Revol Wireless was a regional

wireless carrier A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...

based in

Independence, Ohio Independence is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 7,584. A suburb of Cleveland, it is a part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. History Independence was originally called Center an ...

, United States that offered flat-rate, unlimited talk-time wireless service in some Midwest US markets. The company ceased business January 16, 2014 and sold its wireless licenses to

Sprint Corporation Sprint Corporation was an American telecommunications company. Before being acquired by T-Mobile US on April 1, 2020, it was the fourth-largest mobile network operator in the United States, serving 54.3 million customers as of June 30, 2019. Th ...

History

Cleveland Unlimited purchased

Northcoast PCS {{no footnotes, date=April 2019 Northcoast PCS was an Independence, Ohio-based prepaid mobile phone operator owned by Cleveland Unlimited, LLC. It offered no-contract unlimited local calling for a fixed monthly price similar to Cricket Communica ...

in July 2004 from former owner Cablevision. The original Northcoast name was kept in service until 2005, when the Company relaunched with the Revol brand. The company owned mobile licenses and operated its own towers in the 1900 MHz band several midwest markets. CUI, based in Independence, Ohio, operated in the

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

, market. Through its subsidiary CSM Wireless, LLC, it also owned spectrum and offered Revol wireless service in

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451–1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, the capital city of the U.S. state of Ohio * Columbus, Georgia, a city i ...

Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative divisions * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and entertainment * Canton (band), an It ...

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...

, Sandusky, and

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

, and

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. Through a joint venture with Leap Wireless, it also owned spectrum in

Columbus, Indiana Columbus () is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 50,474 at the 2020 census. The city is known for its architectural significance, having commissioned noted works of modern architect ...

;

New Castle, Pennsylvania New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Shenango River at the mouth of Neshannock Creek, it is northwest of Pittsburgh near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border, approximately so ...

; and

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

Financial troubles and closing

In 2007, Revol contracted with Mobile Posse Inc. to place advertising on customers' mobile phone screens, a practice that most American wireless carriers had been reluctant to do, so as to not irritate customers. The practice was more common in Europe and Asia. Customers who downloaded the "Revol Perks" app received a one-time $10 discount on their billing statement. In September 2011, holders of the company's formerly outstanding Senior Secured Notes assumed full ownership of the company after Revol was unable to make payments on $150 million in debt it had taken on in 2005. In November 2013, Revol announced that it had begun the process of selling its spectrum licenses to

and that it intended to give its customers 30 days termination notice when the sale is complete. On December 16, 2013, Revol notified users via text messages and a notice on its website that it would be going out of business and service would be terminated as of January 16, 2014. Users were offered a free phone and month of service if they switched to

Boost Mobile DISH Wireless L.L.C., doing business as Boost Mobile, is an American telecommunications company and wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation. Boost Mobile is the List of mobile network operators in the United States, fourth largest wirele ...

at participating stores between December 18 and December 24, 2013.

References

External links

Revol
{{US mobile phone companies Mobile phone companies of the United States Telecommunications companies established in 2005 Companies disestablished in 2014 Companies based in Ohio