When a device passes the FCC, oftentimes we don’t know which carrier will pick it up. We do get ideas sometimes. For instance, if it’s an AWS device, you know it’s going to MetroPCS or Cricket. If it’s an iDEN device, it’s going to Boost or Nextel. The latest device to pass through (relevant to us, at least) is the Motorola i680. It features GPS, Bluetooth, a camera (undetermined megapixels) with flash and video capture, and two displays. It also has microSD expansion and a headphone jack, signaling multimedia capabilities. This might just go straight to postpaid, but given Boost’s need to revamp its handset lineup, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this hit Boost in time for the holidays.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 13th, 2009
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What attributes must a phone possess to make it “female-friendly”? I’m not so sure there’s that much of a difference. Sure, men and women might prefer different colors, but that can come down to a casing or skin issue. Apparently, Boost Mobile wants to have ready-made phones available for its feminine clientele. After releasing the Motorola Debut i856 in September, they’re readying the release of the same model, but in white — and with swirly designs on the back. Tamara Ghuang of The Orange County Register explains. It’s the same phone, just in white. If you’ll remember back, Boost released a feminine i775 about a year ago. I guess they found that worked for them, and are proceeding similarly on the i856. It should be available in stores and on Boost’s website tomorrow, November 11.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 10th, 2009
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The Motorola i410 is late in coming to Boost Mobile. Originally scheduled for a September release, it’s now November and we’ve yet to see it on Boost shelves or at the website. We haven’t heard many complaints about the delay, though, because the phone is nothing to get excited about. It’s a basic flip phone that doesn’t even include a camera. It does have Boost’s standard push to talk, plus Bluetooth, but that’s about it. It recently passed through the FCC, so it should be coming soon. Then again, with the rumored price of $80, I’m not sure there will be many takers.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 3rd, 2009
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Sprint was the latest to announce their quarterly numbers, and again they weren’t very good. The company lost fewer postpaid subscribers than they have in earlier quarters this year, but they were still on the losing end nonetheless. Their saving grace, as it has been for years now, was Boost Mobile, which fueled the company’s prepaid growth. Overall, Sprint added 666,000 prepaid customers in the third quarter, mostly on the Boost end. That’s down from the second quarter, though, when the company added 777,000 subscribers.

Posted in Boost Mobile on October 30th, 2009
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Boost Mobile has done well since introducing their $50 unlimited plan. They’ve added over 1.5 million net subscribers, and could be in line for another good quarterly announcement. The $50 plan has attracted a lot of attention, often at the expense of competitors. Compete, the web-analytic company, notes that while non-customer traffic at prepaid wireless sites is up 12 percent over last year, Boost’s traffic is up 185 percent.

Posted in Boost Mobile on October 26th, 2009
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We learned yesterday that Boost Mobile has expanded the calling area of its $50 unlimited plans. Customers can now call Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands with no international fees. This is an odd announcement, as Boost announced in January that calls to Puerto Rico fall under standard calling plans. So it looks like this one just covers the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico is but a reminder.

Posted in Boost Mobile on October 21st, 2009
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The hype for the Motorola i856 started in March, when we got the first live photos of the device. A few months later it made an appearance at the FCC. What’s all the hype about, then? Nothing much. It’s since taken on the moniker Debut, but the features remain basic: 1.3 megapixel camera, music store, Bluetooth, and not much more. The difference, really, is the design, as it’s the first slider Boost Mobile has introduced for its $50 unlimited plan. If you’re interested, it’s available for $169.99 on Boost Mobile’s website.

Posted in Boost Mobile on September 3rd, 2009
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TopTenREVIEWS.com, a site which rates various electronics and entertainment entities, has recently named Boost Mobile as its top prepaid service, earning the “Gold Award” in the field. Like J.D. Power and Associates, which ranked Boost third in prepaid, TopTen uses various criteria to determine the top service in each field. For prepaid phones these include monthly plans, usage based plans, features, fees, phone selection, and help & support. Boost did exceedingly well in every area except phone selection, though it was enough to narrowly edge out Cricket and Virgin Mobile.

