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Virgin Mobile Prepaid Cellular
Editor Rating
Overview
Virgin mobile was born in the United Kingdom and has branched out to include the United States. They specialize in mobile solutions and own several brands in addition to Virgin Mobile, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Megastores and Virgin Pulse.
Pros: Virgin Mobile offers 2 plans. You can either choose a pay by the minute or pay by the month plan. Refill cards can be purchased at retail locations across the nation making it convenient to add minutes. Coverage is nationwide and includes all 50 States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Cons: The plans are kind of confusing and the website is definitely aimed at a youth audience. It can be hard to navigate and understand if you're over the age of 20. The FAQ section of the website was lacking a search function and we had some slight issues with disconnections when calling customer service.
Detailed Provider Information
Plans: Virgin Mobile offers two plan styles; a pay by the minute plan and a pay by the month plan. The first pay as you go plans offer buckets of minutes, which each provide a different calling rate. For 20 dollars you get 200 minutes, for 30 dollars you get 400 minutes, and for 50 dollars you get 1,000 minutes. As long as you buy another minute package within 30 days, your old balance will roll over for an additional 30 days, with a maximum of 5,000 minutes to roll over. As an alternative, Virgin Mobile offers a pay as you go rate of 20 cents per minute. Customers can opt to pay $6.99 per month to have that reduced to 10 cents per minute. Virgin also has monthly plans which mimic traditional contract plans, but on a prepaid basis. The $29.99 plan includes 300 anytime minutes and 1,000 night and weekend minutes (starting at 7 p.m.). The $39.99 plan includes 400 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes. The $49.99 plan includes unlimited calling, to any number, any time of day, any day of the week. Finally, Virgin has Texter's Delight plans, which offer voice minutes at 10 cents each. The plans are $14.99 per month for 1,000 text messages and $19.99 per month for unlimited messages.
Customer Service: Virgin Mobile's customer care can be reached via email or through a toll free number.
Credit Check: None
Contract: None
Payment Options: To pay your Virgin Mobile prepaid bill per purchase minutes, you can register a credit card, debit card, or PayPal account for automatic bill payment. You can also buy refill cards at thousands of retailers nationwide.
Text and Picture Messaging: With pay as you go minute plans, there are three messaging package options. It is 5 dollars for 200 messages, 10 dollars for 1,000 messages, or 20 dollars for unlimited messages. With a monthly plan, 1,000 messages costs 5 dollars per month, and unlimited messaging is 10 dollars per month. Without a messaging package, text messages, emails, and instant messages are 15 cents and picture messages are 25 cents. Packages include all types of messaging.
Data Plans: Virgin Mobile offers EVDO data plans. For pay as you go customers, the cost is 5 dollars per month for 5 megabytes of data, 10 dollars per month for 20 megabytes and unlimited VirginXL, and 20 dollars per month for 50 megabytes and unlimited VirginXL. For monthly plans, the cost is 5 dollars per month for 20 megabytes, and 10 dollars per month for 50 megabytes and unlimited VirginXL.
Downloadables: There are a large selection of ringtones, games, screensavers and wallpapers available for download starting at 1 dollar each and going up from there.
International Calling: Virgin Mobile does offer international calling. International charges include standard airtime and the international rate per minute. Rates start at 15 cents per minute and vary depending upon the destination country. You'll want to check rates with customer service for countries you plan to call prior to calling them to get current rates.
Roaming Charges: The Virgin Mobile pay as you go phone service has no roaming charges. Your phone will not work outside your coverage area.
Calling Features: Virgin Mobile service include call waiting, caller ID and voicemail.
Activation Fee: None
Nationwide Long Distance: Virgin Mobiles includes nationwide long distance in their plans including long distance to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Long distance calls are treated the same as regular calls.
411 Calls: Yes, directory assistance is available for $1.75 per call, plus airtime charges.
Earliest Minute Expiration: To keep your account active, Virgin Mobile requires you add at least 20 dollars of airtime to your account every 90 days, even if you have a balance. If you do not add airtime every 90 days, your phone will be canceled and you will lose your number.
