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In the United States, there are three massive mobile networks that you can choose from—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Besides those three, there are other big options, but most of them are MVNOs, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators, and they typically rely on the network infrastructure of the big three, not their own.
Boost Mobile was one of those many MVNOs that consumers could choose from and belonged to Dish Network. However, that’s all about to change as Boost Mobile is finally going to stop being an MVNO and become a full-fledged network in its own right. Let’s talk about it.
Boost Mobile Will Now Compete With The Big Three As A Regular Carrier
Dish Network acquired Boost Mobile from Sprint back in 2019 when T-Mobile absorbed the former. The company hosted its network on T-Mobile’s infrastructure as an MVNO since then, but the plan was always to go independent, and several years later, that objective has finally been accomplished. Boost Mobile is now its own wireless carrier, completely free of the others.
To get there, Boost Mobile had to continue to build 5G infrastructure across the United States, and at this point, the company says it has a 5G network that covers 70% of the US population and expects that number to increase to 80% before the year ends. That’s a lot of work, but all of that work finally lets the company compete properly. Now, the carrier can finally shed the “MVNO” tag. It isn’t one anymore.
Just to note, Boost is already the fourth largest carrier in the United States, though it finds itself very far from the others in terms of absolute numbers. However, this new development arguably gives the company the best chance it has ever had to fight for a much bigger slice of the pie, especially now that US Cellular is out of play. I’m hoping things work out because competition is always good.
If You’re A Boost Subscriber, This News Only Comes With Perks
If you’re already on Boost, you might be worried about how this could change your experience with the network. Fortunately, nothing is likely to change for the worse on your side of things.
In fact, to be a lot more enticing to subscribers of the big three who want to switch over, you might start to see some juicier deals take shape. For instance, if you buy an iPhone 16 or any Samsung Galaxy device that costs at least $299, you’ll get a year of free service thrown in.
And if you’re planning to switch over, Boost isn’t solely a prepaid service. They also have postpaid plans that you can rely on, if that’s more of your style.
Boost Mobile Has Introduced The Summit 5G, Its Own Budget Device
If you like buying the phones that your carrier has to offer you, Boost has its own budget device now, called the Summit 5G. Don’t expect anything crazy from it. You get a basic MediaTek process, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. There’s a 13MP + 2MP setup on the back and a large 5,000mAh battery.
All that comes at $94.99, which makes sense. If you’re a new customer, you can get it for free, so even better.