Ting is a new mobile virtual network operator launched by Tucows (News 
- Alert). You might wonder why Tucows thinks there is room in the consumer and small business markets for yet another mobile service provider.
Ting is marketed as a way for families and multiple-user small businesses to save money, without requiring contracts and without high overage fees. As is typical with any MVNO, Ting will not carry the full selection of devices a postpaid service provider will support.
But Ting says it wants to be a simple utility, selling consumers minutes, megabytes and texts on a fair, usage-based basis.
The Ting usage plans seem to show that users who talk and text a lot but use mobile Internet lightly will save the most money. Heavy Internet users might, or might not, save money. People able to take advantage of a group plan might likewise find they can save money.
It argues that device subsidies, with the required service contracts, actually are simply a form of financing made by the service provider to the end user, and that users are better off simply buying their devices without the financing.
At the moment, Ting features Android (News - Alert) smart phones, including the
Ting also offers two feature phones, the Samsung Reclaim and Samsung M360.
Tucows seems to be pitching the plans to small business owners and families, as much as individual users. The Sprint (News - Alert) network powers the service.
The strategic importance might come in the area of packaging. If Tucows were to be highly successful with Ting, it could prompt other service providers to create more-flexible pricing for various elements of the service bundle.
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Gary Kim (News - Alert) is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Gary’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
