US cable operator Charter Communications has launched its own mobile service, called Spectrum Mobile. Available only to Charter's residential broadband customers, Spectrum Mobile offers nationwide LTE service and access to a national network of Wi-Fi hotspots, with a choice of unlimited services for USD 45 per month or a per-unit price of USD 14 per GB.
Both service plans come with unlimited calls and SMS, and customers can switch plan from month to month. The unlimited data is capped at 20 GB per month at top speed, after which speeds may be reduced until the end of the month. Using the phone as a mobile hotspot is also limited to 5 GB at top speed.
Charter claims the mobile offer can save customers up to 40 percent compared to competing mobile services. They can also purchase devices from Spectrum Mobile on no-interest monthly plans. Devices from Samsung and LG are available to start, and additional devices will be available soon, Charter said.
Charter has a MVNO agreement with Verizon to offer the mobile service. It follows Comcast, the largest cable operator in the US, introducing its own Xfinity Mobile last year. Altice USA, which owns the cable operators Suddenlink and Cablevision, also plans to launch a mobile service soon.
