Boost Mobile Launches Holiday Offers, Says It’s “No Longer an MVNO, but a Carrier”

Boost Mobile recently issued a series of press releases. The company no longer wishes to be known as an MVNO but rather a carrier. As a “new carrier” the wireless provider has also announced its holiday offers and a new phone. Each press release (with minor edits for structural purposes) is shown below.


Boost Mobile, No Longer an MVNO – Press Release

Boost Mobile is no longer an MVNO, but the newest nationwide 5G network in the U.S. Boost has announced the following updates:

  • Boost Mobile’s cloud-native, owned-and-operated 5G network now covers more than 70% of the U.S. population, with coverage across 99% of the country via roaming partners.
  • Boost is investing more than $10 billion in its 5G network build-out, which is already delivering faster speeds than AT&T and Verizon according to a recent study by Ookla. (On the latest devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 and iPhone 16 series, consumers can experience speeds of up to 1 Gbps.)
  • Boost Mobile is the next challenger brand in wireless, delivering faster and more reliable 5G at just a fraction of the cost—up to 40% savings compared to plans from other national carriers.
  • Boost Mobile is also announcing several new holiday offers, building on its momentum with its Free Year of Service and iPhone 16 Pro Max on Us offers that have been extremely popular with consumers (with the iPhone 16 Pro Max already the best selling iPhone model among Boost Mobile customers)
  • Last but not least, Boost Mobile is announcing the Summit 5G, an affordable 5G smartphone exclusive to Boost Mobile.


“Boost Mobile is shaking up the wireless industry as the newest nationwide carrier in the U.S., providing fast and reliable 5G connectivity at a fraction of the cost compared to other major carriers,” said Abbas Khan, VP of Radio Access Network Engineering at Boost Mobile. “With our nationwide cloud-native 5G network now available and 99% coverage across the U.S., Boost Mobile customers have access to more towers than with any other carrier. There has never been a better time for consumers to switch to Boost Mobile, as consumers can buy the latest smartphones and save up to 40% on their annual wireless bill.”

Boost Mobile also makes it easy for customers to choose a plan without the excessive costs, complexity or hidden fees, common among the legacy providers. Boost Mobile believes how you pay is not a product and consumers should have the freedom to buy fast and reliable 5G service exactly the way they want to.

This holiday season, Boost Mobile is also offering unbeatable deals on the latest 5G devices:

  • Get $1,000 off the latest iPhone 16 or Samsung Galaxy devices through Boost’s Infinite Access plan, with the added benefit of upgrading to a new device every year—no trade-in required.
  • Free Year of Service with the purchase of an iPhone 16 or Samsung Galaxy device (or any smartphone over $299) through BoostMobile.com, with no contracts or trade-ins required.
  • Save big on affordable 5G smartphones such as the new Summit 5G, Moto g Coach Prime ’24 or Celero 5G+, all exclusive to Boost Mobile, offering high-speed broadband 5G connectivity.

Boost Mobile’s nationwide 5G network is the first and only 5G standalone cloud-native Open RAN 5G network in the world. This innovative approach empowers Boost Mobile to deliver lightning-fast, reliable 5G connectivity more efficiently, while passing the cost savings on to consumers.

“At Boost Mobile, we’re focused on delivering customers real value, while other carriers are overcharging consumers for 5G wireless and putting restrictions around how they buy it,” noted Chris Belter, VP of Wireless Products, Boost Mobile. “With our nationwide cloud-native 5G network and affordable plans, we’re making it easier than ever for people to switch to Boost Mobile and save hundreds of dollars annually compared to other major carriers – all without requiring a contract or trade-in.”

Not only is Boost Mobile delivering 5G speeds that are lightning fast, but it’s also providing its 5G experience on a growing number of devices that support 4-carrier aggregation (4cc), such as the Samsung Galaxy S24. By merging 100 MHz of spectrum across four channels for downlink and two for uplink, Boost Mobile creates a superhighway for data, significantly increasing speed and capacity. Recent tests have shown peak 4cc speeds reaching up to 1 Gbps, with more compatible devices set to launch early next year.


Holiday Offers Press Release

Additionally Boost Mobile has issued this press release about their holiday offers.

This holiday season, Boost Mobile is ringing in the cheer as the newest challenger brand in wireless. We’re spreading joy with unlimited 5G plans starting at just $25 per month—bringing you big savings compared to other national carriers.

Boost Mobile is also excited to announce several new holiday offers that provide consumers with unmatched savings on some of the latest 5G devices.

Whether you’re shopping for a top-tier smartphone or a budget-friendly gift, Boost Mobile has you covered this holiday season.

Boost Mobile’s Latest Holiday Offers:

  • Get an instant $1,000 off the latest iPhone 16 or Samsung Galaxy S24 devices with Boost’s Infinite Access plan—no trade-in required. Plus, upgrade every year to the newest device! The Samsung Galaxy S24 also comes with Free Galaxy Buds SE.
  • Free Year of Service: Purchase any smartphone over $299 on BoostMobile.com and receive a full year of unlimited 5G service on our $25/month plan—with no contracts or trade-ins needed.

