DBS Communications

About DBS Communications

DBS Communications, founded in 1998 and based in Schaumburg, Illinois, operated as a provider in the prepaid wireless sector. The firm functioned as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), a business model where it purchased wholesale network access from major carriers and resold it under its own brand.

The company's core business involved custom-configuring prepaid wireless products and marketing them through a network of independent cellular stores, with a strategic focus on urban ethnic markets. In March 2005, DBS expanded its offerings with EZlinkmobile, a service that utilized Sprint's nationwide network to provide features like unlimited incoming calls and rollover minutes to its prepaid customers. By that time, its services were available in over 2,700 retail and distribution locations across the United States.

Beyond direct-to-consumer services, DBS Communications launched a mobile virtual network enablement (MVNE) platform named Versent Mobile in early 2006. This platform provided a comprehensive technology suite—including provisioning, billing, retail, and customer care systems—that enabled other companies to launch their own MVNO services. The company successfully developed and launched private-label services through this platform, such as the aforementioned EZlink for urban markets and Firefly Mobile, which was aimed at a younger demographic.

From a financial perspective, DBS Communications attracted notable investment. The private equity firm The Edgewater Funds acquired the company on January 1, 2003, and subsequently sold its stake in 2004. The company went on to raise a total of $21.4 million in funding across three rounds. Its final funding round was a Series D for $4.2 million on October 9, 2007, with participation from investors including Sierra Ventures, MK Capital, SVB, and Montagu. The company is now listed as deadpooled.