Helio has finally launced its new MVNO service in the US, offering advanced mobile phone handsets from Korean manfacturers VK Mobile and Pantech, which feature such delights as 2 megapixel cameras and Moblogging support through integration with MySpace. Both handsets come with a built-in WAP-based MySpace client that lets users read and write to MySpace blogs.

Helio is a $440-million joint venture between US ISP EarthLink and Korean telecoms company SK Telecom, which claims 19.7 million subscribers (over 50% of Korea's total subscribers). The new MVNO's handsets include Pantech's Hero ($275) and VK Mobile's KickFlip ($250).

Helio has an agressive business plan, expecting to acquire 3.3 million subscribers and achieve $2.4 billion in annual sales revenue in the U.S. by 2009.

Helio Price and Plans

According to EngadgetMobile, Helio are offering:

"the All-In Membership, which includes unlimited data, video, MMS, texting, nights and weekends, roaming, and long distance with the plan; and the A La Carte plan which is as the name implies. The All-In buys you 1,000 anytime minutes for $85, 1,500 for $100, or 2,500 minutes for $135 (which we think is a pretty good value, considering what some are charging for that many minutes and unlimited phone data); the A La Carte gets you a 500 minute $40 monthly plan straight up. Oh, and the devices now have prices, too: the Hero will set you back $275, and the Kickflip will ding you for $250."

[Source: EETimes, EngadgetMobile]