Miami, 7th of December 2022 - Grover, the leading subscription provider for consumer tech, today announced the launch of its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) for tech rental customers, Grover Connect, in the US. With Grover Connect, US customers can easily activate any eSIM enabled technology device without any friction. To launch this unique new service, Grover teamed up with Gigs, the world’s first telecom-as-a-service platform that enables any company or brand to become an MVNO. The Grover eSIM is available to customers at check-out in the US and will be rolled out to its European markets in the near future. This is the first step in an ambitious growth plan to bring embedded telecom into the Grover offer worldwide, to help customers connect their devices straight out of the box, without worrying about complicated carrier offers and contracts that don’t match their rental period.
Michael Cassau, founder & CEO of Grover: “We are very excited to launch Grover Connect in the US today. Our first tests demonstrated that with our own mobile virtual network, our activation rates have improved significantly, which leads to higher customer satisfaction and ultimately to stronger customer loyalty. Thanks to our partnership with Gigs, who enabled us to start our own mobile virtual network in just a few days, we could quickly and easily unlock new and recurring revenue streams.”
Dennis Bauer, co-founder & President at Gigs adds: “We look forward to being a true growth partner for Grover, allowing them to maximize their entrepreneurial success and creating a new profit center through Grover Connect. By offering convenience, transparency and control to end-users, we create a win-win situation for both Grover and their end-users alike.”
This is how Grover Connect works
Instead of looking for a suitable phone plan or carrier, Grover customers can simply choose a phone plan tailored to their device, usage, budget & rental period with Grover Connect. After selecting a device, customers can add a Grover Connect plan at checkout and activate their eSIM within a few clicks. Plans range from flexible monthly to yearly plans and come with network services from AT&T utilizing their 5G network and, of course, all the basics such as unlimited talk & text, hotspot and roaming to Canada & Mexico. This way Grover customers are online the moment their device arrives, eliminating all the hassle previously associated with getting a phone plan.
Why companies choose Gigs
Before Gigs, companies interested in offering phone plans would have to spend months negotiating contracts with telecom providers, committing millions of $ in spend, integrating with their networks, and building software to offer and manage subscriptions to their users. This barrier proved insurmountable for most businesses, stifling innovation at a moment when connectivity is more important than ever.
With Gigs, companies are finally able to offer phone and data plans in any market they operate in, all through the same integration. Gigs enables any business to offer eSIM & SIM enabled phone and data plans of any size on any network globally. Businesses can launch their own mobile service provider and monetize their audience, unlocking recurring revenue streams, while having full control over brand and pricing. From neobanks providing branded phone plans alongside their credit or debit cards, to employee management platforms enabling their customers to issue phone plans to employees in just a few clicks, to hardware OEMs offering subscriptions bundled with their devices, Gigs is active in various industries.
About Grover
Grover is the global leader in technology rentals, enabling people to subscribe to tech products monthly instead of buying them. Founded in 2015 by Michael Cassau, Grover’s mission is to make exceptional technology more accessible, because technology is a basic human right. With Grover, subscribers get access to a wide range of over 5,000 tech products, including smartphones, laptops, virtual reality (VR) gear, wearables and smart home appliances on a flexible monthly rental basis. Grover’s service allows its users to keep, switch, buy, or return products depending on their individual needs and budget. Rentals are available in the U.S., Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain at GROVER.COM, as well as in Germany through Grover’s online and offline partner network, including Europe’s leading electronics retail group, MediaMarktSaturn. Grover is a pioneer in the advancement of the circular economy. Its business model of renting out tech products to several users across their life cycle allows maximum value to be extracted from each product and reduces e-waste. Grover has circulated 1 million devices in total. With total funding of around €1.3 billion to date and 600 employees, Grover is one of the fastest-growing scaleups in Europe.
About Gigs
Founded by Hermann Frank and Dennis Bauer in 2020, Gigs was born from the belief that connectivity will be a key to unlock the next wave of innovation. The company launched with an API and white-label product that allows businesses to create branded checkout flows to offer phone and data subscriptions to their users. Today, Gigs offers a broad set of features - including payments and analytics - to customers through a unified platform and simple API. Gigs is backed by Google, Y Combinator and prominent business angels and investors such as Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. The company currently employs over 40 people in the US and Europe. For more information, please visit: