The DISH Network officially took over the Boost Mobile brand on July 1, 2020. With that takeover, DISH made several immediate changes to Boost Mobile. A new logo was announced as were two new phone plans highlighted by a $45 $hrink-It plan. The $hrink-It plan includes unlimited everything with the first 15GB of data each month at up to 5G data speeds. Plan subscribers are rewarded with a cheaper phone bill for making on-time payments. After 3 on-time payments, the plan cost gets reduced to $40/month and after 6 on-time payments, the price gets reduced to $35/month with all taxes and fees included. Also introduced was a new $35 plan with 10GB of hard capped high-speed data. A new quality of service policy was also implemented on unlimited data plans costing $50 or more. Subscribers using more than 35GB of high-speed data on an unlimited plan in a month may have their data speeds reduced to 2G for the remainder of their billing cycle.
A recent prepaid report sent out to its subscribers by the firm Wave7 Research detailed several other major changes that have now taken place at Boost Mobile since DISH's initial takeover of the brand. In what will be a disappointment for some, the new Boost Mobile is going to continue to deemphasize family plans. Sources confirmed to Wave7 Research that in mid-July Boost Mobile stopped offering free phones to switchers to family unlimited data plans. Free phones are still available to those who port to individual unlimited plans and all other individual line plans including $hrink-It. DISH has also launched its first Boost Mobile TV commercial and some changes have been made to Boost's promo policy for switchers. According to Sneed Mobile Tech, there are even more changes scheduled for August, including the release of brand new plans and promos.
$hrink-It Plan Featured In DISH's First Boost Mobile TV Ad
Wave7 Research's prepaid report also noted that Boost Mobile reps are being nudged to push the newly launched $hrink-It plan. To help raise consumer awareness of the plan it is featured in a new TV commercial, the first commercial under the DISH Network's ownership. The 15-second ad entitled "KA-POW!" informs viewers that $hrink-It is a "mobile plan that blows away those high priced plans, the longer you stay the less you pay." Viewers are also told they can get a free LG K51 "when they switch on our upgraded network." The upgraded network is a reference to Boost Mobile now offering service on the T-Mobile network. Boost Mobile's KA-POW! TV commercial began airing nationwide on 7/13 and you can watch it below.
Other Important Switcher Promo Policy Changes
Sprint Customers Now Eligible For Boost Mobile Switcher Promos
One somewhat positive about Boost's new switcher promo policy is that customers porting either directly from Sprint or Sprint's Lifeline arm, Assurance Wireless, are now eligible for the promos. Those customers were previously considered ineligible. Unfortunately, those looking to port from a Sprint MVNO to Boost are still ineligible for switcher deals.
Returning Customer Switcher Promo Policy Change
Sources confirmed to Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research that Boost's switcher promo policy timeline has also been updated. Former customers looking to port back into Boost Mobile must now wait 120 days after first leaving Boost or they will not be eligible for promotional phone pricing. Previously the waiting period was 90 days.
Both switcher promo policy changes went into effect on 7/15/2020.
Boost isn't the only provider to recently make switcher policy promo changes. Cricket Wireless also just updated its returning customer switcher promo eligibility requirement to be 180 days, up from 90 days.
Jeff Moore believes that switcher policy changes are happening within the industry to help providers increase profitability. In a statement to BestMVNO, Moore said that "urban prepaid competition is getting more rational, with carriers doing more for profitability and discouraging 'round-trippers' -- people who switch back and forth between carriers to get free phones. Also, starting in late 2019, we've seen Metro requiring a valid ID to get the best phone discounts. Metro, Cricket, and Boost are seeking to limit the damages from 'round-trippers' and other customers that are less profitable."