I-wireless
Encyclopedia
i-wireless is an American
mobile virtual network operator
that uses the CDMA
Sprint PCS network
to provide nationwide coverage. Domestic roaming
(except 9-1-1 calls), and accessing service abroad from a subscriber's cell phone is not currently available. The company was originally based next to Kroger
headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has now relocated directly across the Ohio River
to Newport, Kentucky
. Since 2009, i-wireless has several rate plans for calling and text messaging
. Rate plans can be viewed at the i-wireless website, www.iwirelesshome.com. The business was trialled in 130 Kroger stores in 2006, before being rolled out by mid-2008 to over 2,200 branches of the Kroger group, including affiliated stores such as Dillons
, Ralphs
, Fred Meyer
, and Fry's Food and Drug
(not to be confused with Fry's Electronics
). The stores also sell airtime refill cards and some accessories. Although the company has an exclusive contract with Kroger, it is considering working with other retailers in parts of the country where the chain does not operate.
Airtime refill cards are available in five denominations, with various expiration periods as shown below. In parentheses is the minimum monthly expenditure if the same denomination refill card is used repeatedly upon the expiration of the previous paid minutes (assumes 360-day year). Automatic billing to a credit
or debit card
is also available. Sale tax (if any) will be added. This will be based on the address of the card used.
Any previously unused airtime balance will be rolled over into the next period if more funds are added the day before the expiration date. (Company's slogan: "Never lose your airtime.") Otherwise, the balance resets to zero, and calls and texts cannot be made or received (except 9-1-1 emergency and 6-1-1 customer service). Inactive accounts along with their corresponding phone numbers and frozen voice mail may be cancelled after 60 days. Maximum permissible balance is $300 which cannot grow by more than $150 within one day.
Voice mail is provided for free to all accounts. There is no charge for unanswered incoming voice mail messages or retrieving such messages from another phone using a PIN
(will ring 6 to 8 times before access). Regular airtime charges apply for retrieving messages with one's own i-wireless phone. Unlike most other carriers, incoming text messages are also free.
i-wireless acts similar to other prepaid carriers, offering no contracts or credit checks to purchase their phones. One perk they offer is a loyalty program, giving their customers "FREE MINUTES" for shopping at Kroger-owned stores. (Food-4-Less and Foods Co. do not have a loyalty program, but nevertheless sell i-Wireless products.) Twenty free minutes can be earned for every $100 spent. The program is similar to Kroger's fuel program, and links a customer's loyalty card to his or her i-wireless phone number. Free minutes do not affect the expiration date of the account and will be lost (along with paid minutes) if new funds are not added.
Although i-wireless uses the Sprint network, text messages originating from the internet and other non-cellular
systems are not forwarded through from Sprint to i-wireless. Therefore, only cell phone to cell phone text messaging and other bona fide SMS
(e.g. Skype
) is possible.
i-wireless also sells mobile broadband using a supplied usb adapter (with a one-time fee) at the following rates (data allowance not carried over if unused):
In 2010, i-wireless offered their first ever smartphone: the Sanyo Zio. This is a full feature Android phone with a 3-inch touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, and full-function web-browser.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mobile virtual network operator
Mobile virtual network operator
A mobile virtual network operator is a company that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it necessarily have all of the infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service...
that uses the CDMA
Code division multiple access
Code division multiple access is a channel access method used by various radio communication technologies. It should not be confused with the mobile phone standards called cdmaOne, CDMA2000 and WCDMA , which are often referred to as simply CDMA, and use CDMA as an underlying channel access...
Sprint PCS network
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
to provide nationwide coverage. Domestic roaming
Roaming
In wireless telecommunications, roaming is a general term referring to the extension of connectivity service in a location that is different from the home location where the service was registered. Roaming ensures that the wireless device is kept connected to the network, without losing the...
(except 9-1-1 calls), and accessing service abroad from a subscriber's cell phone is not currently available. The company was originally based next to Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has now relocated directly across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to Newport, Kentucky
Newport, Kentucky
Newport is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 census. Historically, it was one of four county seats of Campbell County. Newport is part of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Metro Area which...
