Google Wallet arrives on Virgin Mobile Optimus Elite with $25 freebie to start

Seth Weintraub | May 18 2012 - 5:50 am PT

Virgin Mobile, a wholly-own subsidiary of Sprint, announced this morning that it would begin rolling out Google Wallet on its Android phones beginning with the recently announced LG Optimus Elite.

The Elite is a small iPhone-ish sized Android device running Android 2.3. It hit Virgin last week and follows the Optimus V and Slider as popular low-cost Android devices on Virgin Mobile.

Google Wallet has had a rough time with United States carriers. Verizon, with the Galaxy Nexus, blocked it late last year, and AT&T and T-Mobile both have refused to subsidize the Galaxy Nexus GSM version that is available off-plan for $399 through Google’s new Play Store. All three carriers are members of the rival ISIS mobile payments platform, and it is obvious that there is some anti-competitive pressure.

Virgin parent Sprint is a Google Wallet Partner, so it would make sense to see Wallet passed to more Virgin phones and perhaps even Sprint’s other pre-paid subsidiary, Boost Mobile.

The press release follows:

The Ultimate Pay Phone

MAKE YOUR VIRGIN MOBILE LG OPTIMUS ELITE YOUR WALLET AND GET $25

From 5/18/12 through 7/18/12, you can get $25 credited to your Google Wallet™ account by first purchasing and activating an LG Optimus Elite™.

Then activate your Google Wallet and Google Wallet prepaid card within 7 days of activating the device on a Virgin Mobile USA Beyond Talk monthly plan.

With Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities and built-in services like Google Wallet, you can now use your LG Optimus Elite like never before – as a wallet – making it one of the fastest, easiest and flat-out coolest ways to make a purchase at participating retailers.

For more information on the LG Optimus Elite:
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phones/lg-optimus-elite-phone.jsp

For more information on Google Wallet:
http://www.google.com/wallet/what-is-google-wallet.html

Limited time offer, promotion runs from 5/18/2012 through 7/18/2012 (“Promotion Period”). Not available in all markets/retail locations. $25 Google Wallet offer Terms and Conditions:Offer requires: (1) purchase of a new LG Optimus Elite from Virgin Mobile and activation on a Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk account; and (2) activation and set up of Google Wallet prepaid card within seven (7) days of Virgin Mobile account activation, during the Promotion Period. Upon successful activation, Google™ will: (i) add a $10 credit to the Google Wallet prepaid card within 48 hours of activation; and (ii) add an additional $15.00 credit to the Google Wallet prepaid card within three weeks of successful activation and set up. No personal credit card information is required for offer to apply. To see where Google Wallet is accepted, please go tohttp://www.google.com/wallet/where-it-works.html. NOTE: Credits applied toward Google Wallet accounts are performed by Google or its designees. For more questions or inquiries about this offer, or about the status of your credit, please call Google Wallet: 855-492-5538. Other restrictions apply.