X
Tech

What's up with Zer01's unlimited no-contract service and is it even real?

Back in March of this year we heard about the Zer01 service that was going to use Windows Mobile devices and VoIP technology that gave you unlimited data, voice, and text for only $70 per month. This would also be provided with no contract and on a month-to-month basis. The Zer01 website is up and running, but I highly recommend you read through IDG News article before making a decision to leave your traditional US wireless carrier. There seems to be something a bit fishy with the service and I am personally not sold yet on its validity.
Written by Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer

Back in March of this year we heard about the Zer01 service that was going to use Windows Mobile devices and VoIP technology that gave you unlimited data, voice, and text for only $70 per month. This would also be provided with no contract and on a month-to-month basis. The Zer01 website is up and running, but I highly recommend you read through IDG News article before making a decision to leave your traditional US wireless carrier. There seems to be something a bit fishy with the service and I am personally not sold yet on its validity.

I have been getting several emails about Zer01, Buzzirk, and Global Verge (most have several misspellings in them) and I have been a bit confused by all these players and how they relate to this Zer01 service. The IDG News Service article by Nancy Gohring is an excellent piece of investigative work that sheds lots of light on this new service.

Although I have received emails about the launch, I have yet to hear of a single person actually using the service and suspect it is not yet available. Thanks to Andy Abramson for the heads-up on this article.

Have any readers figured out what is going on with Zer01 mobile services or signed up to use the service?

UPDATE: Todd Haselton from Laptop Magazine conducted an interview with Zer01 CEO Ben Pilani on all the recent chatter around their unlimited voice and data service. It sounds like Zer01 is still on track to eventually launch their service and most of what has been making the news has been related to companies that they have been working with on distribution and promotion of the service.

Previous press releases stated a 1 July launch, but that has now passed and it still is not clear to me how a consumer can sign up for the service without becoming a part of a multi-level marketing program and if they want people to sign up for their service they are going to have to make it easier than current wireless carriers. Sprint offers an unlimited voice and data plan for $99 so the $30 savings with Zer01 is going to have to add real value for consumers to give it a try.

It is not clear whether AT&T and/or T-Mobile are being used for the backend of the service and Zer01 is not providing this information. Over on one of their partners websites, Buzzirk Mobile, they show both the Pharos Traveler 137 and HTC TyTN II as compatible devices with their 3G networks listed. The thing is that the Traveler 137 supports 3G on T-Mobile while the TyTN II supports 3G on AT&T so the picture isn't made any clearer at this limited and rather basic website that is full of spelling and grammatical errors.

Editorial standards