Posted in Boost Mobile on August 13th, 2009
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We know that Sprint is losing customers, as they have been for over a year now. We also know that Boost Mobile is gaining customers. When Boost introduced its $50 unlimited plan in January, many feared that it would cannibalize Sprint’s postpaid service, so it might seem like those fears are coming true. According to Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, it is not. He noted that “a low single-digit percentage” of Boost’s adds in the second quarter, up around a million, came from Sprint’s postpaid side. That doesn’t seem bad at all.

Posted in Boost Mobile on August 11th, 2009
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Pictured above is the Motorola ROKR, a fairly common phone for prepaid carriers. It’s a few years old and doesn’t have a ton of advanced features, so it’s rip for a no-subsidy price. According to Boy Genius Report, this is an iDEN version that could be heading Sprint’s way. While that could mean Nextel, it would seem to fit more in the lineup of Boost Mobile. With their unlimited plan in place and doing well, the next step is to get some more attractive handsets. While this is no top of the line gem, it certainly presents a different flavor for the Boost lineup. That it’s a music phone only adds to the niceness. We’ll await further word on when this will drop.

Posted in Boost Mobile on August 7th, 2009
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One obstacle prepaid carriers face is how to market their product to end users. This means not only TV and Web advertisements, but also product placement in retail stores. Boost Mobile is shooting for the college student market, as they’ve teamed with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers to get handsets and refill cards into college book stores. The handsets include the Motorola i776 and the i465 Clutch. This, Boost hopes, will accelerate their sales, as prepaid phones can be very useful for college students on a budget.

Posted in Boost Mobile on August 5th, 2009
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Will there be a price war in prepaid wireless? There have been factors indicating so, but it appears that there most likely will not. Even if there is, you can count out Boost Mobile. They’ve publicly stated that they won’t enter a price war, meaning they’ll stick with their $50 price point for unlimited services, the plan which helped spur the industry. This, despite slightly cheaper offerings from rivals like Straight Talk and MetroPCS.

Posted in Boost Mobile on August 3rd, 2009
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Usually we’ll see an official Boost Mobile subscriber count, and perhaps we will in the coming days or weeks. For now we have Sprint Nextel’s numbers, and while overall they don’t look too good — a net loss of about a quarter million subscribers — Boost continues to add subscribers, luring them with their $50 unlimited plan. They added a net 938,000 iDEN customers, which might seem like a lot more than the 764,000 they added in Q1, but there’s a catch. They lost 161,000 prepaid CDMA subscribers for a net gain of 777,000 subscribers. So it still tops Q1 by a little, but not the overwhelming amount that the 938,000 would indicate.

Posted in Boost Mobile on July 29th, 2009
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Like many industries, males dominate in wireless. Also like many industries, that’s changing. It doesn’t happen overnight, but many executive positions are being filled by females nowadays. To celebrate this shift, FierceWireless has named their top women in wireless for 2009. They based their selections on “their accomplishments, their technical savvy, their leadership and perhaps most importantly, their influence on the industry.” One notable name among them is Kelly Owens St. Julian, chief service officer for Boost Mobile.

Posted in Boost Mobile on July 28th, 2009
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Despite all the rave about Boost Unlimited, it actually wasn’t the first unlimited calling service the company offered. About two years ago, Boost was running strong with UNLTD, an unlimited calling (plus other features) service which, at the time, was only available in parts of California and Texas. Instead of using the Nextel iDEN network, UNLTD used the Sprint CDMA network. The service expanded to new markets, but was eventually lost in the fray as Boost revamped its image. Focussing more on the general consumer than the youth market they’d targeted for years, Boost put out new plans, like the $1/Day Chat plan and the 10 cents all the time pay as you go, which held wider appeal. Still, those UNLTD customers remained.

