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Helio Opens Flagship Store in CaliforniaNov 21, 2006 Helio has made good on its promise to plunge into the brick-and-mortar retail market. The MVNO's first flagship store has opened its doors in Santa Monica, Calif. The 4,000-square-foot Helio Store revolves around a centrally located lounge where Helio members and first-time visitors can gather to test out Helio services, browse the Web or watch programming on a 60-inch plasma display. Helio Stores also feature intimate pods where customers can test live devices and services, learn about Helio memberships, accessorize and sign up for services without having to wait in line at a traditional cash register. "At Helio Stores, we're looking to break the stale mobile store mold with a unique approach and a place that's different, inviting and all about lifestyle," says Ali Zanjani, Helio's executive VP of sales and distribution. Helio has pledged to open four more flagship locations by early next year. Specifically, the company intends to build Helio Stores in San Diego and Palo Alto, Calif., as well as in Denver before the close of 2006. A New York City store is planned for early 2007. Branded retail locations are becoming more popular for companies other than the big wireless carriers. Handset manufacturers Nokia and Motorola have committed to building up their retail presence. Both companies have opened a handful of branded flagship stores in the United States and abroad. As with the Helio store, the Motorola and Nokia stores also emphasize hands-on experience. Analyst Iain Gillott of iGR believes that if MVNOs want to attract customers and sell products, they have to open stores. "When you look at new MNVOs, growth has been pathetic on the Web. When they open a store, they attract customers," Gillot said in a recent interview with Wireless Week. Helio recently began offering Helio Hybrid, which gives subscribers access to both 3G and Wi-Fi technology without having to deal with several different logins. The company also unveiled a third wireless device to its offering. The Samsung Slider, aka The Drift, was custom built for Helio and supports both Google Maps and Buddy Beacon location-based services. |
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