Prepaid BlackBerry Curve hitting MetroPCS on Tuesday?

MetroPCS would launch EVDO access and the BlackBerry Curve. The original rumor called for an end-of-February launch, and clearly that hasn’t happened. However, we could get an announcement as early as this week. PhoneNews.com has found the scoop that the device will in fact launch through MetroPCS, and it could be hitting Best Buy shelves by Tuesday, March 10. This is clearly an exciting development for both MetroPCS and the prepaid sector. Metro has priced the prepaid BlackBerry plan, with BIS access, at $50 per month. This includes unlimited BIS, messaging, and voice minutes, making it a comparable deal to Boost Mobile‘s unlimited plan. However, CDMA data on a BlackBerry provides far more in service and speed than iDEN data on a clamshell. This could position Metro well to take some of the unlimited customers from Boost by offering a better service at the same price point. BES data for corporate email will cost an extra $10 per month. The real inhibitor, as always with carriers like Metro and Cricket, is the price of the handset. The full retail price of the BlackBerry Curve 8330 is over $400, and customers shouldn’t expect a subsidy on this device. If Metro offers one, all the better. It’s a pretty high-end offering as it is, and I’m wondering if Metro just picked the wrong time to roll it out.]]>

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12 Comments

  1. Matthew on April 7, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    I don’t find anything exciting in the MetroPCS offering of a Blackberry – their “unlimited” service is only available in select cities in FL, GA, CA,TX & MI. Outside these areas MetroPCS charges an outrageous 19¢/min for phone or internet roaming! and full corporate email service is an additional $10/month, but the feature they really messed up on was a $450 phone with NO GPS capability!



  2. Matthew on April 7, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    Boost Mobile (which uses the almost nationwide Nextel network) has announced that they will be releasing a Blackberry by the end of the year. I would wait to see their offering before even considering the MetroPCS phone.



  3. Zanger on April 11, 2009 at 6:35 am

    Matthew, your post is UNtruth’D. It is obvious you are a Boost employee lying about the competition. Actually, Boost is the limited service. They do not roam since iDEN does not work beyond certain areas. MetroPCS works in 300 cities, I live in Boston MA and Metro is available here, in NY, In Philadelphia… Boost belongs to Sprint – why support an MVNO on an old archaic network like iDEN. The Boost Blackberry will be another sad footnote.



  4. The Don of All Buses on May 11, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    Actualy boost mobile is is in a lot more places then you think. My brother told me about metro pcs but aparently metro is NOT available in all areas of Metro New York. As for boost coming out with a blackberry ptt phone… well i’l believe that when I see it.



  5. Jay Cole on September 24, 2009 at 4:58 pm

    Don you right boost is in a lot more places, but if you look at the (target market: MINORITIES) most people who buy “prepaid” phones don’t leave their home area, also the FCC won’t just allow METROPCS or any other Carrier to just start providing services you have to have a certain license(A,B,C) to do so and some markets already have an owner, also Its a REGIONAL carrier for a reason it works in certain METROpolitan areas but with continued growth Metropcs will only get better! HELLO, HELLO, HELLO!….LOL



  6. Alinurse805 on January 19, 2010 at 2:24 pm

    OK the boost blackberry 8330 with a blackberry plan was released on Jan 13th it is now Jan 19…has anybody actualy used it can you let me know I realy want to try it!
    btw Radio shack still does not hava a date for it to arrive in their stores.
    but its on the boost website.
    Thanks:)



  7. Sean on January 23, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    Just got my Blackberry 8330 for boost. My monthly unlimited plan went up 10 bucks for the enhanced service provided for this phone. To be honest, this is the best phone i’ve ever had. I love it. But prior to this phone, the best,most expensive phone i’d owned was the motorola i9 for boost. So you see the gap there. This phone is great. I can surf the web at a nice speed,watch videos on the net and I’ve got an even better mp3 player than before. I’ve had this phone less than 8 hours so the only complaint that i have so far is that the phone feels cheap, like i need to be super-careful with it. Other than that, I’m good until I can afford an iphone. This phone set me back $225 at my local ghetto phone store. I talked him down $25 because someone lifted(stole) my i9 off the counter.



  8. Alicia C on April 3, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Also The Blackberry for Boost is CDMA not iden. And Boost isn’t just for minorities. It’s for someone who wants decent nationwide service (with no roaming, might i add) and doesn’t see the point in being involved with a 2 year plan. The two year plan is gonna have some serious competition in the next few years.



  9. wow on August 23, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    Firstly Boost mobile, Metro PCS or any other prepaid phone plan is not simply for the minorities. The idea of choosing a month to month over a contract plan is a wise descion for the low income to the higher income HH. Companies like T-Mobile and Verizon are offering month to month plans, in the end we all want choice and we get this when we choose a flexible month 2 month plan.



  10. Dr. Day on August 26, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    Jay, you are very narrow minded. Most people who buy prepaid don’t leave the area? A very ignorant statement on your part. I’m a doctor, and so are my colleagues. Almost all of us have prepaid blackberries, and Iphones. Go get educated before speaking out next time. I live on the l affluent peninsula and we have a boost store and metro locally.



  11. cat on November 13, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    I have a plan with verizon and its so expensive,I am going to switch to metro PCS,i like the idea of prepaid with a cheaper price and the metro pcs stores are going up all over,I think they will blow ATT and Verizon out of the water,at least if your phone shuts off,you don’t have to worry about collection agencys lol!!!!!!!!!!



  12. nena on March 13, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    ok so im tryna switch from verizon to either boost mobile or metro pcs… but i cant decide yet.. can any 1 tell me which 1 is better pls.