Nancy Gohring has followed this story since last year, and have done better reporting than anyone else I have come across.
Here is Nancy Gohring’s current article on Global Verge and Zer01 Mobile.
1. What has happened to Zer01 Mobile? Their website is gone, yet Ron Dresner just reached out to me in the last 30-days with some interesting info. Although, I can’t publish it yet, I am wondering if what he shared will be the end for some other folks.
2. Why hasn’t Zer01 Mobile answered their attorney’s plea for more information in their case? Could it be, the filing of this case was a ploy between Ben Piilani and someone(s) on the inside of Global Verge?
3. Why hasn’t Global Verge found it important to answer the 17 complaints filed with the Missouri AG’s office? Do they figure since the complaints are from former distributors that they are not important?
4. Why is Global Verge aka Global Mobile 1 telling folks on conference calls they are an MVNO? Yet on the Global Mobile 1 website under the FAQs it states the following:
“Q: Does Global Mobile1 have agreements with other carriers (i.e. AT&T, Verizon, etc.) so Global Mobile 1customers are not penalized for early termination of their contracts?
A: No. We have no agreements with any other service providers. It is completely up to the customer on what they do. We don’t encourage anyone to break their contract.
Q: If I am currently in a contract with AT&T, etc.,–what is the process of getting my service through GM1 instead? Do I have to break my contract so that when my number is ported over to Global Mobile1 my previous provider stops billing me?
A: We have no working relationship with any other carriers. GM1 can’t suggest to you one way or another what to do about your current contract. You will have to make that decision for yourself. Anyone can enroll in our service anytime by following the enrollment process.”
Now, we did not just stop with the Global Mobile 1 website, we also went to the telecommunication industry to see if Buzzirk Wireless, Global Verge or Global Mobile 1 was listed as a licensed MVNO.
Now at first we went to MVNOList.com well this site had not been updated since 2008, so we decided the info was old and outdated.
Next we went to Telecom Papers and looked in the USA, we did not find Global Verge, Buzzirk Wireless or Global Mobile 1.
So we kept looking and went to Telephulx and again we did not find any mention of Global Verge, Buzzirk Wireless or Global Mobile 1.
We even went to Wikipedia since so many other folks swear by it.
But, is it even important that Global Verge, Buzzirk Mobile or Global Mobile 1 is even an MVNO?
Here is a great breakdown on exactly what it means to have an MVNO designation. You can find this at Wikiperdia.
Understanding the MVNO value chain
Mobile network operator (MNO)
The traditional MNO is characterised by having their own mobile licence, their own mobile infrastructure and direct customer relationship to the end user. The MNO can handle Network Routing and will usually have roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The MNO can produce and distribute for example voice-minutes, SMS and MMS messaging and data traffic themselves. The MNO can typically handle customer service, invoicing and collect consumption data and handle handset management themselves. Additionally the MNO will usually handle marketing and sales to end users themselves.
Mobile network enabler (MNE)
An MNE is characterised by having their own mobile licence and own mobile infrastructure, but the MNE has – unlike the MNO – no direct customer relationship with the end user. It is therefore only an MNO that can establish themselves as an MNE. The MNE is capable of handling Network Routing themselves and the MNE will typically have roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The MNE is able to produce and distribute for example voice minutes, SMS and MMS messages and data traffic. The MNE will typically be able to handle customer relationship, customer billing and collection of consumption data and mobile handset management. The MNE will not handle marketing and sales to end-users, this is a task for the MNE’s wholesale customers.The MNE handles the technical side of the business and often also handles areas like customer service and legal assistance for mobile providers without their own network.
Mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE)
MVNEs are characterised by neither having a mobile licence nor mobile infrastructure or any direct customer relationship with the end-users. The MVNE is capable of handling Network Routing and the MVNE has typically entered into roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The MVNE is not capable of producing and distributing for example voice minutes and data traffic, but the MVNE will typically be able to handle producing SMS and MMS messages. A typical MVNE will handle customer service, customer billing, collection of consumption data and mobile handset management. Additionally the MVNE will not handle marketing and sales to end-users, this is a task for the MVNE’s wholesale customers. The MVNE functions as a middleman between the MNO and the mobile providers without their own networks. The MVNE handles the technical side and often also tasks like customer service and legal assistance for mobile providers without their own network.
Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)
An MVNO is characterized by neither having their own mobile licence nor own mobile infrastructure, but the MVNO has the direct customer relationship with the end user. The MVNO is able to handle Network Routing themselves and will typically have entered into roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The MVNO is often able to produce and distribute for example voice minutes and data traffic, typically by tagging onto their existing fixed line operation, and the MVNO will typically be able to handle producing SMS and MMS messages. A typical MVNO will be able to handle customer service, customer billing and collection of consumption data and handset management. Furthermore the MVNO will usually handle marketing and sales to end-users them self.
