Best Buy Shutters Mobile Broadband Resale Business

Best Buy's branded mobile broadband service is coming to an end. Less than two years after launching Best Buy Connect, the service had only attracted 11,000 customers, according to an internal memo seen by Engadget. The service is slated to go dark June 1.

Best Buy resold mobile broadband on Clearwire's mobile WiMAX network and Sprint's EV-DO network. The struggling big-box retailer also inked an ill-fated MVNO deal with Lightsquared.

"We have decided to exit this business after re-evaluating the priorities of the newly formed Connectivity Business Group, determining that we can achieve greater growth and customer satisfaction by delivering mobile broadband support in ways other than an exclusive Best Buy branded service," a Best Buy spokesperson told AllThingsD. "Nevertheless, Best Buy Connect provided us lasting insight into delivering mobile broadband solutions, and we intend to apply this experience to our distinctive connectivity value proposition going forward."