Posted in Boost Mobile on July 15th, 2009
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It looks like yet another phone is headed for Boost Mobile to compliment their lineup. This is the Motorola i856, a music-playing slider phone. It’s not quite as neat as the Stature i9 and it doesn’t have the QWERTY keyboard of the Clutch i465, but this one should do well for those who want a simple phone that can play some tunes. We first heard of ht i856 a while back, and now it looks all but ready for Boost. It features a 2.2-inch display, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and microSD expansion.

Posted in Boost Mobile on June 18th, 2009
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We’ve been hearing a lot about this phone lately, and have been awaiting its release. It’s the Motorola Clutch i465, and it’s now available from Boost Mobile. This is Boost’s first full QWERTY phone, and unlike others of its ilk it’s not really wider than a normal candybar. A bit, of course, but not a ton. So they’ve really crammed that thing in there. Other features include Push to Talk, Bluetooth, and a VGA camera. It costs $129.99, and you can get it at Boost’s website.

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 29th, 2009
8 Comments

Boost Mobile made some headlines this week for some various odds and ends. Rather than point out each in an individual post, we’re going to combine them here. For starters, Boost will open 50 retail stores in 2009. This includes one now, in Philadelphia, nine more in the first half of the year, and 40 others by year’s end. This is something we’ve known for a while, but which Boost has just officially announced. The first-half launch will include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Orlando and Philadelphia, while the second half will feature Charlotte, Columbus, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and San Francisco among many others.

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 22nd, 2009
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It looks like Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg wasn’t far off when he commented that Sprint’s iDEN network can’t handle the demand of Boost’s Unlimited plan. While the network hasn’t quite self-destructed yet, we have seen a few issues with the service over the past week. First was the text messaging delay issue. Now, via PhoneNews.com, we learn that there have been service issues in the Dallas/Forth Worth area of Texas, owing to the popularity of the plan. Boost has added four times as many subscribers than expected, and that’s wreaking havoc for everyone.

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 11th, 2009
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When I spoke to Boost Mobile VP Neil Lindsay on the Prepaid Podcast, I asked him about the possibility of adding more branded retail outlets. He kind of hemmed, and now I understand why. On the heels of the brilliant success of their $50 unlimited plan, Boost plans to open 50 retail stores by the end of the year. I’m fairly certain this wouldn’t be the case if the plan didn’t go over well. But it did, and now Boost will attempt to increase its visibility with these stores. There’s no word on where they’ll open yet, but look for then nationwide.

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 8th, 2009
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MetroPCS wasted no time in announcing its Q1 net subscriber adds, broadcasting them on April 7th, just a week after the quarter closed. Their 684,000 net adds were nothing but impressive, and the wireless industry had a month to marvel over them. Boost Unlimited, however, stole the show yesterday, as they announced their own subscriber numbers. During the quarter in which they unveiled their $50 unlimited plan, Boost added 764,000 net subscribers. This destroyed analyst expectations.

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 5th, 2009
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If you read through our Boost Mobile user reviews you’ll see a number of complaints regarding delays in text messaging for their unlimited plan. This is not an isolated incident. In fact, the AP has picked up the story. There are widespread reports of the issue, with some text messages taking three or four hours to deliver. That’s not acceptable, especially for a service as hyped as Boost Unlimited. So what’s wrong with text messaging on Boost, and how is the company going to rectify the issue?

Posted in Boost Mobile on May 4th, 2009
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We haven’t been shy with our praise of Boost Unlimited, the $50 per month unlimited prepaid calling, texting, and data plan from Boost Mobile. Not only does it fit all of those services together, but it also includes taxes and fees in the $50 charge. There has been some degree of customer complaining, but that seems to be par for the course in the wireless space, and it might be above water for prepaid. In any case, not everyone is a fan. Specifically, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg thinks that Sprint is a bit batty for creating such a product.

