Virgin Mobile is definitely one of the biggest network carriers in the entire UK. Through the years, it has established itself as one of the big players as it continues to take on a considerable share of the market.
More recently, they have come out with a series of mobile phones that are exclusive only to their users. A majority of these devices have been budget mobiles or devices that come with a very reasonable price tag. This approach seems to be the way to go as it has been successful in capturing entry level users.
One of the additions to Virgin’s growing budget mobile family is the Virgin VM202. Let’s have a quick look at this device.
Making their own Market
Virgin is one of the many network providers that have decided to come up with their own line of devices. That is, instead of teaming up with big name mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, Apple, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung, they have decided to manufacture their own mobiles which are distributed exclusively to their subscribers.
Although technically, they still outsource the production of these devices (the Virgin VM202 for instance, is manufactured by Alcatel), they still hold full ownership of these mobiles. Financially, this approach makes sense as they are able to generate more profits by gaining additional earnings from the sale of each device on top of the monthly tariffs.
However, what makes this technique even more sensible is the ability to customize said devices to better suit their own services. They are able to include additional features and functions that are associated to different services they provide. In the long run, this is perhaps where the big bucks are.
The Elements of a Budget Mobile
The VM202 is a budget mobile in every sense of the word. For starters, it is awfully cheap. You need not shell out a considerable amount of money to be able to get your hands on this wonderful device. On top of that, it also comes with a lot of features that aren’t exactly cutting edge, but are able to get the job done.
It is a no nonsense type of device that gives you the basic features you’d expect from a mobile device. If what you’re looking for are the most advanced features then the Virgin VM202 is not the mobile for you (and you’d have to have a bigger budget than that, buddy).
Budget Features
Although the VM202 is marketed as a basic mobile phone, it still has a number of features that are rather impressive considering the mobile’s price range. Included in the kit is a handy 1GB microSD memory card which is able to store your favourite MP3 songs.
It also comes with a 3.5 mm ear jack as well as compatibility with MP4 videos for your viewing pleasure. However, the most impressive feature of the Virgin VM202 is its slide out QWERTY keyboard which doesn’t only feature ‘soft to touch’ keys, but also happens to come in bright pink. That should be enough to grab your attention, right?