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Red Pocket Mobile has launched a new advertising campaign on Reddit, highly targeted towards frustrated US Mobile customers. The campaign appears to capitalize on recent controversy surrounding US Mobile’s new Dark Star Unlimited Premium plan, which has been criticized for sudden policy changes that some customers have labeled as "bait and switch."
Two weeks ago, BestMVNO reported on the first of three significant changes to US Mobile's hotspot policy and the new plan. The plan launched with a lot of hype over it offering both truly unlimited on-device and hotspot high-speed data. The excitement was further fueled by the company's CEO, who actively promoted these features on Reddit. However, just one day after launch, he backtracked, stating that limits may be imposed on hotspot usage—leading to an immediate backlash.
The controversy didn’t end there. The CEO also assured subscribers that running multiple speed tests was fine, only to reverse course again less than two weeks later—warning customers against excessive testing or risk service termination. These abrupt changes left many subscribers feeling misled.
Red Pocket Seizes the Opportunity
Red Pocket Mobile must have taken notice of those unhappy customers and US Mobile's frequent policy changes. While recently browsing the US Mobile subreddit I encountered a few Red Pocket Mobile ads. One stood out in particular that read "No bait and switch here. When we say unlimited, we mean unlimited--for good."
The ad also featured an image with the embedded text "Unlimited data, until they change the rules."
Clear shots at US Mobile.
The Irony of Red Pocket’s Unlimited Pitch
Ironically, Red Pocket Mobile itself does not offer truly unlimited plans—at least not in the sense of unlimited high-speed data without throttling. Most of their plans include a high-speed data cap, after which speeds are reduced until the next billing cycle.
However, that doesn’t take away from the effectiveness of their advertising. By targeting disillusioned US Mobile customers, Red Pocket positions itself as a more reliable alternative, appealing to those frustrated with sudden policy changes—even if they don’t offer high-speed unlimited data.
A History of Competitive Advertising
This isn't Red Pocket's first advertising attack on other MVNOs and prepaid wireless providers. In November 2024, I observed Red Pocket Mobile running search ads aimed at potential Mint Mobile customers. The ads highlighted Mint Mobile’s May 1, 2024 acquisition by T-Mobile, by stating that "Mint is Now Big Wireless."
Mint Mobile has long positioned itself as an alternative to "Big Wireless," even running TV ads with Ryan Reynolds mocking the industry’s pricing practices. Red Pocket turned that branding on its head, pointing out that Mint is now owned by the very thing it once fought against.
Red Pocket’s Rebranding & Daymond John’s Role
Over the last few months, Red Pocket Mobile has been undergoing a bit of a rebranding effort. They may have even received an influx of capital from Daymond John, as We Talk Wireless noted in December. It's unclear what exactly John's role is, a spokesperson or to provide venture capital, but there have been hints that it is to provide venture capital.
Red Pocket has been focusing on new messaging to potential customers which has been pushed by John in some online video ads. Red Pocket's core messaging has been refined to emphasize three key selling points:
- No price increases ever
- Three 5G networks
- 2 minute customer care
Additionally, the company highlights that its plans start at just $10/month, aiming to position itself as both affordable and reliable.
Those features they say, make them the "Ultimate Cell Carrier" in contrast to US Mobile who also operates on three networks and calls itself the "Super Carrier."
Red Pocket hopes its new marketing push, targeted advertising, and the backing of Daymond John can help it to differentiate itself from other providers on the market. The strategy is clear—capitalize on subscriber frustration and position itself as the more stable, transparent alternative.
Red Pocket Mobile was founded in 2006. The company has run a series of TV ads over the last few years, and has done some radio advertising. They sell SIM cards in both Walmart and Target. They are also sold by wireless dealers, however, they haven't appeared in a Wave7 Research quarterly prepaid dealer survey since 4Q23.