Mobile shared spectrum enabler (MSSE)
The MSSE has no mobile infrastructure of its own, but is a technology provider that uses innovative hardware and software to enable MVNOs to create their own actual mini-networks, while preserving and enhancing the relationship between MVNO and MNO. Using its agreement with the MNO, and operating within the MNO’s spectrum license, the MSSE helps the MVNO to deploy its own network of low-power base-stations into areas the MNO could not justify, using Pico- and Femto-cell technologies. There is no impact on the MNO’s mainstream network and it can, if it chooses, extend the reach of the its network at no cost, while the MVNO can improve its profitability by offering specialist and niche mobile solutions.
Service provider (SP)
An SP has neither a mobile licence nor own mobile infrastructure, but the SP has the direct customer relationship with the end user. An SP is not able to handle Network Routing themselves and a SP will not enter into roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The SP is not able to produce and distribute for example voice minutes and data traffic and cannot produce SMS or MMS messages themselves. The SP will typically handle customer relationship, customer billing consumption data and handset management themselves. Additionally, the SP will typically handle their own marketing and sales to end-users.
Branded reseller (BR)
A BR has neither a mobile licence nor own mobile infrastructure, but has the direct customer relationship to end-users. The BR cannot handle Network Routing themselves and the BR will not enter into roaming deals with foreign MNOs. The BR cannot produce and distribute for example voice minutes and data traffic themselves and are not able to produce SMS or MMS messages. A typical BR will not handle customer service, customer billing or collection of consumption data and handset management themselves.The BR will primarily concentrate their activities around marketing and sales to end-users. The BRs’ positive contribution to the value chain is (naturally) their “brand”, but their distribution power will also be a central asset for many Branded Resellers.
Well, I guess we’ll all see what Florida has to bring this week.
Living An Epic Adventure,
Troy
Global Verge is taking orders for $90 Sprint Datacard modems, with a $70 plan for … 1 Gb of data.
They have no photo, no technical specs of the modem.
They have no Terms of Service webpage for the plan, no data coverage map.
They have been taking orders for 2 weeks now, so, if they run true to form, in baout two weeks they will start coming up with excuses why they are not shipping yet, like they are moving their warehouse to Alaska, or their software cannot track orders.
Troy thank you for educating the field, I can tell you that BOMBSHELL news will be coming out of ORLANDO that will most likely destroy anything thats left at GV, further, IDG will be doing another story about PAGE PLUS CELLULAR suing GV and filing complaints to the FCC FOR communications Fraud.
Lots of bad news for you, isn’t it, Chris? Seeing as you’re the one that set up the Page Plus deal. You might wanna invest in petroleum jelly stocks cause i’m thinking someone’s gonna be buying lots of it… if someone puts money on your books in the big house.
Anyway, take a look at the latest judgement in favor or Global Verge- if i were you i would be getting the house put in the girlfriends name, sell the car to a leasing company and do a lease-back, transfer the bank account to a trust, and maybe change my name.
Oh wait- you ain’t gotta house. You ain’t got a car. There ain’t no money in the bank- and the name? It ain’t your real one anyways.
Everyone should have bailed last year the second they lost the CTIA award…from those smart techy guys at the CTIA Vegas show who checked all this out…right!…you know the 180MB sec's download speed, they did not test, or the video phone..etc. Nerds! they endorsed hot air and started all this mess…
How can they award this 01 technology and not even check it out. Some responsibility is on the geek magazine who got conned by 01…then real people got hurt…
They endorsed a technology that did not even work…As for you other kool aide addicts…make sure you see the company ship phones, checks, and be proven first.
Avoid any start ups…this biz is just a massive undertaking for new bee's to enter the market place…I don't recommend start up MLM Wireless company's…, and if they are public or registered on the exchange check out their quarterly reports showing the profitability and numbers first for sure.
Many are not doing well and should be avoided. CHECK!!!
Troy: Where is the news about Global Verge?
Larry,
Relax… Global Verge is just one small little company. We have larger more important stories to share. Info is coming in, including possible video from one of the local TV stations. We'll post once we have reviewed everything and authenticated it.
Hey Troy!
Great video and information about what's currently happening in the GV world and beyond! It's truly a shame that the entirety of the membership were not able for whatever reason to see this coming months ago.
It's almost as if this has been a planned "Modus Operandi" (method of operating or functioning and / or manner of working) all along and who knows for how far back into the past with these corporates at the helm of this sinking ship. It will sure be interesting the news reports on Local TV and how this whole thing is being presented!
On March 15, 2010, Zero1 and Piilani's attorney asked to withdraw from the case, and it was granted on 3/15. Right now, the corp. and Ben have no attorney, but they have to come back to court for status. In Nevada, the corporation cannot defend itself, it must have an attorney or default can be taken against it. I wonder what spin Ron Dresner has on that.
