VoiceStream goes public on the next steps of its plans through a customer mailing to MobileStar account holders: as a MobileStar user, I received this email a few minutes ago:
Dear Valued Customer,
Welcome to VoiceStream Global Wireless by T-Mobile!
We are pleased to inform you that VoiceStream has acquired the MobileStar Network and we are glad to have you as a customer!
For now, things are going to seem pretty familiar....
- You will continue to enjoy the same great wireless broadband service and same friendly customer service accessible at 1.800.981.8563 or at csupport@mobilestar.com.
- VoiceStream will immediately support all existing customer subscription and prepaid service offers.
- Your credit card billing will remain the same and we will keep you informed as the VoiceStream/T-Mobile name changes are reflected on your credit card billing statement.
- Until further notice, new locations and service offers will be accessible at www.mobilestar.com.
Our "GET MORE" promise means more features and services for you.
We promise to stay in touch and continue to expand to new locations and improve your broadband wireless service as we make changes.
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Wi-Fi in Other Lands
My friends at Homerun write about Telia's expansion into Finland from their home base in Sweden: "Telia launches Telia HomeRun in Finland on Feb. 11. The target is to offer 130 zones (hot spots) by the end of the year. Telia has signed partnership agreements to build service zones in Finland, with Ramada, Rantasipi and Cumulus hotels, Finnair, SAS, Wayne's Coffee and several congress centres."
Meanwhile, Alan Reiter blogs about the massive expansion of hot spots in Korea.Two competing firms will roll out 25,000 hot spots, ostensibly over the next several months in anticipation of the World Cup soccer games occurring there this summer. I'm assuming this is the advantage of being a wired and/or cell telco and rolling out hot spots. You already have and own some infrastructure nearby so you're not bearing the related cost of leasing a data infrastructure separately. (Note in the linked article that they're claiming 11 Mbps is five times the CDMAx1 speeds, as if 2 Mbps will be a consistent available speed for cell data.)