel STD numbers. However, the charges for local and STD calls differ but are still far lower than any offer Airtel introduced ever so far.As the name may suggest that you can add up to 5 Airtel numbers in your ‘Special 5′ numbers list. Calls to local Airtel number in that list of 5 will be charged at 20 p/min and calls to STD numbers will be charged at 50 p/min.

This offer is all about giving you freedom to contact your friends and family. Previously in F & F offer, only local calls could be added but now you can even add STD numbers.And there will be a registration charges of Rs.5 per each number and a daily rental of Rs.1/each number (as per Airtel customer care) in majority of States in India like AP, WB, Assam, Bihar, North Eastern
States, UP, Punjab, Delhi, HP.

If you reside in Tamilnadu, you have even less rentals at only 20paise per number per day for local numbers and 50 paise per day per number for STD numbers. So in this case if you have 3 local number and 2 STD airtel numbers in your Special 5 Group, you need to pay a daily rental
of Rs.1.60.

All you have to do to activate this offer call 12141 and add your list
of ‘Special 5′ numbers.

Virgin Mobile Hybrid Plan is their Bread Butter

Sometimes more subscribers isn’t always better. The bad news for Virgin Mobile that they lost a net 269,000 subscribers in the second quarter. One would think it’s tough to find a silver lining in that, but it’s certainly there for them.




Beyond their acquisition by Sprint Nextel, Virgin saw a consumer shift to more profitable hybrid plans. This allowed their net income to rise while their operating revenue fell. So while Virgin is losing customers like its to-be parent company, at least Virgin is seeing those remaining customers migrate to plans which benefit the company.

It makes sense that hybrid plans — those which mimic contract plans by offering a set number of minutes for a fixed monthly price — would bring in more revenue. When balances run low, they’ll conserve, delaying the purchase of another top-up card. But with hybrid plans, the customer is already locked into a set amount monthly. That gives Virgin a steady income.

Over the next quarter, Virgin will likely focus on getting more customers on hybrid plans, even if it means losing subscribers overall. Perhaps this will be part of an industry-wide movement, where pay-as-you-go customers will move to a carrier like Net10, which specialized in pay-as-you-go, while hybrid customers will pick up Virgin or Boost Mobile.

BSNL 425 Plan

BSNL, the Indian telecom operator, has reframed its mobile postpaid plans. The Plan 299 has been merged with the Plan 225. The Plan 225 will offer local calls at INR 0.60 /minute and STD calls are charged INR 1/minute.




The roaming Plan 550 has been merged with the Plan 525. The Plan 525 will offer local calls at INR 0.40 per minute, on-net STD calls at INR 0.60 per minute, STD calls to other GSM networks at INR 0.80, and calls to fixed/WLL at INR 0.60 per minute on the BSNL network and INR 0.80 per minute to other networks.

The tariffs under Plan 490 have been cut down and the fixed monthly charge has also been reduced to INR 425 from INR 490. The Plan 425 will offer local and STD calls at INR 0.50 per minute.

The pulse rate is 15 seconds. Intra-circle calls would be charged at 40 paise per minute.