News 2002
Virgin Mobile launches the perfect pocket arcade - The Sendo S230
08/07/2002
- Sendo handsets proven to be a hit with the youth market
Virgin Mobile, the UK’s fifth network, has today launched the games-oriented Sendo S230. Aimed at the youth market, this groundbreaking budget phone offers great value for money at £79.99 as it boasts twelve games, including four two-player SMS games.
The four interactive games, which customers can play against fellow Sendo S230 owners via SMS are ‘Checkers’, ‘Chess’ and ‘Reversi’ along with the person-to-person battle game ‘Kombat Club’. Internet-based person-to-person games have already proved popular with the youth market and the S230 is set to continue the craze.
These games are great examples of ‘person-to-person gaming’, the up-and-coming trend in mobile entertainment, which Virgin Mobile believes will revolutionise the way in which people play games and interact with their friends. This mobile phone will mean users can play at any time in any place, using the SMS technology that is already familiar to them.
Great games aren’t the only feature to make this phone shine – there are funky graphics and a picture caller ID function as well as changeable front and back covers. The latest technology means that customers also have the facility to download ringtones, games and enable WAP services.
Other great features of the Virgin Sendo S230 include:
- Picture messaging
- Predictive texting
- Silent vibrate
- The ability to create your own ringtones
- Clock/alarm
- 12 games including four interactive
- 200 name phone book
- Ergonomically designed to fit into the palm of the hand
Andy Mallinson, head of product marketing for Virgin Mobile, said: “Virgin Mobile’s ‘pay as you want’ offering and simple, good value tariff has proven to be a hit across the marketplace, and particularly with our younger customers, who want to enjoy the flexibility of our version of a ‘pre-pay’ facility. The Sendo S200 was a great success and with the S230’s exciting new features, we expect a similar response.”
The Virgin Mobile Sendo S230 costs £79.99, which includes connection to Virgin Mobile and a £5 airtime credit to get you started. It is available now on the Virgin Mobile network by calling 0845 6000 600, visiting www.virgin.com/mobile or on the high street at over 6,000 outlets.
Virgin Mobile has no contract, and lets users ‘pay as you want’ – by topping up with credit or debit card, with top-up vouchers, the new E Top Up or paying monthly with direct debit. Either way, there is no contract or line rental, and the same simple tariff applies, with standard calls charged at 15p/min for the first 5 minutes of use each day, then 5p/min after that. Virgin Mobile is the only network in the UK to offer a cashback feature in its tariff – the Big Bonus. Customers who spend £30 or more a month get 10% back in airtime the following month.
As well as the opportunity to benefit from the ‘Big Bonus’ scheme, anyone buying a new phone direct from Virgin Mobile from July 1st will receive an extra £10 free airtime on top of the £5 airtime already provided on every Virgin Mobile SIM card. Customers can take advantage of this offer by purchasing a mobile phone through Virgin Mobile’s direct sales team on 0845 6000 600, or from its website, www.virgin.com/mobile. There is no expiry date on the free airtime.