. Since 2009, i-wireless has several rate plans for calling and text messaging
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
. Rate plans can be viewed at the i-wireless website, www.iwirelesshome.com. The business was trialled in 130 Kroger stores in 2006, before being rolled out by mid-2008 to over 2,200 branches of the Kroger group, including affiliated stores such as Dillons
Dillons
Dillons is a grocery supermarket chain based in Hutchinson, Kansas, and is a division of The Kroger Company. Other banners under Dillon Stores Division include Gerbes in Missouri, Baker's in Omaha, Nebraska and a Food 4 Less store in Fremont, Nebraska...
, Ralphs
Ralphs
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area and the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Ralphs also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.-History:Ralphs Grocery Company...
, Fred Meyer
Fred Meyer
Fred Meyer, Inc., is a chain of hypermarkets founded in 1922 in Portland, Oregon, by Fred G. Meyer. The company was one of the pioneers of one-stop shopping, eventually combining a complete grocery supermarket with a drugstore, clothing store, shoe store, fine jewelers, home decor store, home...
, and Fry's Food and Drug
Fry's Food and Drug
Fry's Food & Drug Stores, Inc., is a chain of supermarkets that has a major presence in the state of Arizona. Fry's also operates under the banner of Fry's Marketplace, a chain of multi-department stores. Fry's is a division of The Kroger Company....
(not to be confused with Fry's Electronics
Fry's Electronics
Fry's Electronics is a big-box store and retailer of software, consumer electronics, computer hardware, with in store computer repair and custom computer building services and household appliances with a chain of superstores headquartered in Silicon Valley...
). The stores also sell airtime refill cards and some accessories. Although the company has an exclusive contract with Kroger, it is considering working with other retailers in parts of the country where the chain does not operate.
Airtime refill cards are available in five denominations, with various expiration periods as shown below. In parentheses is the minimum monthly expenditure if the same denomination refill card is used repeatedly upon the expiration of the previous paid minutes (assumes 360-day year). Automatic billing to a credit
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
or debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
is also available. Sale tax (if any) will be added. This will be based on the address of the card used.
- $10 30-day validity ($10/mo min.)
- $20 90-day validity ($6.67/mo min.)
- $25 60-day validity ($12.50/mo min.)
- $50 90-day validity ($16.67/mo min.)
- $75 90-day validity ($25.00/mo min.)
Any previously unused airtime balance will be rolled over into the next period if more funds are added the day before the expiration date. (Company's slogan: "Never lose your airtime.") Otherwise, the balance resets to zero, and calls and texts cannot be made or received (except 9-1-1 emergency and 6-1-1 customer service). Inactive accounts along with their corresponding phone numbers and frozen voice mail may be cancelled after 60 days. Maximum permissible balance is $300 which cannot grow by more than $150 within one day.
Voice mail is provided for free to all accounts. There is no charge for unanswered incoming voice mail messages or retrieving such messages from another phone using a PIN
Personal identification number
A personal identification number is a secret numeric password shared between a user and a system that can be used to authenticate the user to the system. Typically, the user is required to provide a non-confidential user identifier or token and a confidential PIN to gain access to the system...
(will ring 6 to 8 times before access). Regular airtime charges apply for retrieving messages with one's own i-wireless phone. Unlike most other carriers, incoming text messages are also free.
i-wireless acts similar to other prepaid carriers, offering no contracts or credit checks to purchase their phones. One perk they offer is a loyalty program, giving their customers "FREE MINUTES" for shopping at Kroger-owned stores. (Food-4-Less and Foods Co. do not have a loyalty program, but nevertheless sell i-Wireless products.) Twenty free minutes can be earned for every $100 spent. The program is similar to Kroger's fuel program, and links a customer's loyalty card to his or her i-wireless phone number. Free minutes do not affect the expiration date of the account and will be lost (along with paid minutes) if new funds are not added.
Although i-wireless uses the Sprint network, text messages originating from the internet and other non-cellular
Cellular network
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area...
systems are not forwarded through from Sprint to i-wireless. Therefore, only cell phone to cell phone text messaging and other bona fide SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
(e.g. Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
) is possible.
i-wireless also sells mobile broadband using a supplied usb adapter (with a one-time fee) at the following rates (data allowance not carried over if unused):
- $5/day for 100 MB of data
- $20/week for 300 MB of data
- $40/month for 1 GB of data
- $60/month for 5 GB of data
In 2010, i-wireless offered their first ever smartphone: the Sanyo Zio. This is a full feature Android phone with a 3-inch touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, and full-function web-browser.