Campus SIMs

What Campus SIMs does

Campus SIMs is a marketing and referral service that connects international students at US universities with Mint Mobile wireless service. Founded in 2013 by Colin Fahey, the company operates as a division and d.b.a. of Mint Mobile, LLC, headquartered at Mint Mobile's Fountain Valley, California office, with a Delaware-domiciled legal entity. Campus SIMs addresses a specific friction point in the US market: international students typically arrive without a Social Security number, US bank account, or local credit history, which traditional carriers require. Through distribution partnerships with more than 400 US colleges and universities, Campus SIMs ships physical SIM cards — often bundled with I-20 enrollment documents — and offers eSIM QR-code activation so students can secure a US phone number before departing their home country.

The company's core "products" are not technically proprietary. It is a thin distribution layer over Mint Mobile's MVNO infrastructure (4G LTE/5G on GSM), offering Mint Mobile plans that start at $15 per month with 5GB–unlimited data options and no contract. Campus SIMs earns affiliate referral commissions on each successful student activation on Mint Mobile service. Beyond SIM distribution, the company maintains a scholarship sweepstakes program, a deals/resources portal that aggregates student-discount partnerships (Student Universe for travel, ISIC for student verification, Sprintax for tax filing, Trawick for insurance, Conversation Buddies for English practice), and content marketing via a blog and social channels. The team is small — 11-50 employees per firmographic data — with leadership centered on co-founder Colin Fahey and account managers Alec Been and David Hernandez covering the US partner base.

The go-to-market is a hybrid of channel sales (university bulk SIM distribution) and direct-to-consumer (website orders and eSIM self-serve via the Mint Mobile app). Operating geographies are limited to the United States; eSIM activation enables global pre-arrival signups, but physical SIM shipments are US-only. No venture funding has been disclosed since 2016, and the business functions as a strategic marketing arm of Mint Mobile rather than a venture-backed independent company.

Name

Campus SIMs

Legal name

Mint Mobile, LLC

Website

https://campussims.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Campus SIMs is a referral and marketing division of Mint Mobile that distributes SIM cards and eSIM activations to international students at 400+ US universities, enabling pre-arrival US phone number setup and earning affiliate commissions on Mint Mobile activations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Mobile Wireless Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

SIM/eSIM, Mobile Connectivity & Student Tech Setup (EDAIANAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Student Onboarding & Pre-Departure Orientation Services (EDAIACAG), International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE)

Keywords

• International student SIM cards
• University channel distribution
• Affiliate wireless referrals
• Student mobile phone service
• Pre-arrival US phone number

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Referral Fees: campusSIMS earns commissions when students sign up for Mint Mobile service through their platform. The company operates as a marketing partner and referral source for Mint Mobile, earning revenue for each successful student activation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

campusSIMS distributes physical SIM cards and eSIM activations to international students through 400+ partner US universities and a direct-to-consumer website, referring them to Mint Mobile wireless plans. Students can sign up and receive a US phone number while still in their home country, with service activating on arrival in the US. Pricing is set by Mint Mobile (plans from $15/month); campusSIMS monetizes via affiliate/referral commissions on activations.

Product overview

Campus SIMs is a student-focused SIM card and wireless service provider that operates as part of the Mint Mobile family. The company offers a portfolio of products including physical SIM cards, eSIM activation options, and Mint Mobile wireless plans starting at $15/month. The core product enables international students to obtain a U.S. phone number before arriving in the United States, with service available immediately upon landing. Campus SIMs also provides a scholarship sweepstakes program and maintains a student deals portal featuring partner offers for travel, insurance, tax preparation, and language learning. The company operates a B2B university distribution program with over 400 partner institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical SIM Cards Physical SIM cards that international students can order while still in their home country, shipped to a US address or distributed through 400+ partner universities (often bundled with I-20 documents). Provides a US phone number with service that activates on arrival.
• eSIM Activation Digital eSIM option allowing students to activate service by scanning a QR code, eliminating the need to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive in the mail.
• Mint Mobile Wireless Plans (referral) Wireless service plans provided through partnership with Mint Mobile, offering unlimited talk and text with 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, or unlimited data options starting at $15/month, on 4G LTE/5G. Plans require no SSN, no US bank account, no contract, accept international credit cards, and can be cancelled any time.
• University SIM Distribution Program B2B-style program letting US colleges and universities order free bulk SIM kits to distribute to incoming international students, often alongside I-20 enrollment documents, with dedicated account manager support.
• Wireless for a Year Scholarship Sweepstakes Annual scholarship sweepstakes awarding one year of Mint Mobile wireless service (unlimited talk/text plus 15GB of 4G LTE data per month) to a winning international student.
• Student Deals & Resources Portal Curated deals and resources from partner organizations (Student Universe for travel, ISIC student identity card, Sprintax for tax prep, Trawick International for insurance, Conversation Buddies for language practice) available exclusively to international students coming to the US.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can save hundreds on wireless service compared to traditional carriers

