More retailers offer Ultra’s prepaid service

Target, Dollar General and Barnes & Noble are helping customers make an international connection with a new offering from UltraMobile.



UltraMobile offers prepaid service plans and the agreement reached with Target, Dollar General and Barnes & Noble’s college division allows those retailers to sell and activate UltraMobile products at select stores. The retailers offering the products are tapping into a market of 40 million foreign born people living in the U.S. who regularly call or text internationally, according to Ultra Mobile. The agreements are part of the company's strategy to grow by nearly doubling the number of its distribution outlets nationwide, especially in big box stores.



"We are very pleased to have reached these agreements with retailers that share our vision of offering consumers convenience, affordability and plans tailored to meet their needs in prepaid mobile services," said Chris Furlong, Ultra Mobile's EVP of product and marketing. "The retailers' desire to provide a full portfolio of wireless services that would appeal to an important segment of their shoppers, immigrants to the U.S., aligns perfectly with Ultra Mobile's strategic focus. As we strive to innovate and achieve diversity in our distribution channels, these agreements give us an opportunity to serve a segment of wireless subscribers who want affordable, no-contract mobile services.”



Initially, the agreements cover select outlets with each retailer based on the outlets' local demographics matching Ultra Mobile's target customers. For example, Ultra Mobile plans to reach foreign exchange students by having a presence in college bookstores via Barnes & Noble College. Similarly, Ultra Mobile plans to place in-language marketing materials and packaging in the retailers' outlets with significant local populations of Spanish- or Chinese-speaking customers.



Participating stores will sell and activate Ultra Mobile service plans, which are priced at $19, $29 and $39 per month, and replenishments for customers renewing their plans. Each plan offers unlimited talk and global text, with varying amounts of credit for calling anywhere in the world and data at 4G LTE speed.



"We are also aware that within the prepaid segment, a significant portion is very budget conscious and our value proposition is designed to address the needs of that audience," Furlong said.