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No one likes a wireless contract. It restricts our freedom as consumers (e.g., no class action lawsuits) and binds us to a single carrier for two years at a time. So why do we sign them? We don’t have much of a choice, since that’s the way America’s major carriers operate. But even if offered the option, many of us would still sign a contract, because that grants us a subsidy on a handset. While a BlackBerry normally retails for between $400 and $600, a subsidy gets that price below $200. Over the past year we’ve seen three prominent players in the U.S. introduce prepaid BlackBerry services. As expected, they all involve paying a heavy up front fee for the device. Is that a worthy trade-off?
MetroPCS started the prepaid BlackBerry movement a little over a year ago when it launched the Curve 8330. The offering is far from perfect. First, it only works in MetroPCS’s legacy markets, so it won’t work in its AWS areas, which include New York City and Boston. Second, as previously noted the price is well higher than most consumers are used to paying. The device started at $449, or about $250 more than the Tour on contract. MetroPCS now offers a $100 instant rebate, and apparently reduced the price at another point, leaving it at $299. That’s still steep, but a bit more manageable. The service costs $60 per month.
After it announced it’s Complete line of plans, T-Mobile also announced a prepaid BlackBerry plan. Available exclusively at Best Buy and Wal-Mart (now Amazon.com, it appears), Complete prepaid offers service with the BlackBerry Curve 8520. That’s a bit exciting because it’s a relatively new handset. Unfortunately, we run into the same problem as MetroPCS. The device costs $299.99 at a retail outlet, though it’s on Amazon for $250. The service — unlimited everything — costs $80 per month. Yes, that gets you a lot, but altogether it’s a bit steep. Again, this is the issue with every prepaid BlackBerry.
The latest to offer prepaid BlackBerry services is Boost Mobile. They plan to launch the BlackBerry Curve 8330, among other devices, on January 15. Despite the Curve being far out of date, it will still cost $249. The service, which does include unlimited everything on Sprint’s CDMA network, will cost $60 per month. So this plan is somewhere in between T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS’s prepaid BlackBerry plans. As long as you want unlimited services, the plan prices are pretty fair. Is that worth the downside of the up-front cost? If you don’t want a contract, I suppose it’s your only option.
Do any BBGeeks readers have prepaid BlackBerry devices? If so, care to share your experience? You can leave it in the comments, and if you want to talk about it at length, we can set something up for the BBGeekcast. Just email me, jpawlikowski at bbgeeks.
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22 Comments ↓
Do any of these pre-paid plans use SIM cards so you could just bring over a blackberry you’ve already got?
I’ve heard of people using a BlackBerry on Boost, but your options are limited. The 8350i is the only current iDEN compatible BlackBerry (though there is an older model). To use an existing BlackBerry on their CDMA network means reflashing. That’s a process in itself.
The only prepaid BB service that uses SIM cards is T-Mobile, but I’m not sure if that will work. It should, in theory, but the T-Mobile plan is pretty limited. It’s one service plan covering one device. Not sure if they’d allow outside devices on that plan.
With T-Mobile, to be more specific, it’s one phone tied to one plan. Since there are no other phone options for that one plan, and no other plan options for that one phone, I’m not sure you could get away with it.
I used to run a BB on Boost, but that was with a Nextel BB. Boost has to be leveraging the fact that they are Sprint’s prepaid division, which is the only reason the Curve 8330 would work on it… since the 8330 doesn’t use SIM cards. I’m getting rid of a Sprint Pearl 8130 now… wonder if it would work on the Boost plan, but since CDMA providers have those ESN databases that probably won’t be the case.
There is a plan without contract on T-Mobile named even more Plus (flexplay).
A Blackberry even more plus begin @ 60 $ with 500 mn talk and finish at 80$ unlimited web text talk
Sprint’s service being CDMA requires a phone’s ESN to be active. So theoretically if Boost will be using Sprint’s service then the 8330 will have an ESN which will have to be activated with Boost. Now my question is if we can provide a BB9630 ESN to Boost and will it work???
i am looking for information on the Blackberry 8330.
I want ot try and make a Sprint 8330 work on Boost. Has anyone worked out a way to accomlish this?
