i wireless
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| Type | Private (Limited liability partnership between T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Iowa Network Services Inc.) |
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| Predecessor(s) | Iowa Wireless Services L.P. |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Urbandale, Iowa, U.S. |
| Number of locations | 250 |
| Area served | Iowa western Illinois eastern Nebraska |
| Products | BlackBerry Bold 97000 HTC G2 Sierra Wireless Compas 885 USB Modem |
| Services | Individual Talk + Text + Web MEGAtalk Pay In Advance Mobile Connect Unlimited |
| Employees | 200 |
| Parent | T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Iowa Network Services Inc. |
| Website | iwireless.com |
| References: [1][2] | |
i wireless is a mobile network operator founded in 1997. Headquartered in Urbandale, Iowa, i wireless is a partnership between T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Iowa Network Services Inc.[1] i wireless owns licenses to operate GSM cellular networks in the PCS-1900 and AWS-1700 radio frequency bands covering Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.[3] i wireless has over 250 full-service company stores and authorized dealers across Iowa, western Illinois, and eastern Nebraska.
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[edit] History
i wireless was founded in 1997 as Iowa Wireless Services L.P., a joint venture between Western Wireless Corp. and Iowa Network Services Inc., a consortium of 127 Iowa independent telecommunications companies. The joint venture was formed to expand PCS throughout Iowa, marketing services under the VoiceStream Wireless brand name.[2]
[edit] Network
i wireless operates GSM cellular networks in the PCS-1900 and AWS-1700/2100 radio frequency bands primarily in Iowa, but also owns licenses covering the Quad Cities area of western Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin and North Sioux City, South Dakota. In certain rural areas i wireless is the only GSM provider, providing roaming services for AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and other GSM carriers.
i wireless added coverage in and immediately surrounding Sioux City, Iowa, in June 2006, and has plans to add approximately 100 new cell sites mainly in western Iowa throughout 2007, and plans to add 120 new towers throughout the Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota, and the Wisconsin areas. In some rural areas they are the only GSM provider, and also provide roaming services for AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and other smaller GSM carriers. i wireless has been criticized for their relatively small coverage area compared to larger carriers, as well as long distance charges for calls outside of their coverage area on local plans.[4]
i wireless continued to expand their high-speed voice and data coverage in 2010 adding almost 100 new towers across Iowa and western Illinois.[5] Area cell towers that have been added during 2010 include: Sioux City, Southeastern Iowa, Southwestern Iowa, Mason City, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Burlington, Quad Cities, Dubuque, Iowa City, and Fort Dodge.
In September 2010, i wireless launched their state-wide 3G UMTS/HSPA network. The network transmits in the Advanced Wireless Services radio frequency band that is also used by T-Mobile USA.
[edit] Services
i wireless offers MEGAtalk[6] unlimited Nationwide Talk, Text, and Web plans that require no contracts, credit checks, or deposits from $40 a month. The four MEGAtalk Pay In Advance unlimited Nationwide plan options include: Talk + Text, Talk + Text + Web, and two unlimited Talk + Text + Web plans for BlackBerry and 3G smartphones. Customers choosing a MEGAtalk BlackBerry or 3G smartphone plan will have access to 3G coverage[7] in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Quad Cities, Des Moines, and Ames, Iowa, and over 130 cities nationwide.
i wireless also offers many plans that have free long distance and nationwide calling, unlimited texting, and unlimited data. i wireless also has exclusive nights and weekends that start every night at 5:00pm, and have roaming agreements with virtually every GSM provider in the United States, including companies like T-Mobile USA and AT&T.
[edit] Products
i wireless offers a complete selection of the latest 3G capable handsets from Motorola, HTC, RIM and Samsung equipped with the three most popular operating systems - BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile - to take full advantage of the wide array of available applications. In addition to faster speeds, customers can experience the ability to multi-task – text, email, or surf the web while talking on their 3G phone.
[edit] References
- ^ a b https://www.iwireless.com/about-headline_article.asp About i wireless
- ^ a b http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Iowa+Network+Services+and+Western+Wireless+Form+Joint+Venture+to...-a019837447 Iowa Network Services and Western Wireless Form Joint Venture to Expand PCS Footprint in Iowa
- ^ "About i wireless". http://www.iwireless.com/about_iwireless.asp. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ "Wontek Magazine - Iwireless Review". http://wontek.com/prepaid-reviews/i-wireless-reviews. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "Network Expansion". http://www.iwireless.com/we_have_you_covered.asp. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ "MEGAtalk Pay in Advance Plans". http://www.iwireless.com/plans-pay-in-advance-megatalk.asp. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ "3G Coverage". http://www.iwireless.com/customer_support-faqs.asp#faqc30. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
[edit] External links
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