911 Calls: Yes
Phones: Available phones start at $9.99 and include color displays. Flip phones and some camera phones are also available. One model offered by Virgin Mobile has a full keyboard for IM, email and text messaging.
Some Available Cell Models:
LG Flare
UTStarcom Arc (shown)
Kyocera Wild Card
Samsung Slash
Audiovox Slice
Kyocera Cyclops
Coverage Map: Virgin Mobile Coverage Map
Activation Guide: Virgin Mobile activation guide
Latest News: News about Virgin Mobile Prepaid
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Virgin Mobile
This company is "all that" and more.Perfect! I've been
5
Virgin Mobile
when your actvating your phone put in the kickback code as: rLc69Nxd
3
Virgin Mobile
I overall like the phone . If your going to buy it there is a
3
Virgin Mobile
Watch your credit card, they will charge you whenever they feel
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Who cares
2010/02/07 |
Watch your credit card, they will charge you whenever they feel the need. I probably used my phone a total of 30 minutes a week, that is stretching it by 10 minutes, and was being charged $40-50 every month. Watch out, there are better companys out there.
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Virgin Mobile
I just don’t understand why everyone seems to have so many
5
Virgin Mobile
apparently im the only one who doesnt have a problem.. nothing
4
Virgin Mobile
I just bought my VM cell phone, and im already having problems.
1
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Schehera
2010/02/03 |
I just bought my VM cell phone, and im already having problems. I don't have any signal where i live. I changed my number today and now i dont even know my number to log in. and i cant add money to my phone becuz i dont have signal. its really starting to piss me off..i dont think anyone should have this type of phone or plan. big waste of time, money, and patience!!
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Virgin Mobile
I ordered unlimited text and called them twice to make sure it
1
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kendra
2010/02/02 |
I ordered unlimited text and called them twice to make sure it went through. my remaining balance,the messages kept taking my minutes,i called up,had to threaten them with a lawyer if they didn't put my remaining money back on because I have unlimited text,they need to have people from America for customer service this is bullshit all they can say is UM HOLD ON MISS UM HOLD ON and keep you on the line forever when they don't get the job done and say the same thing um have a nice day miss stfu virgin mobile use to be good,not no more...i hate em..nice phones but not worth the angryness.
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Virgin Mobile
o far I haveing trouble geting my phone activate by them.
3
Virgin Mobile
don't do it overcharged me every month + the plan I wanted has
1
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david
2010/01/31 |
don't do it overcharged me every month + the plan I wanted has to be entered every month.
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Virgin Mobile
i had virgin mobile for about 3 years and they are very pricey
3
Virgin Mobile
CROOKS!!!!!! I cancelled my plan a year ago and they keep charging
1
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Hikingslo
2010/01/27 |
CROOKS!!!!!! I cancelled my plan a year ago and they keep charging me every month, they won't refund my money. THE ABSOLUTE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH, NOT JUST CELL PHONE COMPANY, ALL COMPANIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Virgin Mobile
I have been with Virgin Mobile for teh past 2 1/2 years. Being
2
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racer4him
2010/01/24 |
I have been with Virgin Mobile for teh past 2 1/2 years. Being a teenager the only time i use my fone to make a call is when im left at school after sports or extracurricular activities. Other than that my fone is mainly for texting.When i first signed on with them they were the cheapest prepaid company i found for both calling and texting.When i purchased a new fone after being with them for about 8 months and i went to activate it they had to give me a whole new fone number, and because of the fact that i had to start a new account i lost my old plan which was cheaper than the ones they ahve now.So my texts went from 10 cents a txt to 15 cents. That may not seem like alot but when u text as much as i do it adds up. There was no way that i could commit myself to a monthly plan which was why i chose prepaid.I didnt let it bug me because i knew that all prices were going up. Around Thanksgiving of 2009 i decided to buy myself a new fone as a christmas present for myself, so many different problems with it, it was NOT funny!Everytime i called they said they were out of stock and would send me a new one as soon as tehy got in a shipment of the super slice. The 90 days passed and i still had no new fone and could not get a new one. I had just spent 50 dollars on a fone taht would nto send or receive pictures or even check my balance. I had had it. To top it off they started overcharging me for everything and i mean EVERYTHING! It was nto a lot just a couple of cents here and there, but like i said they add up.You can never get ahold of a live person when u call teh customer service unless you go through the orderingl ine where they have to put you on hold forever(and tehy charger you minutes for it too) until you get a person, of whom you cannot even understand! Its such a ahorrible company, unless you can afford almost just as much as a pricey contract plan without the contract. Had I written a review 6 months after i had purchased my phone they could have gottn 5 stars.
