Image reproduced from 非凡新聞

According to a report by Bloomberg, US President Donald Trump officially launched a mobile phone service bearing his own brand on Monday (16th), focusing on 'Made in America' hardware and communication networks, targeting patriotic consumers. The service was announced in the Trump Tower in New York by his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Trump's announcement to run for the 2016 presidential election.

Donald Trump Jr. mentioned during the presentation, 'We are partnering with the best in the industry, hoping to provide real value from telecom services to true Americans.' This new initiative is classified as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which rents network bandwidth from one of the three major telecom providers in the United States and sells mobile services under its own brand. The MVNO model has gained popularity in recent years, attracting niche markets.

For instance, the hosts of the popular comedy podcast 'Smartless' have also announced plans to launch a mobile phone service using T-Mobile's network, targeting consumers who use less and want to save on monthly fees. According to official statements, the Trump-branded mobile service will integrate telehealth assistance, device security protection, and Drive America road assistance services along with basic communication functions into its monthly pricing plans.

The plans will also offer unlimited calls to over 100 countries and include a customer service center with 250 representatives based in the United States. Last week, the operating company DTTM Operations LLC applied to the US Patent and Trademark Office for trademarks for 'Trump' and 'T1' in the telecommunications sector, covering mobile phones, phone cases, portable chargers, wireless telecommunications services, and even potential physical retail channels.

This is not Trump's first foray into the media and telecommunications industry. In 2022, he founded the social media platform 'Truth Social' as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter), now boasting millions of active users. His move into the mobile market is seen as a way to further strengthen his media presence and solidify his supporter community.

Notable success stories of the MVNO model exist, including Ryan Reynolds' Mint Mobile, which was aimed at low-usage customers and was later acquired by T-Mobile for $1.35 billion. The success of Trump's newly launched mobile service certainly draws significant industry attention.