Iusatel and Orbi, phone service you pay with digital dollars
Some brands are part of the history of telecommunications in Mexico. Iusacell was one of them. Grupo IUSA launched it in 1987 and with it helped turn the cell phone from a luxury into something within reach of millions of people. Decades later, the group decided to return to the market with a new brand, Iusatel, and since 2025 Orbi has been its partner in taking mobile service into territory that until recently seemed far off, the world of digital dollars.
The return of a familiar name
Iusatel started operating in 2025 as a mobile virtual network operator. That means it doesn’t build towers or buy spectrum, but offers its services on the network of Altán Redes, the wholesale operator that provides infrastructure to more than a hundred brands in the country. That model lets it focus on what users see and use every day, clear plans, flexible validity periods and competitive prices, with nationwide voice and data coverage.
Behind the brand is the same vision Grupo IUSA had when it brought cell phones to the masses almost forty years ago, bringing technology closer to more people. That is exactly the idea that connects Iusatel with Orbi.
Why a phone company and a fintech
At Orbi we believe digital dollars have to work for everyday life, not just be stored away. Paying for your phone is one of the most recurring expenses anyone has, so it became a natural case to show that digital dollars work in daily life.
The partnership with Iusatel became the first live service in the Orbi Marketplace, the space inside the app where users can pay for real services with their digital dollar balance. For Orbi, it was proof that this model works for recurring everyday payments. For Iusatel, it was a door to a community looking for more modern ways to manage their money.
How it works inside Orbi
Everything happens in the app. In the Marketplace section, Iusatel appears with two options, Get your line and My lines.
To sign up, you choose the plan that fits you best and the line is activated by eSIM, with no physical SIM card or store visits. Although the whole process happens in Orbi, the contract is made directly with Iusatel, which is the provider of the phone service.
To top up, you go to My lines, select your number, choose the plan and decide which digital dollars you want to pay with, USDT, USDC or USDG. You can also link an Iusatel line you already had and manage several lines from the same place.
The plans
On Orbi, Iusatel offers annual plans paid once and monthly plans.
Annual plans
- Core, 4 GB per month for 12 months, 2,100 MXN
- Max, 12 GB per month for 12 months, 2,600 MXN
- Ultra, 24 GB per month for 12 months, 3,400 MXN
Monthly plans
- Element, 4 GB for 30 days, 195 MXN
- Plus, 12 GB for 30 days, 250 MXN
All include coverage in Mexico, the United States and Canada, unlimited social media, unlimited calls and SMS, hotspot sharing and number portability so you can keep your number.
That means if you travel to New York, Toronto or any city in the United States or Canada, your line keeps working just like at home. You can make a video call from the Ángel de la Independencia or from a rooftop in Manhattan without switching SIM cards or buying an international package.
What’s next
Iusatel opened the Marketplace door, and more services to pay with digital dollars are coming behind it. The idea is simple. Your balance in Orbi shouldn’t just sit there, it should be used for what you already pay every month.
If you don’t have Orbi yet, download the app, go to the Marketplace and get your Iusatel line in a few minutes.
