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History repeats again as Simple Mobile wins another Wave7 Research multi-carrier prepaid dealer survey. This is the 39th time that Simple Mobile has won the quarterly survey. There have been a total of 40 dating back to 1Q, 2015.
Simple Mobile was found at 18 of 25 dealers surveyed compared with 21 of 30 surveyed in 3Q24. Like in the previous survey, Verizon Prepaid remains in second place being carried at 16 of the dealers surveyed. It was a top seller at three dealers compared to eight for Simple Mobile.
4Q24 Prepaid Dealer Full Survey Results
The latest survey was conducted in November and December 2024. Representatives from 25 independent multi-carrier prepaid dealers in a variety of markets around the USA were interviewed. Those who regularly follow the survey will note that there are usually 30 dealers in it. However, a data tracking error resulted in only 25 dealer responses being recorded.
The full results of the survey are detailed below.
Note: The "number of dealers" column indicates the number of dealers out of 25 selling the brand. The "1st place" column denotes the number of dealers reporting the brand as their top seller, while "2nd place" etc., means the number of dealers reporting that as their second best-selling brand.
Top Selling Prepaid Brands In 4Q24 Wave7 Research Survey Of 25 Independent Dealers
| Provider | Number of Dealers | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | Also-Ran |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Mobile | 18 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Verizon Prepaid | 16 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Ultra Mobile | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| AT&T Prepaid | 11 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| H2O Wireless | 11 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| T-Mobile Prepaid | 9 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Lyca Mobile | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Boost Mobile | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Gen Mobile | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Cricket Wireless | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| UScellular | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Selectel | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| MobileX | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Surf Mobile | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Wave7 Research Momentum Award Winner
In a reversal of fortunes, Wave7 Research gave its Momentum Award to Lyca Mobile. In the previous survey it was deemed a loser.
Lyca Mobile was carried by 8 dealers surveyed, up from 7 in the 3Q24 survey. Three dealers mentioned Lyca as one of their top two sellers during the quarter compared to zero top seller mentions in the previous survey. The increase in the number of dealers carrying the brand, along with it being a top seller in two categories, is especially noteworthy given that the most recent survey included fewer dealers than the previous one.
It's not clear what led to Lyca gains during the quarter but at least one dealer, as seen in this Facebook post, was touting that several Lyca Mobile plans had increased data allotments as part of holiday special. Lyca's online arm also had some very aggressively priced holiday promos.
Other Notable Winners
Wave7 Research named Ultra Mobile, AT&T Prepaid, and H2O wireless as its other winners. All were mentioned by 11 dealers surveyed. Ultra Mobile however was a top seller in four dealer stores compared to three for AT&T Prepaid and one for H2O Wireless. T-Mobile made a big change to Ultra Mobile during the quarter allowing them to have truly unlimited high-speed data plans.
MobileX and Surf USA Mobile
Surf USA Mobile appeared in the survey for the first time, with Wave7 Research noting that the MVNO have been spotted at multi-carrier dealer stores in California and Massachusetts. A California representative also praised the user-friendly nature of Surf USA Mobile’s portal. Meanwhile, MobileX made its initial appearance in the 3Q24 survey and was mentioned again in the 4Q24 survey.
Surf USA Mobile is a newly launched brand by the largest aggregator of MVNOs in Brazil, Surf Telecom. Surf USA Mobile hit the shores of the US in May 2024 with the initial aim of targeting the New York and Florida markets. Service is provided on the T-Mobile network.
MobileX, the brainchild of Peter Adderton was launched out of beta in February 2023. BestMVNO covered that launch. The brand is sold at Walmart stores and has been moving into dealers. Adderton aims to make MobileX a lifestyle brand as highlighted by a recently signed partnership with the lifestyle clothing company Ethika.
“Simple Mobile continues to win our survey. That said, Verizon Prepaid, AT&T Prepaid, and T-Mobile prepaid are three of the top six brands and some dealers are expressing a preference for these well-known brands. MobileX and Surf USA Mobile have started popping up in our survey and we will closely watch the performance of these brands and other new MVNO brands in 2025.” – Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research
Inside the Mindset of Wireless Dealers
A dealer from California and another from Arkansas both noted the appeal of selling major national brands, citing a reduced need to experiment with less-established MVNOs. “We hope to build customer trust by offering the big box name brands in our store and eliminate the other MVNOs,” stated the Arkansas dealer, explaining that his store sees few advantages in selling lesser-known brands. He added that his dealership recently launched T-Mobile Prepaid. Meanwhile, the California dealer expressed a preference for activating services directly with top carriers rather than MVNOs.