Firefly finds nationwide network with DBS

Firefly Mobile announced it has selected DBS Communications as its network enabler for its new Firefly “tween” phone targeting the consumer market’s youngest demographic.

While Firefly has agreements with several regional providers, including Cincinnati Bell Wireless, SunCom in the Southwest and Einstein Wireless in Wisconsin, the DBS deal is its first giving Firefly nationwide penetration, utilizing the carriers resale agreements with several nationwide GSM carriers. Coupling that deal with Firefly’s recent distribution deal with Target to sell the Firefly phone at 1100 stores, Firefly has quickly given itself nationwide reach since launching its product at CTIA Wireless this year.

The Firefly phone is a handset designed specifically for children ages 8 to 12 in line with the concerns of the parents paying for the service. Instead of a typical number keypad the phone has buttons that allow children to contact their families or other pre-programmed numbers with the touch of a few buttons. The device can also dial emergency numbers and receive phone calls from numbers parents have screened. The prepaid model also limits the amount of airtime children can use.

Under the agreement with DBS, the Firefly phone will be available in DBS’s nationwide retailer network, the service itself will be available over DBS’s multi-carrier virtual network and DBS will provide the back-end systems powering Firefly’s different pay-as-you-go calling plans. While DBS runs its own pre-paid MVNO under the EZLink brand, the company has been positioning itself as a mobile virtual network enabler, powering other MVNO’s services.