By Tara Seals

College and university-oriented MVNO XE Mobile will deploy MobileSphere’s CarrierILD solution to enable low-cost direct dial international wireless calling for its customers. In turn, MobileSphere will resell XE Mobile services and phones through its extensive university channel.

This is a great strategic fit for both our companies, said Gavin Macomber, executive vice president of marketing for MobileSphere.

MobileSphere maintains portals on more than 20 major universities, including Columbia, Purdue and MIT. The company offers students a range of MobileSphere-powered communications services, often co-branded with the institution, including residential, long-distance and others. It will begin acting as a distribution channel for XE Mobile likely in the second quarter. The MVNO will retain its branding within the portal.

XE Mobile services are prepaid; students wishing to add international calling minutes to their account can earmark $10, $25 or $50 for that purpose. MobileSphere is transparent to the user, and the account is automatically linked to the handset and overall XE Mobile service environment. Users can enroll online or at XE Mobile retail locations, or by calling the automated customer care line. They also can check balances and top up the international minutes directly from the handset.

Rates will be as low as 5 cents per minute to major metro areas in Europe, Asia and Latin America, Macomber said.

“XE Mobile provides its customers with fun and affordable mobile phones including the Nokia 6102 and the Motorola RAZR, nationwide coverage and access to the nation’s largest student discount program, which offers discounts at 20,000 locations across the country,” said Mark Ghermezian, CEO of XE Mobile. “Now, through our partnership with MobileSphere, we can provide our customers further price discounts and flexibility by offering the lowest international wireless rates on the market today.”

XE Mobile is the sixth MVNO to deploy MobileSphere’s CarrierILD solution.

MobileSphere www.mobile-sphere.com
XE Mobile www.xemobile.com