Posted in Boost Mobile on April 20th, 2009
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It looks like part of Boost Mobile’s strategy is to make international communications a bit easier. Two months ago we learned that the carrier cut international calling rates to Mexico and made calls to Puerto Rico standard long distance. Their newest play is an international text messaging plan for monthly unlimited customers. This includes unlimited text messaging and walkie-talkie services between the U.S., Canada, Baja California, and select areas of South America. It will cost just $10 on top of the $50 monthly fee, and is available now. Check out Boost Mobile’s site to sign up.

Posted in Boost Mobile on April 1st, 2009
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How many zoning regulations can a simple billboard violate? Over 70. That’s the deal with a Boost Mobile billboard down on Astor Place in New York City. Its 70-plus infractions have total $955,000 according to the Daily News. Of course, Boost Mobile itself has nothing to do with this. It’s a dispute between the billboard companies and the City of New York. Boost just happens to be the latest target. Billboards have apeared in the same area, at fourth and ninth, for over 70 years, but only now are officials cracking down. The billboard companies are understandably upset.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 27th, 2009
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Boost Mobile’s introduction of the Motorola Stature i9 was just the beginning of a new handset line for them. We learned during the Prepaid Podcast interview with VP Neil Lindsay that the company planned some new handsets which would replace the outdated models in their current lineup. Yesterday Engadget Mobile caught sight of the Motorola i856 slider, an iDEN phone. It could be just a Nextel phone, but given Boost’s desire to get better/more diverse phones, this could be headed for the prepaid arm of Nextel. It features a 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, a 2.2 inch display, and push to talk capabilities. No word on pricing, though it should be cheaper than the i9. Look for it in the third quarter.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 25th, 2009
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Today is St. Patrick’s day, a/k/a the national binge drinking extravaganza. The festivities start early and run rather late, meaning patrons have plenty of time to imbibe as much as humanly possible. This, of course, precludes most from getting behind the wheel. Taxis, of course, will be in high demand. Thankfully for Boost Mobile subscribers, they have their #TAXI (#8294) service. While this normally carries a fee, tomorrow it will be free. So eat, drink, be merry, and most of all, be safe. There’s no reason not to.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 17th, 2009
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When I talked to Neil Lindsay from Boost Mobile, he mentioned that the company was pleased with the turn-out at that point for their new unlimited plan. They didn’t have any hard numbers, nor did I really expect them to. We still don’t have any definitive indicators, as the first quarter results likely won’t be released until late April or early May, but a research note from Wachovia sheds some light on the matter. Turns out that many Radio Shack stores are nearly sold out of Boost handsets. That’s definitely good news for both Boost and parent company Sprint, which has seen subscribers flee en masse to other carriers.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 13th, 2009
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Over the past month and a half I’ve tried to say everything I can about the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan. It’s one of the best values in the country when you factor in the three majors unlimited services (voice, messaging, Web), nationwide network, and finality of the $50 monthly fee. What I haven’t hit is the student angle. Thankfully, TMCNet contributor Rajani Baburajan notes the advantage it offers students, particularly those who attend school outside their home state.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 12th, 2009
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Last week we saw one of Boost Mobile’s Unwronged ads. Boost might not be limiting itself to the teenage demographic anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost their sense of humor. This is the last of the series, featuring two pigs and…I’ll let the ad speak for itself. It’s embedded after the jump.

Posted in Boost Mobile on March 3rd, 2009
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About a month ago we caught a glimpse of the Motorola i465, a simple-looking QWERTY phone with modestly-sized screen. There weren’t many details at the time, just a picture of a guy holding it. Looks now like it’s getting closer to being official, as a press photo for the device has leaked. It says Nextel on the screen, but this looks like a perfect fit for Boost Mobile. A simple QWERTY phone — with VGA camera and Bluetooth — would be a good addition to their handset lineup.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 27th, 2009
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Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Neil Lindsay, VP of Marketing for Boost Mobile for the upcoming edition of the Prepaid Podcast. After we chatted about many issues (gee, think you can guess our main focus?), we got to their new ad campaign. Boost has run some amusing commercials in the past, mostly centered around the “Where you at?” meme. They’ve had a change of direction, however. They’re still going for the humor angle, just not in the same way. After the jump, a preview of one ad.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 24th, 2009
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Remember earlier this month when we found out that Boost would release the Motorola i9 by the end of the month? Well, in case you haven’t checked your calendars, we’re past the halfway point, and the day is getting closer and closer. While it’s not quite here yet, Boost is now showing off the device on their website. Soon enough you’ll see the option to buy the device. The $299.99 price tag might not look that appealing, but when you factor in the value of Boost Unlimited, that lump sum might seem a bit smaller.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 18th, 2009
2 Comments

