US MVNO Virgin Mobile has begun the process of integrating its recently-acquired Helio operation by announcing a new handset and price plan aimed at combining the two businesses. Under a new branding tagline – ‘Helio By Virgin Mobile: Plan To Have It All’ – Virgin’s immediate plans include the launch of the Shuttle, its first handset enabled to integrate Helio services such as ‘Buddy Beacon’; and an enhancement to Helio’s US$80 ‘A La Carte’ price plan, which will offer unlimited minutes rather than the current 1,500 allocation. The tariff is designed to mirror Virgin Mobile’s existing ‘Totally Unlimited’ prepaid voice plan, which costs US$79.99, and is available to both current and future Helio subscribers. The company added in a statement that the transition for Helio’s approximate 170,000 postpaid members and Virgin Mobile’s 5 million prepaid customers has been “seamless.” However, the two customer care services and sales operations are separate, with further integration planned over the next several months.

Virgin Mobile USA announced in June it had bought rival MVNO Helio from SK Telecom for US$39 million in stock with SK Telecom maintaining a 17 percent stake in the enlarged company. It was subsequently reported that Helio had reduced its cost base by around 70 percent prior to the acquisition being completed, including reducing its staff by two-thirds and closing almost all of its retail outlets.