Xero Mobile, ad supported MVNO

Mar 15 2006 - 09:27 AM ET | MVNO

The Financial Times sheds more light on a new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) named Xero Mobile. The company aims to provide free airtime provided that its users put up with advertisements. Interestingly enough, Xero Mobile was founded by three former Gizmondo executives (though not Stefan Erikson, who reached fame recently after crashing a $1M Ferrari).

Xero Mobile estimates its startup costs will be $92 million, but is telling investors the payoff could hit $1.8 billion in just three years. Reports circulated last month that the company had already raised $300 million from European investors.

[via alarm:clock]

Comments from readers


NightHawk Mar 16 2006

You'd have to be stupid to invest in a company set up by Gizmondo directors. Gizmondo was one big scam to steal shareholders money and i'll bet you anything that Xero Mobile will end up bankrupt as well


Jon Gales Mar 16 2006

Amazing who can get funding these days isn't it?


Amar Syal Apr 15 2006

Xero Mobile's potential is amazing. What they will offer will revolutionize student cellular phone usage. With the overall savings and promotions each student will receive, i couldn't see why a person would not sign up. ESPECIALLY WITH A NO CONTRACT AGREEMENT!!! I can't wait untill this service is out.


Jason Hill Apr 15 2006

These guys know what there doing. This is a whole new company with a great business idea. Being a college student, I would definately want their service. I coudn't be more willing to give up my current plan for this one.


Andrew Swayzan Apr 16 2006

I just checked out the company’s site and read over some of the things they are going to offer. If you are a college student like myself, you will fall in love with this company. They seem to offer alot for less. I don't mind the ads at all even though you can tailor it to your wants. I compare it to the ads on AIM or checking your email at Hotmail. But even those aren’t exactly targeted to what you want. It’s a whole new revolutionary idea. What college student wouldn’t want effective and affordable communication?


Herman Munster Apr 17 2006

Xero will fail misearbly and all that $300M will flush down the toilet. Why a reverse merger? They have no revenues and how are they going to set up shop at ALL the Universities. Mobile Campus has a much sounder business model. Check it out??

Herman


Swedish Mafia LA Apr 17 2006

Xero Mobile is a scam to get investor dollars for Carl Freer and Ferrari-crasher Stefan Andersons' personal bank accounts. They are desperate for venture capital and haven't gotten a dime to date. Run, don't walk, in the other direction.


Adrian Wershielf Apr 18 2006

Xero Mobile is not a scam. They are every college students dream. They know who to target, the youth of America. Most people would research the company's business plan before they post negative comments. They have some great new ideas and plans to launch the company. Look out for them.


Setfan Apr 22 2006

Xero Mobile might be a dream for collage kids, but it will be a nightmare for anyone dumb enough to invest. The Gizmondo cost investors about 50,000 dollars a unit when it only sold for hundreds. The people that ran Gizmondo bathed themselves in an orgy of investor money. One of the top Gizmondo guys is sitting in jail right now facing 14 years in prison. One of the minor charges he faces is possession of cocaine. At least now we know he was stoned. If you are thinking of investing in Xero, run now and don’t look back! If you are a collage kid, line up, these guys hand out money! The company’s business plan is a crack pipe dream, do the math. Do the research on Gizmondo. These are the same people and the same business plan.


Siran Gopi Apr 25 2006

Guys, you have made some good points, and I can see where your speculation stems from. However, much of the fraud talk is more media hyped than anything else. The media continues to say how the lead officials stole money from the company and paid huge salaries to themselves. What the media does not tell you is that these same people also loaned the company very large sums of money from their personal accounts. Guess what else...they lost out on most of the money they loaned. Maybe everything was not handled the way it should have been in order to avoid scrutinty. Company's fail everyday in the US and cost investors millions. Xero Mobile will do just fine.


Stefan Apr 28 2006

Siran, these poor guys lent the company money they had looted from it. Then they looted the money they loaned the company. The company was left unable to repay the loan, so the company had to give up the Smart Adds concept to repay the loan. If you count the millions that Freer and Erikson made, it still doesn’t come close to the money they spent, or even the money they “lent” the company.

Xero Mobile is so similar to Gizmondo, its hard not to see parallels.
Shell company “IPO”
Advertising subsidized product
Big profits projected
Freer and Eriksson

Companies do fail every week, but at least they try to make it. It sounds like you have been blinded by the potential of big profits. I hope you didn’t lose too much money here (If you invested, it’s gone). The only good news is that Freer and Eriksson were in jail this week. Although Freer was able to post bond, Eriksson is being held “no bail”. It will be interesting to see if Freer shows up at trial, or will he just add the US to the ever growing list of countries he can’t return to. I suspect he will probably pop up in India to start all over soon.


Setfan Apr 29 2006

It’s been reported that all of the Xero Mobile employees have fled the office. The landlord came in on Friday to find them packing. They left no forwarding address. Gone public on Monday and ran out on Friday. Is this a record? This is a better story than Gizmondo, oh wait, this IS the Gizmondo story. I guess we won’t see many “students” posting how great Xero is after they have done their “research”. Any one at Desi TV left in the building? HA ha ha ha ha. LMFAO!


PL Sep 01 2006

XERO MOBILE's NEW SERIAL CEO ROGER DAVIS:

ISN'T THAT THE SAME ROGER DAVIS WHO WAS A OC SHERIFF, CARL FREER's BEST FRIEND AND WHO'S GUN WAS FOUND IN STEFAN THE ENZO FERRARI CRASHERS HOUSE WHO IS STILL IN LA COUNTY JAIL.

WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON HERE? I THOUGHT THE FEDS WOULD HAVE CAUGHT UP TO OFFICER ROGER DAVIS BY NOW! XERO HAS A SHERIFF AS THERE CEO.....WHAT ID REALLY GOING ON HERE?????

MAYBE IT IS PART OF THE PLEA BARGAIN DEAL? SERIAL ENTERPRENEUR.........THERE ARE ONLY TWO TYPES OF CEREAL I HAVE EVER HEARD OF? I AM SURE IT FITS ONE OF THE TW) AND NOT THE ONE YOU EAT.

GOOD LUCK STOCK SCAMMERS


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