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Virgin Mobile
I like the phones! Their computers are always down, it's hard
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Angie
2010/01/24 |
I like the phones! Their computers are always down, it's hard to understand these non-american people. This is what happens when jobs are outsourced! I would choose straight talk at $45 unlimited a month for talk and text! VM is $50 just unlimited talk!
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Virgin Mobile
Let me start off with its cheap it $20 for unlimited texting.
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Virgin Mobile
I have been a customer for over 8 years, but this does not matter
1
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ihatevm
2010/01/23 |
I have been a customer for over 8 years, but this does not matter to them. Over the last few months, they keep charging me .15 per day for XTRAS that I did not sign up for or authorize. I do what they say to disable it, even though I did not enable it in the first place, and then once in a while I find I have no minutes left when I know I should. Now over the last couple of days they have starting taking 9.99 for something they say I subscribed to by answering a text, when I have incoming texts disabled. I can't get any help- they refunded my money only to take it out again the next day. I will see if my bank will help and I am also filing a complaint with the Attorney General of my state with their consumer protection division. Buyer BEWARE!!!!!
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Virgin Mobile
if i could give them less than one star i would!!! i have a
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jim k
2010/01/22 |
if i could give them less than one star i would!!! i have a $49.99 UNLIMITED call plan. every month i go to the local target where many times i can purchase the top up card on sale. EVERY month since i had this plan i have had nightmares dealing with this company!!!! there is NO customer service, when you finally get to talk to a live human being, you can't even understand their poor english. i just found out that i have been paying .20 a minute and have gone thru the $50 top up i did earlier in the month. what happened to my unlimited plan??? now i have to call some outsourced schmuck in bf egypt!! can't make to afford my blackberry again!!!! Richard Branson should be ashamed of this division and how they deal with their customers!
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Virgin Mobile
Phones do NOT work as advertised. I went thru 5 phones before
1
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Rob
2010/01/22 |
Phones do NOT work as advertised. I went thru 5 phones before I found one that had functioning Bluetooth. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE PLANET (outsourced to India and other places, they speak flawless English and don't understand a word of it). It takes a minimum of 20 minutes to reach someone who can help, they drop calls and then you have to explain it all over again to several levels of obstructionators, even if you know which department you need). If they don't screw up, it's OK, if they do you are hosed!
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Virgin Mobile
I've been with VM for about 6 years and here's my assessment:Calling
4
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bsch2blues
2010/01/20 |
I've been with VM for about 6 years and here's my assessment: Calling Plans=cheaper than almost everyone, no daily use fee and nights and weekends start at 7 pm, not 9. Coverage=excellent and they get good reviews on this across the board, even better than direct customers of Sprint's, whose network VM uses. Customer service=mixed. I've had less than wonderful results with phoning them and better than wonderful when I email them, so, uh, I email them with any technical or account issues which they've resolved to my total satisfaction in a timely manner. Phones=increasingly limited and cheesy (that's why 4 stars). What's up with this? I have the Shuttle, perhaps the only decent phone left. And yes, the Canadian VM has smartphones and US doesn't?? As I'm not a heavy cellphone user, I'm OK with my phone, but if you like bells and whistles on your phone, then unfortunately, I would suggest you go elsewhere. And they do NOT support unlocked phones, they are strictly CDMA.
