Wirefly
{{Short description|A portal to compare smartphone plans}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Wirefly
| logo =
| vector_logo =
| foundation = 1999
| location_country = USA
| location =
| key_people = Logan Abbott, President{{cite web|author=Gregory Karp |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-07-10/business/sc-cons-0710-karpspend-20140710_1_phone-plans-upgrade |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711175641/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-07-10/business/sc-cons-0710-karpspend-20140710_1_phone-plans-upgrade |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2014 |title=Do the math before upgrading cellphone |website=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=2014-07-10 |access-date=2017-07-01}}{{cite web|url=https://money.com/ten-best-cell-phone-plans/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608141226/https://money.com/ten-best-cell-phone-plans/ |url-status=live |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |title=The Best Cellphone Plans of 2014 | Money |website=Money.com |access-date=2017-07-01}}
| area_served = USA
| industry = Wireless
| products = Cell phones and wireless plans
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees = < 1,000
| parent = InPhonic until 2007 bankruptcy, Simplexity from 2007 until May 2014, Wind N Sea Technology partners May 2014 to present
| divisions =
| owner =
}}
Wirefly is a cell phone plans and smartphone comparison website. Before being relaunched in May 2014, Wirefly was an online retailer of wireless services and devices operated by parent company Simplexity. Wirefly was headquartered in Reston, Virginia and maintained technology and operations centers in Largo, Maryland.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}} Wirefly also operated a YouTube channel, which provides video reviews and comparisons of hot products.
History
Simplexity assumed control of Wirefly.com in November 2007, after purchasing the assets of InPhonic in 2006. Inphonic had filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filings were made in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, and NASDAQ later delisted the company's stock. Many of Inphonic's assets, including its electronic commerce operations and its Wirefly.com website, were subsequently sold to private investors who used those assets to launch the company Simplexity in January 2008. On March 12, 2014, Wirefly closed down, and is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.{{cite web |url=http://bankruptcy.morrisjames.com/2014/03/delaware-chapter-11-filings-2/simplexity-llc-and-two-affiliates-file-chapter-11/ |title=Simplexity, LLC and Two Affiliates File Chapter 11 : Delaware Business Bankruptcy Report |access-date=2014-04-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429202708/http://bankruptcy.morrisjames.com/2014/03/delaware-chapter-11-filings-2/simplexity-llc-and-two-affiliates-file-chapter-11/ |archive-date=2014-04-29 }} Wirefly was relaunched in May 2014.{{cite web|author=Ryan Whitwam |url=http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/06/19/wirefly-is-back-under-new-ownership-with-a-slightly-different-focus/ |title=Wirefly Is Back Under New Ownership With A Slightly Different Focus |website=Androidpolice.com |access-date=2017-07-01}}
As of April 2014, the Simplexity assets (excluding the Wirefly.com domain name) have been approved for sale to Wal-Mart for approximately US$10 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.law360.com/articles/525109/bankrupt-simplexity-gets-ok-for-10m-wal-mart-sale-plan |title=Bankrupt Simplexity Gets OK For $10M Wal-Mart Sale Plan |website=Law360.com |access-date=2017-07-01}}
Reception
Wirefly has received a number of Internet awards, including Forbes magazine's "Best of the Web" for 2004{{citation needed|date=July 2013}} and Keynote Systems' "Best In Overall Customer Experience" in 2005.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}
Wirefly's video reviews and comparisons of hot products on YouTube have received more than 5.5 million views.{{when|date=July 2013}} This channel held a Global Rank of 6,935,491 on Alexa.com as of July 29, 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/youtube.com%2Fuser%2Fwirefly#trafficstats| journal=Alexa Site Info| date=July 29, 2013 |title=How popular is youtube.com/user/wirefly?}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wirefly.com Wirefly.com official website]
- [https://www.youtube.com/user/wirefly Wirefly's YouTube channel]
Category:Consumer electronics retailers of the United States