Here is the link to check it out: https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/Anonymous/CaseDe…
By the way, the Zer01 website now does not go to Google (if it did before). It simply says, "NOPE. STILL HERE. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT EVERYONE." No attorneys, no product, no website. I'd say they are on the ropes and the gig is up.
Regarding MLM Leadership is More Than a Position:
Troy – You've hit the nail directly and squarely on the head! People DO need to focus on THEIR OWN business and steer clear of company politics and slander of other members NO MATTER what company and / or business they're with.
With all the MLM Wars going on both in the past and in the present – people SHOULD BE weary of anything that sounds wrong in the way people comment on any company or other person! This is kind of like the biblical saying " do unto others as you'd have them do unto you" and of course, MAINTAINING Professionalism at all times wether or not you agree or disagree with how somethings being done or what's being said by others.
Thank You Troy for bringing this particular subject to the FRONT of the room as we all need reminding from time to time. There's simply NO reason why we can't all get along and even if we must …AGREE to DISAGREE and move on!
"Maybe that's an April fools joke". That was funny! Another question answered. Long story short. GV never had unlimited text, minutes and or data. In fact, I had the pleasure of reading an email that was sent to a now former member of GV that read. "Yahdah! Yahdah! Yahdah! We (GV) are sorry for the screw up but, we are/will be sending you a $20 check for the data that we could not provide to you. Blah! Blah! Blah! So, basically! These people were dropped down to a lesser $49.99/$59.99 plan with a 50 mb of data and then was further contacted or not about not even having 50 mb of data, but rather 20 mb. Boy! When will GV learn that when you do wrong. Wrong will come right back to smack the hell out of you! And for all you idiots who are still being mystified over Ted's cunning smile and charming voice. And Marks generic form of "It's gonna blow your mind", "it's fantastic", "believe me when I tell you folk…it's awesome" or any other hype phrase that he's been taught by Ruth Mayne. Just listen to their so called "recorded corporate calls". And write down each and every time someone says a marketing phrase of: fantastic, excited, great, super, blow your mind, extraordinary or phenomenal. Then, multiply that by the number of people who was on the call. And finally, if the number of minutes of the call is less than your multiplied number. Your most likely listening to some bul@&hit! Do the math people and don't be stupid! OK!
In the new Corporate Call, Ruth let slip that the first Global Mobile One phone is the Samsung Moment.
According to Teh Google,
The Samsung Moment is an Android phone, that sells for $180 after $50 instant savings and a $100 mail-in rebate. With a 2 -years contract. A Sprint exclusive.
Let's see if a fly-by-night outfit can order "10,000" of that (Sprint exclusive) $330 phone.
The Moment is also apparently available on Best Buy, “unlocked” (without a contract) for … $630.
I doubt very much GV can order even 1000 phones at $330, or find any significant number of buyers for a $630 phone.
_Arthur get your facts straight. Ruth did not let anything slip. The Samsung Moment was 1 of 9 different models the Triple Diamonds got to choose from. The popular choice was the Samsung Moment. Some chose the HTC Hero, Motorola Q, etc. Real Source.
Actually, a Samsung Moment and a HTC Hero were given to the crowd in a raffle.
At no time anybody asserted that those phones had a Global Mobile 1 faceplate.
That’s what Global Verge promised, remember ? Phones built in China to their specifications, and branded Global Mobile One.
When will you get your own, Real Source ? Will you post pictures of it for our merriment ?
So, what mark Petschel was saying about ordering phones in bulk from a Chinese manufacturer was just bunk then ?
Samsung is Korean, HTC is Taiwan, Motorola is an US company.
Last December, Global Verge starte taking orders for main brands phones, that they were never able to deliver. The few phones they shipped were second-hand refurbished phones, and were real crappy, according to Mark Petshel himself.
At the end of February, GV decided to halt all shipments, and that they would order generic phones from a chinese manufacturer. The order process would take "4-6 weeks".
And now you're telling us nothing has changed, GV still intends to sell phones by Samsung and HTC, but their firmware is not ready, and the phones hasn't been ordered yet ???
So, no change at all till December. The E-associates are still in a holding pattern, except GV has launched a big recruiting drive, just in case one day they may have phones to sell.
I don't get it, Source-guy.
A the conference call yesterday, Ted was supposed to explain what’s the trouble with their VOIP Hlobal TalkSmart product, but he waffled and rambled instead.
Mark P. promised that their new VOIP partner would explain a brand new VOIP product next week.
They have still no phones, but they promise to give (sell) phones to Triple Diamonds that show up in person at the meetings.
Mark P. gave repeated and numerous assurances that the phones were coming, just a few wrinkles in the contracts needed to be ironed out.
