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Boost mobile prepaid cell phone plans are marketed to the young hip crowd. Yet, the plans are actually pretty good so you might consider them even if you don't want to be part of that crowd.
RingtonesRingDJ - unexpected funWhen I first discovered Boost Mobile, I was all set to trash it for its confusing rates and seeemingly inept website which tries too hard to be hip, etc., when I noticed they offer a service on their website called RingDJ, where you could create your own ringtones for your Boost prepaid cell phone. Fun!Nowadays, their website has gotten a lot better -- you can find your way around it, but, unfortunately, the RingDJ service has been discontinued. Coverage
Boost mobile coverage is pretty good. Boost is owned by Nextel, so their coverage should correspond to Nextel's. To check out your . . . Coverage MapGo to the Boost Mobile Prepaid Plans page and select your zip code in the box, submit, and on the next page click on the "Coverage Map" button. From there you can see both their regional and national coverage.Where to getYou can purchase a Boost prepaid cell phone and airtime cards from pharmacies, convenience stores like The Pantry, and superstores like Target.Rates and PlansBoost Mobile has made some changes to their plans to give you more value. You have a choice between three types of "Paygo" pay-as-you-go plans: the Basic (10 cents per minute) plan, the $1/Day Chat plan, or the Unlimited plan.Paygo Basic PlanWith the Paygo Basic plan is actually not that "Basic.Calling RatesAll domestic calls cost 10 cents per minute all the time, i.e. on days, nights and weekends. These calls used to cost 20 cents per minute, but now they cost the same as Mobile-to-Mobile calls on the Sprint/Nextel network which also costs 10 cents per minute.$1/day walkie-talkie,Unlimited walkie-talkie usage costs $1.00 a day on the days that you use it -- great for a day at the mall or going to a game or if you use your phone in some work situations.Unlimited Wireless Web for 35 cents per dayWireless web usage costs 35 cents per day, but is charged everyday whether or not you use it.If you never use it, you can have this deactivated. Unlimited web usage for 35 cents per day is actually a pretty good deal and works out to just over $10 per month. MessagesText messages are 10 cents to send and to receive.Note: You get charged for receiving messages whether or not you view them, so even unsolicited "junk" messages may cost you money. MMS-type (picture and audio) messages are 25 cents to send and receive. International messages cost 10 cents to send but are free to receive, which is how it is in the rest of the world. Yearly CostIf you don't use the web or walkie-talkie service, then using, say, 1000 minutes in a year would cost you $100.If you add the web, then add about $120. $1 a day Chat PlanFor an extra $1 a day you can upgrade to the Chat Plan and get some unlimited features.Unlimited Nights and Weeekends CallsFor that extra buck, you get unlimited night and weekend calls. The "night" goes from 9 pm to 7 pm. The "weekend" starts at 9 pm on Friday and ends at 7 am on Monday.Another unlimited feature you get is . . . Unlimited Mobile-to-Mobile CallCalls to Boost, Sprint and Nextel phones are free.And finally, you get . . . Unlimited Text MessagingThat's right, you get unlimited text messaging. It still costs 25 cents to send and receive picture messages and 10 cents to send international messages.But you still have to pay for . . . Daytime CallsWeekday daytime calls still cost 10 cents per minute.And you do have to pay for . . . Wireless WebUnlimited Wireless Web costs an extra 35 cents per day.Yearly CostBecause of the $1/day charge, you have a minimum yearly cost of $365.00 for the unlimited features. If you add in at least a 1000 normal daytime minutes during the year, that's an extra $100 and finally about $120 for Web access. That adds up to around $600 for the year or about . . . $50 a month, which happens to be the new cost of the Unlimited PlanBoost has eliminated its complicated Premium plans and come up with one Boost Unlimited Plan which costs $50 a month.For $50 a month you get . . . Unlimited TalkDaytime, night and weekends calls are free.Unlimited ChatUnlimited Text and Picture messaging.Unlimited WebSurf all the websites you want.Unlimited Walkie-TalkieNot sure how valuable this is when the calls are free, but it's there if you need it.Boost Mobile MinutesMaintaining your MinutesYou have to "recharge" your Boost Mobile account at least once every 90 days to keep your minutes from expiring. If your account balance goes to zero you have 60 days to add money to keep using your number and the service.ReBoost Card PricesReBoost cards come in denominations of $20, $30, and $50. You can buy them in retail stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.There are lots of other ways to add money to your account. Online Re-BoostYou can use your debit/credit card or bank account to ReBoost your account. You can recharge automatically with Auto-ReBoost or only when you want to such as when you're low on minutes or your minutes are expiring.PhonesYou can choose between about five phones ranging from the Motorola i425 for $29.99(e or t-versions) to the Motorola i776 for $99.99.Motorola i425tThe i425 is a handsome basic open face phone. No camera, but it is web-capable, though the screen is rather small. You can play Java games (download for a fee), chat via MSN, AOL, and Yahoo messenger. The phone, like all Boost Mobile phones, is GPS-enabled as well. You can get them from stores likeBest Buy:
If you have an old Nextel or Boost phone, you can purchase a "Starter Kit" which will let you activate it as a Pay-as-you-go BoostMobile phone Motorola i335 If you have to use your phone in tough conditions or are just plain clumsy, the Motorola i335's military standard durability might appeal to you. That feature plus the Bluetooth capability is what you get for an extra $20 Motorola i776 The Motorola i776 flip-style phone adds a digital camera to the above features. It come in two colors. The i776 is a stylish brown, while the i776w is purple. I'm not too clear on their naming scheme. Text messagesIn addition to standard text messages, some of the Boost Prepaid cell phones are compatible with the instant messenger services from Yahoo, AOL and MSN.CommunityTo maintain its image Boost sponsors many athletes from "extreme" sports such as snowboarding.There is even a Boost Mobile Facebook page. It was pretty empty May 2008 with only 162 fans. Your friend's local rock band probably has more fans that that. However, there are now (Feb. 2010) over 11,000 fans. Last WordWhile these phones are marketed to the hip, the plans are actually pretty good. So throw away your pocket protectors or shoulder pads and get a Boost Mobile phone!Do you already use Boost Mobile?Tell us about it!Your Boost Mobile ReviewShare your experience with Boost Mobile! What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
No complaints with Boost Mobile so far
Great Boost Mobile Unlimited plan
i regret getting boost mobile
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