Anyone use boost mobile?

[M4sherman]

Hey I am a bit broke and am looking for a new phone service that does not cost out the arse like AT@T ($60 a month for 450 min and texting). While looking around I had noticed an ad for boost mobile which advertized unlimited talk text and data for $50 but I know nothing about the company and if their service is useable. So any fellow TGO guys use boost as a phone service?

[Oh Shoot]

Hey I am a bit broke and am looking for a new phone service that does not cost out the arse like AT@T ($60 a month for 450 min and texting). While looking around I had noticed an ad for boost mobile which advertized unlimited talk text and data for $50 but I know nothing about the company and if their service is useable. So any fellow TGO guys use boost as a phone service?

I had never heard of it, but vendor at gunshow yesterday was using it, was using phone as modem to do 4473. Said fine so far.

- OS

[strickj]

I used Boost for about a year. They use Sprint\Nextel service.

They now have a lot better phones then they did when I used them, but you can still use any Nextel phone with them.

If you don't wanna buy a phone then look into those WalMart phones. They use AT&T service so you may be able to use your old AT&T phone with them. I know the iPhone will work...

[Murgatroy]

I have been using Virgin Mobile for about ten years now. I have thought about getting a contract phone, but to be honest, I don't see the need.

They have a limited selection, but I just need a basic phone. They have Blackberries and some Android phones now.

I pay $25 a month, and that gets me unlimited text, unlimited web and 300 minutes a month. Since everyone texts now, I rarely use my minutes. They have different levels of plans as well that go all the way up to unlimited minutes.

Virgin Mobile is owned by Sprint so they run on the same network.

[Jon_L]

I have been using Virgin Mobile for about ten years now. I have thought about getting a contract phone, but to be honest, I don't see the need.

They have a limited selection, but I just need a basic phone. They have Blackberries and some Android phones now.

I pay $25 a month, and that gets me unlimited text, unlimited web and 300 minutes a month. Since everyone texts now, I rarely use my minutes. They have different levels of plans as well that go all the way up to unlimited minutes.

Virgin Mobile is owned by Sprint so they run on the same network.

I use this same setup and it works fine. Highly recommended, just be sure to find out if you have service in your area.

[Guest TackleberryTom]

I have some friends that use Boost, they like it. I always thought Boost mobile was the phone service for gangsta's though.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I use this same setup and it works fine. Highly recommended, just be sure to find out if you have service in your area.

Best Buy sells a Virgin Mobile wifi hotspot gadget was looking at. The user reviews on the Virgin Mobile wifi hotspot are pretty bad. Hardly anyone bothering to review, likes the box. Dropped service, slow service, etc.

Wonder if the bad reviewers live in areas of poor Sprint coverage? Or maybe hardly any virgin mobile wifi hotspot users who are happy, bothered to write a review?

Or maybe Sprint gives the Virgin Mobile hotspot boxes lower bandwidth service priority than Sprint customers?

Or maybe the Sprint wifi hotspot devices have just as bad performance as the Virgin Mobile boxes?

Or maybe the Virgin Mobile wifi hotspot boxes are just bad pieces of electronics?

Or maybe if I got one it would work fabulous in my area, as opposed to most of the reviewers who say "do not buy"??

Was looking for something cheap to use occasionally out of the house, and in cases of emergency when the wired internet is down. I rely on internet for business. If the internet is down too long I can't work.

Sprint has fabulous coverage on my Treo, everywhere I routinely go in Chattanooga. Even up on Suck Creek Mountain at Prentice Cooper range I get Sprint connection fine.

It is just a puzzle figuring out if the Virgin Mobile wifi hotspot would be worth trying. If the odds of it sucking are too high, then I don't have time to mess with failed experiments.

[Jon_L]

There are too many variables with that sort of thing--that is to say, I'm viewing this and posting using my phone right now; but the phone service is much different than wifi hotspots. So I wouldnt be able to answer you without guessing, and that's just not my style. How much more expensive is the Sprint compared to Virgin or the other companies carrying that service?

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Thanks Jon_L

You are correct it appears to be a guessing game unless someone here just happens to have a Virgin Mobile hotspot in Chatt and can report how it is going.

I may be remembering wrong, but think the Virgin Mobile is something in the ballpark of $25 a month and Sprint hotspots are in the ballpark of $50 a month. Except for times of emergency, optimistically the box might get used perhaps four times per month. I work at home and rarely go anywhere.

So the Virgin Mobile box, except for emergency use, would cost about $6.25 per use, in applications I currently can do without. The Sprint box, about double that.

Sprint sells a few phones with wifi hotspot features. The add-on price for legal use of the hotspot feature is $30 per month. Was looking at that option. The available phones with that feature look fantastic in the pictures, specs and description, but get rather lousy reviews. The kind of bug reports I have never encountered with my Treo. Perhaps pilot error, perhaps not. Perhaps only idiots are likely to take the time to review phones and hotspots, but that seems doubtful.

[Guest earlybird]

I've used Boost mobile for about 2 years. No issues from my end, nothing but great service. I had excellent service and reception pretty much anywhere I went, even in some areas where friends lost their service. Never once did I have a dropped call or missing text. I stopped using them and went back to Virgin. For what I use my phone for now, Virgin mobile is fine, and much cheaper. But, Boost introduced their reduced rates plan, so I may look into them again.

[strickj]

What's weird is that Virgin's service area is smaller then Sprint. Until recently, Virgin was not available in the area that I live (and play) but both Sprint\Nextel and Boost were.

[Jon_L]

Thanks Jon_L

You are correct it appears to be a guessing game unless someone here just happens to have a Virgin Mobile hotspot in Chatt and can report how it is going.

I may be remembering wrong, but think the Virgin Mobile is something in the ballpark of $25 a month and Sprint hotspots are in the ballpark of $50 a month. Except for times of emergency, optimistically the box might get used perhaps four times per month. I work at home and rarely go anywhere.

So the Virgin Mobile box, except for emergency use, would cost about $6.25 per use, in applications I currently can do without. The Sprint box, about double that.

Sprint sells a few phones with wifi hotspot features. The add-on price for legal use of the hotspot feature is $30 per month. Was looking at that option. The available phones with that feature look fantastic in the pictures, specs and description, but get rather lousy reviews. The kind of bug reports I have never encountered with my Treo. Perhaps pilot error, perhaps not. Perhaps only idiots are likely to take the time to review phones and hotspots, but that seems doubtful.

I'm not sure if this will help, but it says it accounts for data coverage (wifi hotspots may be included, I'm not sure). Just make sure you check the Data Coverage box and just type in your town.

Cell Phone Coverage - Check Cell Phone Coverage | Virgin Mobile

Hope this helps.

[Murgatroy]

One thing I have noticed with my Virgin phone, I can have cell signal, but not internet. I have a feeling it has to do with coverage levels. However, at home, it is all fine. I find it easy to get wi-fi signals at home and away. There are McDonald's everywhere.