Red Bull as a brand is many things, including a mobile virtual network operator in Australia. Or, at least, it was a MVNO, but that business is being closed down.
Angus Kidman (yep, brother, etc, sigh) over at Lifehacker spotted that Red Bull Mobile is in the process of winding up operations, with a statement on the Red Bull Mobile web site that reads:
“With the prevalence of ‘open’ mobile platforms in Australia, Red Bull is taking this opportunity to focus its marketing efforts on existing and future digital assets to allow an even greater number of consumers to access the World of Red Bull through their own mobile device.
Red Bull MOBILE will continue to service existing customers until the customer’s current recharge or contract expires. This includes their ‘Ticket to the World of Red Bull’. As of 1st July 2013, new customers will no longer be able to purchase pre-paid or post-paid tariff plans from Red Bull MOBILE.”
Red Bull Mobile resold Vodafone capacity, which means that in recent years while they were (like many MVNOs) a little cheaper than one of the big three, they didn’t always have the best network coverage. Still, less consumer choice is a definite downer, simply because it means there’s less competition; the only Vodafone MVNO left that I can think of still operating is Just Mobile.
But Red Bull? With a hat tip to Michael Wyres, Red Bull won’t give you rings.
Source: Lifehacker