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Virgin Mobile
THIS IS MY VERY FIRST PHONE AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLES WITH
3
Virgin Mobile
Worst customer service ever. They ripped me off and canceled
1
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Don
2010/01/19 |
Worst customer service ever. They ripped me off and canceled my phone number because of their mistakes
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Virgin Mobile
I've had the service for close to 7 years and have only used
4
Virgin Mobile
It was okay at first. The coverage is horrible. The phones are
2
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sebastian
2010/01/16 |
It was okay at first. The coverage is horrible. The phones are ok. dont go with this company. get net10. its wayyy better.
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Virgin Mobile
The website is amazing unhelpful and hard to negotiate. You'd
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Truly Annoyed
2010/01/15 |
The website is amazing unhelpful and hard to negotiate. You'd think a large company like Virgin could afford professional web designers that could create a site that is easier for a human to get information from. The automate phone service (the hated Alex) is not any easier. It takes multiple tries to get anything done in your system. I am giving up and going to another provider.
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Virgin Mobile
VM has tricks to siphon the money out of your account behind
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Thieves
2010/01/11 |
VM has tricks to siphon the money out of your account behind your back whether you agree or not. When you contact them they have a whole script of excuses. Each time you contact them, they use a different lie. I used to be loyal, but with them ripping off my phone every time I turn my back, I can't trust them any more. Goodbye VM...you truely suck. I hope you go bankrupt.
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Virgin Mobile
Customer service sucks. Paid with my debit card 1 month and specifically
1
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Shaun
2010/01/10 |
Customer service sucks. Paid with my debit card 1 month and specifically told them not to make it a reacuring charge for the following months and they promised me they wouldn't take money from my bank accoun without my permission. well the next month they took money from my account without my permission or knowledge. lucky they didn't overdrawl my account. Planning on suing them for it. DO NOT PAY WITH YOU CREDIT/DEBIT CARD. They will try to steal your money. They took it in a matter of a second and it took the 3 weeks to put it back on my card
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Virgin Mobile
Well, I don't know what everyone is bothered by. I managed the
5
Virgin Mobile
This is a good company. I'd say its not the best but it is pretty
4
Virgin Mobile
wow after reading all this I will stick with my T-Mobile. I bought
1
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changed my mind
2010/01/08 |
wow after reading all this I will stick with my T-Mobile. I bought a Virgin Mobile phone and 20 card, but I have been trying to activate it for 4 days now. Tried online first, got 90% thru the process, and it was not able to finish. Then we tried the cust svc (robot voice) it got my all the way to the end and then the phone just disconnected. I called back a got a rep who went thru the whole activation process again and at the end said it would be 24-72 hours and it SHOULD be workingm if not "call back". I knew the idea of an affordable "no strings attached" phone was just too good to be true.
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Virgin Mobile
I bought 4 VM phones over the last year for different members
5
Virgin Mobile
Have had VM for about 8 years. Am still on the .18/min PAYG plan.
4
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Pack(er) Man
2010/01/04 |
Have had VM for about 8 years. Am still on the .18/min PAYG plan. Have no real issues. Tho sometimes VoiceMail and text messages don't come thru for a day or so. Living in Chicago coverage is fine and even when I travel no issues. The phones are lame, tho they do what they need to do: provide basic service. As for customer service, have no real experience. Have dealt with them a few times, tho not in the last 2 years and found them OK. We have to face the fact that in this day and age, good (or even mediocre) customer service is a thing of the past. Bad customer service is the new good. Most are terrible, being just enough to satisfy governemt regs. Will be sticking with them as they do what I need at the lowest coat.
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Virgin Mobile
Their customer service is AWFUL. You have to go through hell
1
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Tom F
2010/01/02 |
Their customer service is AWFUL. You have to go through hell just to get a live person and that doesn't always get you what you need. My password works fine on their website, but my phone denies it. I haven't been able to get my voicemail for TWO WEEKS and they don't care! I've been a customer for over 5 years and I'm looking for a new carrier!
