EchoStar is finally beginning to address a major pain point among its Boost Mobile subscribers. Customers will more easily be able to switch SIMs to another network by visiting a Boost Mobile dealer.
Previously, subscribers who signed up with Boost and received a SIM card to a network they were unhappy with would have little luck being able to switch to a different SIM and network while keeping their phone number. In many cases, if they wanted a different SIM they'd have to either get a new number or switch to another provider altogether before porting back in.
The systems Boost Mobile dealers used weren't properly designed to allow them to switch, or internally port, their customers onto another network and SIM. However, a Boost Mobile dealer has told me that this is changing and dealers have started to receive training on how to move customers between different SIMs and networks. The dealer believes functionality will go live in stores later this week.
Update 08/31/2024 - The ability to switch SIMs in stores will begin on September 4th. However, it may not be something that will be available to everyone. A dealer has informed me that on September 4th, Boost Mobile customers will begin receiving emails and SMS messages informing them that they can go to a store to switch SIMs. This will be a targeted campaign so all customers may not receive this message. It's not clear if at this time any customer will be allowed to go in to change SIMs or just those targeted by the campaign. Boost is also limiting the number of times you can swap SIMs on a line to two per year. This is a terrible mistake in my book, especially when we are starting to see at least a couple of providers market they allow you to manually switch between the carrier networks they operate on as needed. It's also a missed opportunity for Boost Mobile to add incremental revenue. US Mobile for instance charges $2 per network switch through a feature they call Teleport and they allow up to 8 switches per billing cycle without resetting the customer's plan. Red Pocket Mobile has a feature they call CoverageGenius for manual network switches.
Boost Mobile operates as an MVNO on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks as well as its own Boost 5G network. Customers typically receive a white SIM card when their service is on T-Mobile, a black SIM card for AT&T, and a Rainbow SIM card for connecting to the native Boost network. The Rainbow SIM is also capable of roaming on the other networks. SIM cards and the network used are automatically assigned to the customer when they sign up. Subscribers have had no control over choosing their network.
Ever since DISH, now EchoStar took over the Boost Mobile brand back in 2020, they have been losing wireless subscribers in droves. The losses have stemmed from a variety of reasons. One big initial reason was that Boost Mobile could no longer offer truly unlimited data plans as it didn't have its own network when it took over the brand. Customers on what once were truly unlimited plans soon learned they now had a cap. Understandably this upset them and they ported out.
However, this wasn't the only factor behind the mass subscriber losses over the years. Other issues included system outages, ransomware attacks, the confusing launch of additional brands like Boost Infinite, inconsistencies between dealer, store, and online plans, a surplus of plans available only to new subscribers, and the discontinuation of ACP. All these factors contributed to customer dissatisfaction and churn.
Fortunately, EchoStar has begun addressing some of these problems. They are consolidating phone plans and brands and making it easier for customers to get assistance if they wish to switch networks while staying with Boost.
This would be great, as I begged boost to give me an AT&T card but they said it was impossible. T-Mobile doesn’t work in my area thus not very useful thus. Now, you left out the part where the boost stores will probably charge you $35 to get a SIM card…..