Comments on: Disney Mobile bites the dust

The MNVO geared toward parents and kids has called it quits.

[ianwood]

Nice Try Heinemen ...

...but the reailty of the space will impact all MVNOs including Helio. After all, if Helio is doing so well, why did they have to pick up another $200m from some very unhappy investors. It's not about being a pureplay. It's about the economics of acquiring customers in the mobile space. True innovation helps but as was the case with Disney and may be the case with Helio, it isn't always enough. I wish Helio the best for the future, but that future is by no means certain.

[gsmiller88]

Who didn't see this coming

I sure did.

[sgornick]

Heineman or Heinemen

Check check check

[glsmith110]

The saddest place on earth - the MVNO.

Give credit to Disney to see the writing on the wall. The MVNO is decidedly a short-term "get rich quick scheme" strategy by the telecom providers sold to entrepreneurs, venture capital and corporations alike during the "wireless" investment phase. The design was to make wholesale revenues without losing long-term strategic business. With a break even well over 200,000 customers, the high marginal costs prove that the business is the "kid that gets picked last for the gym team kick ball game." Since when has a telecom provider ever shown a propensity to think about anyone but themselves. We recently advised a client to avoid the market. [e-mail]

MVNO

[ianwood]

Good point

From the perspective of both the host network and the product enablers, it is called "biting the hand that feeds you". I would guess that Helio would be well suited if SK Telecom were to rescue Sprint.

BTW, it's not that MVNOs aren't possible, it's just that they are billion dollar investments. The "V" in MVNO is slightly grayed out.

[trevorhowell]

Hello Helio to pickup Disney Mobile

I saw today Hello Helio is offering a free switch for Disney Mobile subscribers along with a free phone.

Link:
http://www.hellohelio.net/disney-mobile-transfer-to-helio-program.htm

[w5a5]

Helio's spokesman is too arrogant.

Come on. Is Helio's spokesman serious. I would never get Helio, but this makes me dislike them. Helo is a rip off with bad phones anyway. THEY EVEN LIED IN THEIR COMPARISON OF THE Pantech Ocean AND THE Apple iPhone.