Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett speak onstage during SiriusXM Presents SmartLess Live in August, 2024. The trio has now launched SmartLess Mobile, marketed to cost-conscious customers.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
The trio of actors behind the popular SmartLess podcast have launched a U.S. discount cellphone service promoted through their irreverent comic personas and backed by Canadian executives and investors.
On Tuesday, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Toronto-born Will Arnett lifted the curtain on SmartLess Mobile, a service premised on cutting cellphone bills by helping subscribers avoid paying for data they don’t need.
SmartLess Mobile’s marketing campaign will use the trio’s humorous exchanges to show cellphone users can save money by dropping expensive data plans.
“If you own your phone, spend most of your day on Wi-Fi, and are on an unlimited data plan, moving to a SmartLess Mobile plan could literally cut your monthly bill in half,” Mr. Hayes, a comedian and star of the sitcom Will & Grace, said in a press release. He said: “Honestly, if your phone bill knew how often you’re on Wi-Fi, it would be embarrassed.”
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All three actors are equity investors in the wireless company. Mr. Bateman, whose credits include Arrested Development and Ozark, said: “Our SmartLess podcast now reaches millions of listeners each month, almost all of whom listen on their phones. Extending the SmartLess brand into mobile is a logical next step.”
The trio are following a script written by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, co-founder and brand ambassador at discount cellphone service Mint Mobile. Launched in 2016, Mint Mobile sold to T-Mobile in 2023 for US$1.3-billion.
The chief executive officer at Smartless Wireless is Paul McAleese, former president of Calgary-based Shaw Communications Inc. and head of its Freedom Mobile wireless service, which is now owned by Quebecor Inc. SmartLess Mobile’s chief brand officer is his wife Jeni McAleese, a telecom veteran.
SmartLess Mobile’s lead investor is Thomvest Asset Management, a fund manager owned by Toronto-based billionaire Peter Thomson. Mr. Thomson’s family owns The Globe and Mail through holding company Woodbridge Co. Ltd.
SmartLess Mobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator or MVNO running on the T-Mobile US Inc. network. Piggybacking on one of the largest U.S. wireless providers allows the founders to launch their service with minimal network costs.
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In the telecom industry, SmartLess Mobile is referred to as a flanker brand, marketed to cost-conscious customers. As part of the launch on Tuesday, Arrested Development star Mr. Arnett said: “We’re pretty sure that Big Wireless isn’t going to let you know that your phone isn’t using their network 90 per cent of the time. So, we’ll say it: If you’re using less, you should be spending less.”
SmartLess Mobile has no plans to launch in Canadian markets, Mr. McAleese said in an interview. The major Canadian telecom companies run flanker brands such as BCE Inc.’s Virgin Plus, Koodo Mobile at Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc.’s Fido service.
U.S. telecom regulations allow most wireless subscribers to switch providers, while keeping their phone number, by simply scanning a QR code. SmartLess Mobile said its sign-up process only takes a few minutes.
The SmartLess podcast launched in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The show draws millions of listeners each week to a conversation between the three actors and a guest. Episodes that drew large audiences include sessions with Will Ferrell, Wayne Gretzky, George Clooney and Mr. Reynolds.
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In 2021, the founders signed a broadcast deal with Amazon.com Inc. valued at up to US$80-million. Last year, The New York Times said SmartLess “remains one of the rare cultural tent poles that were born during the pandemic era and have continued to thrive.”
In January, the SmartLess founders signed a three-year contract with satellite radio network SiriusXM worth an estimated US$100-million. The mobile phone venture is their first foray outside show business.
Numerous celebrities have profited from co-founding companies with industry operators, then lending their names to marketing campaigns.
This month, model Hailey Bieber sold her cosmetics brand Rhode to e.l.f. Beauty for US$1-billion in cash and stock. In 2014, Apple Inc. paid US$3-billion to buy music platform Beats Electronics, launched by rapper Dr. Dre and music executive Jimmy Iovine.