I-Wireless
I-wireless, operating as Kroger Wireless, is a US prepaid MVNO headquartered in Newport, Kentucky, that resells 4G LTE and 5G wireless service on a major nationwide carrier's network to budget-conscious consumers via krogerwireless.com and the Kroger Family of Companies retail footprint, with 4X Kroger fuel points integration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersNewport, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What I-Wireless does
I-wireless, LLC operates Kroger Wireless, a US prepaid Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) headquartered in Newport, Kentucky, founded in 2006. The company resells wireless voice, text, and mobile broadband services on an underlying nationwide carrier's 4G LTE and 5G networks, advertising 5G download speeds of 73–341 Mbps and 4G LTE speeds of 9–48 Mbps. Its product set centers on tiered no-contract prepaid plans — $25/month (6 GB), $35/month (10 GB), and $45/month (25 GB high-speed, then throttled) — with corresponding annual prepay options ($180–$540) saving roughly 17–20%, plus quarterly and airtime-card top-ups (denominations $10–$100, valid 30–90 days) and hardware sales of iPhone and Samsung devices through shop.krogerwireless.com.
Revenue is generated through subscription recurring on monthly/annual plans, one-time airtime card sales at retail, hardware margin on device sales, and usage-based international long-distance add-ons. Select plans bundle streaming subscriptions (Netflix, Max, Disney+/Hulu, Paramount+) at no extra cost for 6 months, and all plans earn 4X Kroger fuel points when a registered Kroger shopper card is used, integrating the wireless product with the Kroger Family of Companies loyalty ecosystem spanning Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Smith's, King Soopers, City Market, Fry's, and other banners.
The customer base is budget-conscious US prepaid consumers and existing Kroger shoppers seeking affordable service without credit checks or long-term contracts; go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online activation on krogerwireless.com with physical distribution through Kroger Family of Companies retail locations and authorized airtime distributors. Strategic moat is anchored in the Kroger brand license and retail distribution, with switching costs kept deliberately low as part of the value proposition.
I-Wireless firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- I-Wireless
- Legal name
- i-wireless, LLC
- Website
- https://krogerwireless.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- I-wireless, operating as Kroger Wireless, is a US prepaid MVNO headquartered in Newport, Kentucky, that resells 4G LTE and 5G wireless service on a major nationwide carrier's network to budget-conscious consumers via krogerwireless.com and the Kroger Family of Companies retail footprint, with 4X Kroger fuel points integration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where I-Wireless is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newport
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
I-Wireless business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Prepaid Wireless Service Plans: Monthly subscription plans providing unlimited talk, text, and data allotments. Plans automatically renew with auto-pay. Annual plans offer 20% savings compared to monthly rates. Revenue is recurring and predictable.
- Airtime Cards/Top-Up: Prepaid airtime cards sold at Kroger Family of Companies stores and authorized distributors. Cards have denomination-based validity periods (30-90 days). Minimum top-up of $10 for credit/debit card transactions.
- Device Sales: Sale of wireless phones and devices through Kroger Wireless phone store. Phones available include iPhone, Samsung, and other branded smartphones. Devices sold with or without plan bundling.
- International Long Distance: International calling services available as add-on purchases. International text messaging is free with all plans. International rates vary by country and are charged per-minute plus standard airtime.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | $25/month - 6 GB Data Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | $35/month - 10 GB Data Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | $45/month - Unlimited Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | $180/year - Basic Annual Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | $300/year - Standard Annual Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | $420/year - Plus Annual Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | $540/year - Premium Annual Plan |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | $45/3-month - Quarterly Plan |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
I-Wireless product offering
Product offeringCore offering
I-Wireless, operating as Kroger Wireless, is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that sells prepaid wireless voice, text, and data service plans to U.S. consumers under license from the Kroger Family of Companies. Service is delivered over an underlying nationwide carrier's 4G LTE and 5G networks, with plans that include unlimited talk and text, tiered data allotments, bundled streaming perks, and integration with the Kroger 4X Fuel Points loyalty program. The company also resells smartphones (iPhone, Samsung) through its online phone store and distributes prepaid airtime refill cards at Kroger-affiliated retail banners.