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Virgin Mobile
VM works for me. Web site is confusing. If all you need is a
3
Virgin Mobile
This service is crap. They took it upon themselves to expire
1
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Delrena
2009/12/30 |
This service is crap. They took it upon themselves to expire my account, along with $200.00 worth of minutes. When I complained they promised to give it all back. Guess what? It didn't happen. I even bought 2 new phones. Total garbage.
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Virgin Mobile
The cost is diffidently an advantage, I have been with them for
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Virgin Mobile
2009/12/27 |
The cost is diffidently an advantage, I have been with them for 5 years. However, their customer service is the worst I have dealt with. This is the reason I changed to another service even thou it is slightly more expensive
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Virgin Mobile
Coverage in a major metro area not bad. But there is NO customer
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Dave554
2009/12/27 |
Coverage in a major metro area not bad. But there is NO customer service. None. Nada. Avoid at all costs!!!!
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Virgin Mobile
Virgin mobile has been awful to me. They put you on hold and
1
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Adam
2009/12/26 |
Virgin mobile has been awful to me. They put you on hold and unless your starting a new service sometimes they just decide to hang up on you. Finally i had enough with virgin after the first 15 days and they have a 30 day return thing. Well they said I would get my refund but they refused to give it to me. I was down 109 dollars until I called my bank and they finally got my refund. But what did they do. They completely shut down my service and they made me loose my minutes all 500 of them. You do not want to get into them whatever you do. So take my warning and warn people thanks.
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Virgin Mobile
Virgin mobile is a con job. They take your money and give very
1
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srajewski
2009/12/26 |
Virgin mobile is a con job. They take your money and give very little in return, other than a headache. And be careful with downloads. they claim that you would be able to redownload free of charge in the future, but dont be fooled. they erase your history 2 months after. Not to mention their useless customer service. I suggest any company other than virgin
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Virgin Mobile
I'm trying to activate my daughter's friend's new phone and the
1
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Kimberly
2009/12/26 |
I'm trying to activate my daughter's friend's new phone and the website has been inactive for 2 days now. I talked to several rude customer service techs and one nice one. Their new system is down. Understandable. However, I told a suervisor they need to place an alert on the website letting people know there is a problem, it is being worked on, and they apologize for the inconvenience. This is the LEAST they can go for their customers. Where's their PR Person for goodness sake???
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Virgin Mobile
I just purchased my 1st phone and decided to go with VM pay as
1
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Randy
2009/12/26 |
I just purchased my 1st phone and decided to go with VM pay as you go. I tried to activate and online and was stopped almost at the end of the process. Then spoke to a rude customer service rep who told me I had to wait a few days. I'm so glad I didn't go to a full plan with these fools!!!
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Virgin Mobile
Crap!!! The worst phone company I have ever seen. My ex had one
1
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Stinkbomber
2009/12/25 |
Crap!!! The worst phone company I have ever seen. My ex had one of their phones and it was always dropping calls even though you could see the tower from the back door. Worst of all is their coverage. If you want a prepaid phone go into a walmart and get a STRAIGHT TALK phone. VERIZON PROVIDES THEIR SERVICE and it works anywhere a verizon phone does. TO UPDATE ROAMING CAPABILITIES FOR STRAIGHT TALK AND VERIZON PHONES CALL *228 and press 2. Do this every month and it will save you on roaming charges!!!
