On November 1st, Ting sent an email to to it’s list of people wanting iPhone support on the Ting network saying that it would now allow unlocked Sprint iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S devices as part of a public Beta.
This is pretty big news for Ting and though it’s still being quietly rolled out at the moment, having the ability to support iPhone devices would be a huge win for any MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) service. In fact, it appears to be one of only a few limited MVNOs at the moment that supports iPhone devices other than the big operators like AT&T and Verizon.
Although according to the email, users switching their iPhones to the Ting service should realize that this is a Beta and still an experimental service, so there could be potential network glitches that could prop up. One such glitch already known, is that iPhones activated on the Ting network will not have working MMS (multimedia messaging) for up to two weeks after activation as indicated by their quote:
Please note that multimedia messaging (MMS) will not work for up to two weeks after activation (it’s a long story). iMessage and other phone functions are unaffected.
People wishing to join Ting and use the iPhone but don’t already have an unlocked Sprint iPhone can use second hand markets like Glyde, Swappa, or eBay to buy a Sprint device.
Since moving devices between network providers can sometimes be a headache, Ting has provided a handy guide for bringing your iPhone over to Ting.
This is a very positive move for those who love their iPhones but still can’t stand their large bloated service provider. With Ting, you can now use an iPhone and still get straight forward mobile phone rates without getting nickel and dimed to death.
We will keep our eye on this and announce further roll-out plans as Ting moves out of Beta with their iPhone support. In the meantime, if anyone here is currently using an iPhone on the Ting network, please leave a comment below to let us know how it is working for you.