In its ongoing quest to be the king of all convenience, 7-Eleven is getting into the business of mobile phones.
Following T-Mobile’s recent split with Radio Shack, the wireless carrier is rebounding some by gaining face time in approximately 8,800 7-Eleven stores in North America.
On Tuesday, T-Mobile and 7-Eleven announced the availability of a T-Mobile prepaid, no term contract handset in the retail chain’s 7-Eleven stores.
According to the joint announcement, the “affordable handset” works with T-Mobile’s prepaid plans and services that run on its nationwide 4G network.
7-Eleven, however, is no stranger to mobile services. The company began offering its first mobile product of sorts – prepaid calling cards – back in 1994. Of course, the addition of the T-Mobile handset provides 7-Eleven customers with brand-name service at what the partners call “value price” for those who prefer prepaid products.
The LG GS170, which is available now for $29.99 (plus taxes and fees), sports an intuitive user interface with one-touch speakerphone, large visible keys and a high-resolution color display.
T-Mobile says the LG GS170 also features a VGA camera, MP3 ringtone capability, Bluetooth 2.1, text and picture messaging capability, and email support.
“Industry projections indicate that prepaid service will continue its growth trajectory and is expected to comprise a significant portion of the wireless market within the next several years,” said Amy McCune, vice president of national retail for T-Mobile USA. “We believe 7-Eleven’s customers who seek accessibility and convenience will love this prepaid phone. They can expect to receive the high-quality customer service and access to a nationwide 4G network that T-Mobile users have come to expect.”
