This article was published on October 26, 2013

MVNO service DOODAD to shut down on October 28, says it will refund unused purchase credits


MVNO service DOODAD to shut down on October 28, says it will refund unused purchase credits

Mobile data service provider DOODAD is shutting down citing unknown reasons. It notified its customers today in an email and also on its website saying that they have until Monday, October 28 to use the service. Any unused purchased credit (with the exception of bonus DOO-DATA) will be refunded.

Six months ago, DOODAD entered the market as a SIM card giving anyone access to Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) service through a pay-as-you-go model. It was available in 54 countries and appeared to be affordable. Interested consumers could get the SIM card for free, but would pay a $3 shipping and handling fee per order (which can accommodate up to six cards) in the US.

Company co-founder and CEO Sarah Neill wouldn’t specify what issues caused DOODADs shuttering except to say that “business is complicated, and there were a number of factors that led to this decision.”

Getting this notice with less than 72 hours may not sit well with some customers, especially those who are traveling overseas and reliant on the service, but DOODAD defended their decision saying that they were trying to the last minute to find a way to “continue the service.”

Here’s the full email from the company:

On April 3, 2013 we took a bold step to disrupt the roaming market and help travelers stay connected around the world.

But despite our loyal, growing customer base, we have had to make the tough decision to close DOODAD. This will take place this coming Monday (October 28, 2013).

We would have liked to have given you more notice, but we were trying to the last minute to find a way to continue the service.

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for coming on board, being an early adopter, and giving us a chance. We’re sorry we will not be able to see it through.

You’ll be able to continue using your DOODAD and any DOO-DATA you have, until the end of this weekend. We hope this gives you time to find an alternative solution. Then on Monday, we’ll refund any remaining DOO-DATA (not including bonus DOO-DATA) back to the credit/debit card that you used to make the purchase. Anyone that has ordered a DOODAD in the past month will also be refunded any shipping they have paid.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Sarah Neilll
Co-founder & CEO

Photo credit: Hemera

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