Product overview
Kroger Wireless, brought to you by i-wireless LLC, is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) offering prepaid wireless cell phone plans and phone sales. The product portfolio consists of multiple monthly and annual plan tiers (6 GB, 10 GB, and Unlimited plans with 25 GB high-speed data) providing unlimited talk and text, plus streaming service perks. Plans operate on 5G LTE and 4G networks via an underlying carrier partnership. The offering also includes airtime cards for account top-ups and retail phone sales (iPhone, Samsung). All services are prepaid with no contracts required.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Save $60 per year with 6 GB annual plan vs monthly ($240 vs $300)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use I-Wireless
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
I-Wireless technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
I-Wireless partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Underlying Carrier (Major Nationwide Mobile Network Operator)coreKroger Wireless operates as an MVNO using the facilities of an underlying carrier which is a leading nationwide mobile network operator. The underlying carrier provides 4G LTE and 5G network infrastructure, network management, and coverage. Kroger Wireless has some control over network management practices but the underlying carrier retains primary control over network operations and performance.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
I-Wireless competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TracFone Wireless (Verizon): Largest US prepaid MVNO, now wholly owned by Verizon. Sells no-contract prepaid wireless plans through retail and online, directly comparable to Kroger Wireless in target customer (budget-conscious, prepaid) and distribution model.
- Mint Mobile: Direct-to-consumer prepaid MVNO owned by T-Mobile, selling online-activation plans at $15-$30/mo with 3/6/12-month terms. Closest direct competitor on online activation, plan pricing, and annual prepay model.
- Consumer Cellular: Prepaid/postpaid MVNO targeting budget-conscious and senior customers with no-contract plans, distributed through retail (Target, AARP) and online. Comparable on target segment and no-contract value proposition.
- Boost Mobile: Prepaid MVNO now owned by EchoStar/Dish, offering no-contract unlimited and data-tiered plans online and through retail. Directly competes for the same prepaid consumer segment with similar pricing tiers.
- Straight Talk Wireless: Prepaid MVNO under TracFone/Verizon umbrella, distributed through Walmart and online. Comparable in retail-anchored prepaid positioning, low price points, and wide distribution footprint.
- Google Fi Wireless: Google-operated MVNO offering no-contract plans with seamless Wi-Fi/cell switching and international roaming. Comparable MVNO business model targeting digitally-native, value-conscious consumers.
Emerging players
- Republic Wireless: Smaller online-focused MVNO selling no-contract plans with hybrid Wi-Fi/cell technology. Comparable MVNO model targeting budget-conscious online customers, though materially smaller scale.
- US Mobile: Fast-growing online-only MVNO with flexible plan customization on T-Mobile and Verizon networks. Comparable MVNO model targeting online-activation, no-contract, budget-conscious consumers.
Broad incumbents
- Cricket Wireless: AT&T-owned prepaid sub-brand offering no-contract plans online and through ~5,000 retail stores. Direct competitor in the prepaid segment, with a larger scale and carrier-owned economics advantage.
- Metro by T-Mobile: T-Mobile-owned prepaid sub-brand with nationwide retail footprint and unlimited/data-tiered plans. Comparable prepaid offering with carrier-backed pricing and broader scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
I-Wireless social profiles
Digital presenceI-Wireless financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
I-Wireless leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
I-Wireless funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
I-Wireless M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about I-Wireless
What does I-Wireless do?
I-Wireless, operating as Kroger Wireless, is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that sells prepaid wireless voice, text, and data service plans to U.S. consumers under license from the Kroger Family of Companies. Service is delivered over an underlying nationwide carrier's 4G LTE and 5G networks, with plans that include unlimited talk and text, tiered data allotments, bundled streaming perks, and integration with the Kroger 4X Fuel Points loyalty program. The company also resells smartphones (iPhone, Samsung) through its online phone store and distributes prepaid airtime refill cards at Kroger-affiliated retail banners.
Is I-Wireless a public or private company?
I-Wireless is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was I-Wireless founded?
I-Wireless was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is I-Wireless based?
I-Wireless is headquartered in Newport, United States, in the North America region.
How does I-Wireless make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Prepaid Wireless Service Plans are the primary driver. The others are airtime Cards/Top-Up, device Sales and international Long Distance.
Who are I-Wireless's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TracFone Wireless (Verizon), Mint Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Boost Mobile, Straight Talk Wireless and Google Fi Wireless. Emerging players are Republic Wireless and US Mobile. Broad incumbents are Cricket Wireless and Metro by T-Mobile.
Does I-Wireless have an API?
No public API is recorded for I-Wireless.