Cell phone fees. They can be a killer. Yeah, you signed up for that $40/month contract plan, but after all’s said and done that can be a $50 bill. It’s frustrating, but it’s reality. Boost Mobile is taking advantage of the situation. They’re launching a new ad campaign that uses these fees to show customers just how valuable their Boost Unlimited plan really is. You can check out the video after the jump.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 17th, 2009
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One of the keys to prepaid cellular is quality distribution. Most of the major pay as you go cell phone providers you can find at retailers like Wal-Mart and Target. Boost Mobile is trying to expand beyond that. Previously available at about 1,800 Radio Shack outlets, they’ll now realize distribution in 2,400 more stores, bringing the total to 4,200. That puts their Boost Unlimited plan right out in front of thousands of customers daily.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 13th, 2009
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Olga Kharif of BusinessWeek caught up with Boost Mobile President Matt Carter, who talked to her about the new Boost Unlimited plan. His quote on the overall response over the first two weeks: “We’ve been very pleased.” One would imagine that a $50/month unlimited calling, messaging, and Web plan would attract a number of subscribers, but where are those subscribers coming from?

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 9th, 2009
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It looks like Boost Mobile is getting serious about the prepaid market. Not that they weren’t before. Recently, though, they’ve launched a new unlimited calling plan, and have a few handsets lined up for use with it. We heard yesterday about the Motorola Stature i9, which will show up at Boost by the end of February. Specs after the jump.

Posted in Boost Mobile on February 3rd, 2009
7 Comments

Boy, Boost Mobile sure has been in the news lately. Could this be their year to break out? Judging by their early-year announcement of a monthly unlimited plan, it very well could be. The latest card up their sleeve: reduced international calling rates to Mexico. They’ve also eliminated the international call fee to Puerto Rico, making it a standard long distance call.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 29th, 2009
2 Comments

Pictured above is the Motorola i465, the first phone from that manufacturer for the iDEN network. It could also be the first QWERTY phone on Boost Mobile, though it’s as of now uncertain if the device will land on Boost or Nextel’s postpaid service. It’s not really much, featuring just Bluetooth and a VGA camera. On the QWERTY keyboard, Engadget has the definitive word: “it seems they’ll be taking the low-tech route by grafting a full keyboard onto a dumbphone.” Still, a full keyboard is a full keyboard. We don’t know when this is coming out, nor the price, but it’s something we’ll keep on top of.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 29th, 2009
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In the wake of Boost’s new unlimited plan, stocks of other flat-rate carriers, MetroPCS and Cricket, took a bit of a dive. Earlier this week, Eric Savitz of Barron’s wondered what the real impact of Boost’s new service would be. He notes a couple of analysts with differing opinions, one cutting his rating on MetroPCS, the other upping his rating on Leap. However, it probably goes a bit deeper than that.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 28th, 2009
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To coincide with the roll out of their new unlimited plan, the folks at Boost Mobile have introduced a new phone: the Motorola i290. That’s it above. It’s a pretty basic candybar model, featuring Boost’s walkie-talkie service, GPS capabilities, SMS, and MMS. Really, though, it’s just a low-cost way to get into Boost’s nationwide unlimited service. It’ll cost you $49.99, and you can get it at Boost’s website.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 23rd, 2009
7 Comments