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and minor.

• Mint MobileprimaryGTM or Marketing PartnercampusSIMS is part of the Mint Mobile family and operates as a marketing partner focused specifically on international students. Mint Mobile provides the wireless infrastructure, plans, and service while campusSIMS handles student acquisition through university partnerships and direct marketing. Students who sign up through campusSIMS receive Mint Mobile service with the same plans and network coverage.
• 400+ Universities and CollegescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorcampusSIMS partners with over 400 US colleges and universities to distribute SIM cards to international students. Universities receive bulk SIM kits at no cost and distribute them to students, often alongside I-20 enrollment documents. This gives campusSIMS institutional access to the target student population.
• Student UniverseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent Universe provides discount travel services for students and those under 26. Partnership offers campusSIMS users access to cheap flights, hotels, and tours.
• ISIC (International Student Identity Card)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerISIC provides the International Student Identity Card offering thousands of discounts globally. Partnership provides student verification and discount access.
• SprintaxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSprintax provides tax preparation services for international students, scholars, and non-resident professionals in the US. File federal taxes with $5 off using campusSIMS discount code.
• Trawick InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrawick International provides travel insurance, visitor insurance for students, trip cancellation insurance, and international student insurance. Students can access these services through campusSIMS deals page.
• InternationalStudent.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternationalStudent.com is a resource portal connecting international students with US universities and relevant resources. Partnership helps direct students to campusSIMS services.
• Conversation BuddiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConversation Buddies is a free platform for practicing conversational English. Partnership offers campusSIMS users access to language practice resources.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• US Mobile: MVNO offering flexible prepaid plans on Tier-1 networks; competes for the same price-sensitive international student segment with no-contract wireless service.
• Mint Mobile: Parent company and exclusive wireless carrier partner; campusSIMS is a division/d.b.a. of Mint Mobile, LLC, so they share infrastructure, plans, and economics.
• Tello Mobile: Low-cost MVNO with customizable prepaid plans; targets similarly price-sensitive, no-contract wireless buyers including international arrivals.

Emerging players

• Airalo: Global eSIM marketplace for travelers; competes with campusSIMS' pre-arrival activation thesis by letting international students land with a working US data line from their home country.
• Holafly: eSIM provider focused on international travelers including students, offering country-specific data plans that overlap with campusSIMS' pre-arrival connectivity use case.

Broad incumbents

• T-Mobile: Major US carrier with prepaid brands and international student programs; competes for the same end user and, as Mint Mobile's acquirer, has strategic overlap with campusSIMS.
• Google Fi: Wireless service with strong international roaming and eSIM support; addresses the same cross-border student connectivity need but as part of a broader consumer offering.
• Visible (Verizon): Verizon-owned digital-first prepaid carrier; overlaps on no-contract, app-driven wireless that appeals to budget-conscious students.

Others

• Sprintax: Tax preparation service for international students in the US; existing campusSIMS partner and an example of the adjacent student-services ecosystem the company could expand into.
• InternationalStudent.com: Resource portal connecting international students with US universities and services; campusSIMS is an existing marketing partner and they compete for the same student's attention pre-arrival.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/campusSIMs
• Facebookfacebook.com/campusSIMs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/campussims
• Instagraminstagram.com/campus_sims

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Campus SIMs