From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.

Boost Mobile is an Irvine, CA brand of mobile phone launched in Australia (Over Optus) in 2000 and in New Zealand (Over Telecom New Zealand) in 2001. The Boost brand is primarily marketed to the teenager and young adult demographic. Nextel Communications (now Sprint Nextel) brought the brand to the United States in 2002 and owns 100% of the American division of Boost Mobile. Prior to launching Boost Mobile, Nextel primarily focused on the business market. Following the closure of the Sprint Corporation and Nextel Communications merger in August, 2005 Boost Mobile announced that they currently have 2.8 million customers in 2007, a reduction from the 3.1 million claimed subscriber base in 2006.

Boost Mobile's latest American advertising campaign features Fat Joe, Eve, Travis Barker, Kanye West, Ludacris, Richard "Rip" Hamilton, Nick Cannon, Master Shake, and The Game and uses the slogan "Where you at?"

Contents 1 Technical Info 2 Trivia 3 Sponsorships 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

In the US, Boost Mobile uses Sprint Nextel's iDEN network with special Motorola iDEN phones that are unique to Boost. Like its contract-based cousin, the main feature of Boost Mobile is the walkie talkie feature ("push-to-talk" or "PTT") that the iDEN network is built around.

Since Boost Mobile USA runs on iDEN, it uses a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card (incompatible with GSM or other wireless technologies) to store user information. Thus it is possible to use Boost Mobile with a Nextel handset simply by inserting the Boost SIM card into the handset. The converse (inserting a Nextel contract SIM into a Boost Mobile handset) is not possible, however, unless the Boost Mobile handset is first unlocked using a data cable and the appropriate software (note that modifying the handset's Master Subsidy Lock (MSL) is now legal due to a ruling by the U.S. Copyright Office in November 2006).

Boost will be adding postpaid options next year, which may threaten to put it in almost direct competition with Nextel. Second, hybrid iDEN/CDMA devices will launch on Boost in Q1 of 2007, and at least some of them will offer EvDO. There are also rumors that smartphone-type devices will be offered.^[1].

Boost Mobile in New Zealand piggy-backs off of Telecom New Zealand's nationwide CDMA 1xRTT and CDMA EVDO network.

Boost Mobile (USA) Phones:

i885 Key Features- 2 Megapixel Camera, Front speakers, Video Record, Walkie Talkie, MP3 Music Player, Bluetooth, removable Transflash Memory Card, Speaker, GPS

i875 Key Features- 1.3 Megapixel Camera, Video Record, Walkie Talkie, MP3 Music Player, Bluetooth, removable Transflash Memory Card, Speaker, GPS

i855 Key Features- VGA Digital Camera, Walkie Talkie, MP3 Ringtone, Speaker, GPS, Audio Recording

i835 Key Features- Walkie Talkie, Speaker, GPS, Voice Ringtones

i455 Key Features- Walkie Talkie, Speaker, GPS, Voice Ringtones, Picture Viewer, Text Message, Voice Recording

i415 Key Features- Walkie Talkie, Speaker, GPS, Voice Ringtones, Picture Viewer

Boost Mobile (USA) Phone Services:

Boost Premium Prepaid, Pay as you go, Calltones (what people hear while waiting for you to pick up), Boost Hookt (dating), and Boost Loopt (location sharing for GPS enabled phones)

Please see boostmobile.com for full pricing details.

• Boost Mobile's "Boost Premium Prepaid" service is modeled after the competing GoPhone service from Cingular Wireless.
• On the evening of December 12, 2005, Boost Mobile did a promotion with Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" block of programming, particularly during Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and was the main focus in that night's episode.

Boost Mobile sponsors a professional surfing event, the Boost Mobile Pro of Surf. (See ASP World Tour.) In addition, Boost Mobile sponsored a professional skateboard event, the Boost Mobile Pro of Skateboarding, as well as logo-labeled skateboards and accessories. They also sponsor a number of skateboarders, including Terry Kennedy, Geoff Rowley, Tosh Townend,Tony Trujillo, and Colin Gabauer.

Other prepaid wireless service providers

• Metro PCS
• Cingular Wireless GoPhone
• INpulse by Verizon
• kajeet
• T-Mobile ToGo
• TracFone Wireless
• Virgin Mobile
  • Virgin Mobile USA

1. ^ http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/23/07-plans-for-boost-dont-worry-sprint-still-loves-you/

• Boost Mobile U.S. web site
• Boost Mobile Australia web site
• Boost Mobile New Zealand web site

This box: view • talk • edit American mobile phone companies
Major network operators
Alltel  · AT&T Mobility (Cingular)  · Sprint Nextel  · T-Mobile  · Verizon Wireless
Minor and regional network operators
Cellular One  · Cellular South  · Centennial Wireless  · Cincinnati Bell Wireless  · Cricket Communications  · Edge Wireless  · MetroPCS  · nTelos  · Revol  · SouthernLINC Wireless  · SunCom  · U.S. Cellular  · Unicel
Mobile virtual network operator
7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless  · Amp'd Mobile  · BeyondMobile  · Boost Mobile  · Disney Mobile  · Hawaiian Telcom  · Helio  · Jitterbug Wireless  · Jump Mobile  · Kajeet  · Net10 Wireless  · Qwest Wireless  · TracFone  · Virgin Mobile  · XE Mobile

v • d • e Sprint Nextel Corporation
Corporate Directors: Gary D. Forsee - Chairman and CEO | Keith J. Bane | Gordon M. Bethune | Frank M. Drendel | James H. Hance, Jr. | V. Janet Hill | Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr. | William E. Kennard | Linda Koch Lorimer | Stephanie M. Shern | William H. Swanson
Assets Holding Companies: Sprint Corporation | NEXTEL Communications Subsidiaries: Velocita Wireless Wireless Services: Sprint PCS | NEXTEL | Boost Mobile
Annual Revenue: $34.7 billion USD ( FY 2005) | Employees: 62,000 | Stock Symbol: NYSE: S | Website: www.sprint.com