Yesterday (or, rather, late on Wednesday), we learned about Boost Mobile’s new unlimited plan. Everything about it looked rather attractive, right down to the $50 price tag. Since then, we’ve had a few details emerge which make the offering look even better. John Votava, manager of corporate communications at Boost and a recent guest on the Prepaid Podcast, emailed to let me know about the plan in official terms. After the jump we’ll get into the specifics. I think you guys are going to like this.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 16th, 2009
12 Comments

When I talked to John Votava of Boost Mobile, we discussed Boost Unlimited and its future. As you might know, Boost Unlimited is akin to unlimited services MetroPCS and Cricket, in that they cover limited parts of the country and run on a CDMA network. However, we had heard that in 2009 Boost planned to migrate completely to the iDEN network. We just didn’t know it would be this soon. We learned late yesterday that Boost will offer a nationwide unlimited service starting January 22.

Posted in Boost Mobile on January 15th, 2009
5 Comments

The mobile gaming industry seems to be taking off, as many predicted in the past. In fact, many mobile services are seeing increased activity despite a down economy. Mobile gaming is great because you don’t have to take any device with you other than your phone, which you likely carry with you anyway. Boost Mobile now has a new way for you to enjoy your games: by competing head to head with other users. Now we’re talking. It’s like when you played Doom back in the day, then discovered a whole new aspect of the game when you connected with friends in a Deathmatch.

Posted in Boost Mobile on December 18th, 2008
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One thing we’re seeing a lot of in the cellular arena is using phones to connect people. Yes, they do that inherently, but operators are taking it a step further, mainly using data services. We recently saw Virgin Mobile add some social networking services. Now Boost Mobile is getting in on the action. They’ve already got integrated social networking. Now they’re offering shareable Web content.

Posted in Boost Mobile on December 8th, 2008
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Last month Boost Mobile added the Motorola i776 to their roster of phones. It’s a neat little gadget, one I’ve had in front of me for almost a month and have been meaning to review. Along with the standard i776 came a purple version, styled for females. Yesterday, Boost announced this model. It’s the exact same phone, just purple. So that’s cool. You can grab it at a retail outlet or at the Boost Mobile website.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 18th, 2008
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Just found this tidbit on Boost Mobile in an article about Sprint’s poor third quarter. The company as a whole shed 1.1 million postpaid customers, which is bad enough. On the prepaid end, they dropped 329,000 customers. At the end of the quarter, Boost had 3.9 million prepaid subscribers, putting it right alongside competition like Cricket, MetroPCS, Virgin Mobile, and T-Mobile’s To Go prepaid service.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 12th, 2008
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One of the bigger stories in mobile last week was that Sprint plans to keep the iDEN network, after months of speculation that they’d sell it. Just before we headed into Halloween evening, the company announced a further plan: they will migrate Boost Unlimited to the iDEN network from Sprint’s CDMA network, where it had been offered. This means a number of things for unlimited, the chief of which is a national coverage area. This gives Boost a leg up on regional unlimited competitors Cricket wireless and Metro PCS.

Posted in Boost Mobile on November 3rd, 2008
4 Comments

Over the past six or seven months, there has been some speculation, strong at times, that Sprint will look to unload the Nextel network, thus undoing a four-year experiment which has seemingly hurt the company. This impacts prepaid because Boost Mobile, Sprint’s prepaid arm, operates primarily on the iDEN network. You’ll hear on an upcoming edition of the Prepaid Podcast that Boost plans to make better use of the iDEN network in the future. As of yesterday, we know that it will be under the Sprint umbrella. CEO Dan Hesse has said that the company does not plan to sell the network. In fact, they actually have plans to expand it.

Posted in Boost Mobile on October 31st, 2008
2 Comments

When Boost announced 10 cents all the time calling last week, it was part of a larger strategy. They’re trying to reach a larger audience with their prepaid offering, straying from the “urban youth” strategy the company had employed since its inception. We first saw Boost making such a move back in February when they switched to a less offensive logo. Today in the Kansas City Star, we get further word of Boost’s plans.

Posted in Boost Mobile on October 14th, 2008
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