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Virgin Mobile
To all: the explanation for VM's skyrocketing rates and sucky
1
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Mike
2009/12/23 |
To all: the explanation for VM's skyrocketing rates and sucky service of late, is simple: Sprint bought them out. I was a loyal customer of VM almost since their inception, and they used to be one of the best prepaid, but now are one of the very worst. I have since abandoned them... there are far better options. By taking them over and applying their stupid and greedy policies, Sprint effectively destroyed them. :(
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Virgin Mobile
What has happened to Virgin Mobile USA??? They NEED better quality
2
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beauxflocons
2009/12/22 |
What has happened to Virgin Mobile USA??? They NEED better quality phones! The ones they have are crap, and I have tried a number of them. The Rumour 2 is so old - it must be Sprint's left over inventory. The phone's software in non-intuitive and sketchy. Virgin doesn't get it. I would pay $180 for a first rate phone. The Shuttle is probably their best phone, but the small screen and lack of qwerty keyboard is probably the reason it is a poor seller. I am pissed. I went into Best Buy this weekend and they marked down the price from $79.99 to $49.99 - but of course I could not get the $30.00 because it was more than 30 days since I purchased my phone. Lastly it is interesting - Virgin Mobile Canada has better phones and compared to VM USA, their customer service is a dream. No being sent to Manila for the big hang up. C'mon Virgin - bring your CSR's stateside and purchase better phones
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Virgin Mobile
well my prepaid is about to end, and i like the plan, but the
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oldkatz
2009/12/21 |
well my prepaid is about to end, and i like the plan, but the phones are terrible ! this phone the battery died with in 2 months. i took pictures and uploaded them to the album and deleted them off the phone, and the so called pictures on the site, were empty files ! i dont text. i only use the phone for emergency, as i am a first call out for someones life line. and i am the in house tech at work so i need the phone with me. i dont play games on the phone, or use the internet. but its no good if i cant keep the phone turned on with the battery lasting about an hour if im lucky. and the so called password, it seems to change, so i always have to get it sent to me. and that is anywhere from an hour to 2 days to get the message. as of now i have 47.60 in my account, and my anniversary date is jan 3 2010. i just cant see putting more money on the account, when i still have so much, and a phone that will not work propperly. and they will not replace the phone.
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Virgin Mobile
This is the worse cell phone I have ever owned. It has very poor
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Disappointed
2009/12/20 |
This is the worse cell phone I have ever owned. It has very poor cellular coverage area and the buttons on the inside are so small that it takes my 1 year to type in my texts messages for me. NO JOKE... "A ONE YEAR OLD!!!". I would not recommend this phone to anyone. Its not worth the price of $100 ..more like 19.95 take it from me do not buy this sorry phone from this sorry cell phone provider. GO BOOST -> CHIRP CHIRP!!!!
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Virgin Mobile
I stayed with VirginMobile for years. They used to have great
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Honesty
2009/12/19 |
I stayed with VirginMobile for years. They used to have great prices and great customer services. Even after the prices started to get a bit high (and getting a bit ridiculous now) I stayed cause I always got fast and great customer service. Their customer service has become almost non-existent. If you contact them by email chances are they won't even bother reading your issue before responding and when they respond they just copy and pasts the crap on their website that doesn't work - Even when the issue explicitly states that it didn't work. On the phone you have to go through a poorly designed automated system that uses a voice recognition program that can't get what you say half the times and guesses incorrectly the other half. You will eventually (if you are lucky) get patched through to someone who won't have a clue how to help and likely will be disconnected several times during the call. VM was good; not anymore.
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Virgin Mobile
I think Virgin Mobile Is great.. sure they have a few bugs, but
4
Virgin Mobile
While better than my other service, Total Call Mobile, they have
2
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Diane
2009/12/18 |
While better than my other service, Total Call Mobile, they have these "Virgin Alerts". They pop whenever you get more minutes or your minutes are about to run out! The only thing is you CANNOT DELETE them. You can make them disappear from your phone, however, when the come back, there's more and MORE! Right now I have over 40 "Alerts" That pop in! I thought about switching carriers but keeping the phone number. What if the new carrier with the old number gets these Alerts too? ARGH!
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Virgin Mobile
Virgin has the potential to be the perfect solution to getting
1
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Erika
2009/12/17 |
Virgin has the potential to be the perfect solution to getting a child started on a cell phone. Pre-paid plans, no going over any limits, minimal payments due. It was working well for our family until Virgin started switching our plan and draining our balance with no end in sight with customer service. We've happily left Virgin Wireless after endless difficulties and confusing customer service.
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Virgin Mobile
I have this virgin mobile jax bought the other day. everything
3
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