Helio Closes Four Out of Five Retail Stores

RCR Wireless News is reporting that Helio has closed four of its only five retail outlets, only a month and a half after Virgin Mobile USA’s announcement to buy the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

The report said that the NYC store remains open, but the other four stores—in Santa Monica, San Diego, Palo Alto, and one in Denver—have all ceased operations.

Helio spokesperson Rick Heineman said that as far as the New York store is concerned, “We do not have a time table other than for it to be open right now… When the deal closes, [it's] up to Virgin Mobile.”

Virgin Mobile initially planned to cut Helio’s workforce from 570 to 200; some of the employees in the stores were given jobs with Virgin Mobile, but most were let go.

(Image credit: FierceWireless)

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