Big Savings on the Latest 5G Smartphones:

Customers can also save big on exclusive 5G phones like the new Summit 5G, Moto g Coach Prime ’24, and Celero 5G+, all available only from Boost Mobile. Specific offers include:

  • Summit 5G: Boost Mobile’s newest exclusive device, the Summit 5G, delivers high-speed 5G connectivity, a sleek 6.6” HD+ display, and a dual camera system—all powered by a 5000mAh battery for all-day use. Priced at $94.99, it’s free for customers who switch and just $19.99 for upgrades, making it a top choice for affordable 5G.
  • Motorola razr 2024: The iconic flip phone is back with a modern twist. Pick it up for only $99.99 with Boost’s Unlimited Premium plan, making it a fun choice to express your style this holiday season.
  • moto g Stylus 5G: Ideal for creativity on the go, the moto g Stylus 5G is available for just $39.99 with our holiday deal. Enjoy even more savings with a free device when you switch, $35 for an additional line, or a special BOGO (Buy One, Get One) offer.
  • moto g 5G Coach Prime 2024: Stylish and powerful, the moto g 5G Coach Prime is available for just $9.99 with Boost’s Unlimited+ plan.
  • Celero 5G SC and Celero 5G+: Enjoy fast 5G connectivity with these holiday deals. Get the Celero 5G SC for free on the Unlimited Premium plan, or add a line for only $20. The Celero 5G+ is also available for just $49.99.
  • iPhone 15: Boost Mobile is offering the iPhone 15 for just $149.99 on the $60 Unlimited Premium plan, a perfect gift for Apple fans at a great price.
  • Samsung Galaxy A25: This popular device is free when you switch or just $25 for new customers. You can also add a line for $25 or take advantage of our special BOGO offer, making it a great choice for family gifting.

Not found in this press release, but in a networks fact sheet that Boost presented to journalists, Boost Mobile is touting the following:

Test Drive Boost’s 5G Network Risk-Free

To showcase its state-of-the-art network, Boost Mobile now offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. New customers can try Boost’s 5G network risk-free and experience its speed and reliability firsthand.


Unpacking Boost Mobile’s Announcements

Boost Mobile’s latest announcements seem to offer little that’s truly new, instead reintroducing ideas previously tried or announced over recent weeks and months.

For example, although Boost Mobile formally announced the Summit 5G device via a press release on its website this week, the device has been quietly available at Best Buy for about a month and at Walmart as well. Best Buy’s product page even includes reviews and Q&A from October, and a Google search shows the device first appeared on Best Buy’s site on October 7, 2024. What may be new is that Boost Mobile is beginning to market the device through its dealer stores and online.

Screenshot from Google Search showing the existence of the Boost Mobile Summit 5G at Best Buy on October 7, 2024

Screenshot from Google Search showing the existence of the Boost Mobile Summit 5G at Best Buy on October 7, 2024

Over at BestMVNO it was detailed that many of Boost’s network claims were previously announced by the company. For instance, Charlie Ergen, EchoStar’s Chairmen of the Board, (EchoStar now owns Boost Mobile) has been saying for over six years that it could spend $10 billion to build out a 5G network. The announcement that Boost’s native network now covers over 70% of Americans reflects a milestone first reached in June 2023. Additionally, Boost’s claim of offering a 5G plan at a 40% discount relative to competitors was previously promoted under the short-lived Boost Infinite brand.

Similarly, many of Boost’s holiday offers are actually continuation offers that have been running for awhile. Boost’s free year of service with the purchase of phone deal was actually launched on September 4, 2024. The offer of up to $1000 off iPhones with a free upgrade every year was launched by the Boost Infinite brand in September 2023, while the offer for Samsung Galaxies was debuted in January 2024. However, both deals were turned into Boost Mobile offers in July 2024 when the Boost Infinite brand was shut down and folded into Boost Mobile.

Even the 30-day risk-free money-back-guarantee is not new; it was brought over from Boost Infinite. Unfortunately, this offer completely misses the mark. If Boost Mobile really wants to consider itself a carrier and not an MVNO, one thing it needs to actually do is compete with the other carriers. All three other major carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, offer some sort of free network trial, not just the pay us and we’ll give you your money back offer that Boost Mobile is running. If Boost Mobile wants to actually acquire customers they need to consider matching those free network trial offers instead of bringing over an offer from a failed brand, Boost Infinite, that didn’t resonate with consumers.

To be taken seriously as a carrier, Boost Mobile should also refresh its website to be less cartoonish and more legible. The colors and fonts used on the website can be hard to read at times as highlighted by the screenshot taken from Boost’s website shown at the top of this article.

To further establish itself as a full carrier, Boost Mobile should also end the practice of activating customers on MVNO partner networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. Moving forward, all new Boost Mobile customers, and current ones with compatible devices, should be activated with a Rainbow SIM, which provides access to Boost’s native 5G network with roaming on AT&T and T-Mobile when needed. Until Boost Mobile fully transitions to its own network and stops distributing SIMs from other networks, it remains an MVNO or, at best, a hybrid carrier-MVNO.

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