“Very very shortly”
“very very quickly”
“TENS OF THOUSANDS” of phone in the warehouses, “sooner than later”
Just keep the faith and above all, the autoships.
In the most recent Corporate call, "Tony" explained that he was still debugging the phones, that why the "controlled roll-out" to a handfull of Triple Diamonds only.
The Triple Diamonds received their phones first to test the system, to work thru any glitches the new system may have. Double Diamonds are next to be able to purchase their phones, and to continue testing the automation system. Real Source
How many Triple Diamond's received these phones? Is it enough, form across the country to know the phones will work nationwide? I do like the fact they are doing a staggered test, this can save the field from marketing something that does not work.
However, this is also what GV told folks in the very beginning with Zer01, and there were never any phones. Are we sure there are phones and service this time around?
"How many Triple Diamond's received these phones?"
About 15, according to what Mark Petschel said in the call.
I don't see why the phones need debugging, unless GV is trying to cobble up its own Android distro.
"to work thru any glitches the new system may have"
What "system" ?
Real Source, how long have you been with GV ? Have you ever heard a live conference call from corporate ? The answer is NO NO NO ? The reason there are no live calls is cause mark and ted can't answer the real questions. Everything has to be scripted and they have to hide behind the recorded calls. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT ? WHY CAN'T THEY DO LIVE CALLS WITH QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE CALL FROM THE FIELD. HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THEM WHY THEY DON'T DO LIVE CALLS ? WHY NOT REAL SOURCE
I was on a live call w/ Ted this past Monday. Me and about 150 e-associates. Ted answered questions for an hour. Some of them were very difficult questions- some he really didn’t have good answers to- but scared? Nope. Hiding? Nope. My advise? Get in touch with a leader. Lesson 1: Unless you are Very successful, Solo is a tough way to go- when you join a company do you due diligence on the company and pick your leader carefully. We were able to arrange a call. We were able to put people on it. Our people were able to ask un-moderated questions. Why not real source? I was on the call a year ago- 20,000 people trying to ask questions on a live call… it was a fiasco beyond compare.
Real Source, if you're the real source then why don't you give your real name ? When did you sign up for your KOOLAIDE STAND cause they were working on fixing GLITCHES for a long, long time. The company i'm with has TWO live calls daily and ANYONE CAN TALK TO THE OWNERS ANYTIME THEY WANT. HOW COME GV CAN'T DO THAT ? I'll answer for you again…. I'ts so they can control the flavors of koolaide you drink.
Why hasn't any of these "Triple Diamonds" posted a Youtube video or something to show the phone, IN USE! and dispell these rumors, rumblings about the phones being bogus. This is a simple task that will shut down most of the disbelief, yet they will not even do this. Ridiculous. Live calls would go a long way as well.
Mark P. said that the unique feature of these phones would be the Global Mobile One brand on the faceplate. He was to import striped phones from China, and add a GM1 faceplate.
So far they have posted pictures of 2 phones on on GM1 website, but those are main brand phones, sans Global Mobile logo.
So so far, he has given away 15 phones of unknown brand, unknown price, to Triple Diamonds.
I suppose that proves something.
There's a list of the main brand smartphones (Samsung, HTC, Blacberry), with prices.
GV claim they pass the phones at wholesale prices.
Petschel say those are genuine phones, not refurbs like last time.
The phones come pre-activated with a 1 month UNLIMITED Sprint prepaid.
The phones are for members only, limit: 2 per E-Associate in good standing.
The "retail" phones will be different phones, at different prices, TBA.
Ted Robbins has a new hook for GV agents; "The Race for the Cadillac is a contest for everyone. Anyone can participate as we strive toward a goal of 60,000 active e-Associates. When we achieve this goal we will hold a drawing for a brand new Cadillac…. To get a chance in the drawing for the Cadillac all you have to do is personally sponsor 3 e-Associates. And, you will get an additional chance for every 3 new e-Associates that you sponsor between now and when we reach the goal of 60,000 e-Associates. The contest has already begun. We are starting from April 1, 2010. So if you have been sponsoring you have a head start and could be one of the Top Sponsors and be eligible to win additional prizes and ticket chances. ."
Mike,
When they say "Brand New" does that mean a 2010, or just "Brand New" to the rep receiving the car?
Troy, when Mark and Ted give it away, it’s so close to new you’d never know the difference anyway. Now, if they follow suit the way they did the phones… you might wanna be sure it’s got a battery in it- or, like the phones, a charger
lol.
Contact Keven Thompson an Attorney that is looking very closely that GV. Lots of people lots lots of money and you can contact Keven for some advise. He can also give you the web address for the Attorney General and apply YOUR claim to get your money back. I did and I’m still waiting, I should get it soon. There is also a “Possable” Class Action Law Suit. Don’t give up, keep pushing them!!