Thanks to a tip from a Twitter follower, BestMVNO has learned that Boost Mobile is now offering an eSIM option for international travel. Boost Mobile has set up an entirely new domain at https://boostesim.com/ where users can signup for an international eSIM plan. The international eSIM launched in April.
Prices for Boost Mobile eSIM plans vary by country. For instance, $5 gets you 1GB of data to use while traveling in Canada but it's only good for 7 days. There's also a $13 3GB for 10 days option and 5GB for 15 days for $20. The same pricing and plans apply to travel throughout Europe whereas plans for Asian countries are priced higher. If you travel to Asia, Boost Mobile will charge you $8 for 1GB good for 7 days, $23 for 3GB for 10 days of travel, and $36 for 5GB for 15 days. In all, there are various plans available for travel to the Caribbean, Latin America, Israel, South Africa, Mexico, and the UAE. The Boost Mobile international data eSIM works in over 100 countries.
Boost Mobile's eSIM data plans don't require you to have a domestic Boost Mobile phone plan to sign up for them. In fact, when I went through the checkout process for a plan, the only thing stated was that my phone needs to be unlocked and eSIM compatible to subscribe. The Boost Mobile international eSIM compatibility page shows devices from Apple, Goole, Motorola, OPPO, ASUS, HP and others are eligible for a plan. The SIM appears to be available for use on Tablets, phones, and laptops.
Targeting those that plan to travel internationally could be an emerging trend for wireless MVNOs traditionally focused on domestic markets. Last month, US Mobile formally announced "Global by US Mobile." It too, is only available on eSIM devices, and not restricted to phone use. Global by US Mobile also offers data in over 100 countries, although they are using a different pricing model than Boost. They sell eSIM plans that are valid for up to 365 days. For instance, an Asia Pacific US Mobile plan will get you 17GB of data to use in 20 different countries for $60 a year. A Europe plan is available with 10GB of data for $20 but it is only valid for 30 days.
Peter Adderton, founder of Boost Mobile, and the recently launched MobileX has long planned for MobileX to be a platform that offers GB of data without boundaries. Although global data hasn't been launched yet, he did Tweet days ago that it's on the way.
And then there's Google Fi Wireless. Google Fi has offered international data with its plans at no extra cost since its inception in 2015.