I would appreciate a response at;
pcsbob@netzero.net
I just got the blackberry from boost 8330 n previously worked for cricket and used their services and I have also used tmobile flexpay. I think boost blackberry is great, great signal great feat. the blackberry was expensive but its upfront price with $60 bill every month. with tmobile plus tax you will be paying maybe $90 a month wit tax that why I left they flexplay plan I dnt want my bill to be over 70 a month with tax and its not yyaaayyy I recommend the blackberry especially if your the first time smart phone user!
I just purchased the blackberry curve 8330 by
boost mobile. LOVE IT, LOVE IT.
I just had to upgrade after having
my same cell for eight years. It is worth
the 249.00 for me, I plan on keeping it for at
least 7-8 years. Yes I am very cheap.
Verizon sucks with the contracts. NO MORE
I have heard several rumors even on the news that the 8330 BB for boost is limited and has several problems processing emails etc. it is pure luck if it works flawlessly but chances are, you’ll be discouraged, and it does NOT feature the chirp, which is what boost is famous for, so why did they drop that from this phone is beyond me…??
I purchased the Boost offering of an 8330 Blackberry with the unlimited plan for $60/mo. I love it and it works great. It’s fast on emails but really large sites I can’t download all the way. But I don’t think that’s a problem from the service provider, just a limitation of the 8330. When I purchased it, I was told by the sales rep that it could also be used as a modem for an IP. The included software says it can be used that way and offers set-up directions. but the set up requires a user name and password. Does anyone know what user name and password to use for Boost Mobile. should it be run as a Sprint CDMA? Called up BB customer service but they were unable to help me….Thanks
joshua. to give you a simple explenation the sim car make the B/B work with nextel (very bad service) with this new esn service will work only with sprint(veter service and 3g web)
i have bb from boost for one month now and im happy .i have boost for over 1 year and i m happy with their service.i finish with tmobile becouse of them taxes,fees and surcearges.i’ll recomand to everyone the bb.
@Randy check this forum post out for tips on what may be entered:
http://www.blackberryfaq.com/index.php/Using_BlackBerry_As_Modem
Looks like for Boost it is Blank U/N, Blank pass and S=2 for the number
Cooper, super-useful stuff. Having the option to use the BB as a modem would make a world of difference and if it IS a safe bet, I think I’m sold. After 10 years with AT&T (AND Cingular, AND *ahem* PacBell, lol) I’m just about over the contract BS. My contract was up yesterday and I’ve been eyeing Boost for the past few months :)
I purchased the boost mobile blackberry curve 8330 nearly a month ago and so far enjoy the phone and service. I can download free applications and phone service is great. I don’t have any problems with text or yahoo. However the only problem… major problem that I have is that media player does not play full screen movies… Each time I watch videos from internet.. can not seem to make them full screen… What can I do to make my media player play full screen movies… Any help or suggestions are truly appreciated. Thanks.
@lady Some videos will play full screen and some won’t. There is nothing you can do – it is a limitation of the particular video clip you are watching.
Thanks Cooper for the info… perhaps I am watching those that are not full screen… Again I do like boost mobile blackberry 8330, it’s a very nice phone and so far the service is awesome. I will re-boost (pay the required monthly fee for the service) in a few days and let you know how is goes.. Take care
Hey Cooper, thanks for the info! I’m currently a Boost Mobile customer and have enjoyed their $50/monthly unlimited plan for several months now… When I first signed up, I decided to go with the only phone they had at the time that featured a full QWERTY keyboard, the Motorola i465 (or Clutch). The drawback you mentioned when going with a pre-paid setup was in full effect, as I had to pay a whopping $230 for it… I was upgrading from a Sprint flip-phone, so it was pretty cool at first, but now this i465 is driving me insane! Theres nothing physically wrong with the phone, its the software. Its clumsy and very unintuitive, and you feel like there are tons of other options and features that are being hidden from you. Just to send a text to a frequently-used contact, I have to press 6 buttons to get the person’s name and get to the point where I can enter the message. Anyway, without going into more boring detail, the phone has been a $200 disappointment.
I was hoping since its only been about 5 months since I bought my i465 that Boost or RadioShack (the physical retailer I bought the phone from) would be doing some sort of ‘upgrade to Blackberry’ promotion… but, of course, they’re not… so, my question to you is: If I were to find a good/better deal on some other model Blackberry, or get one from a friend who just upgraded to a Droid or iPhone, would I be able to use it with my current Boost Mobile account? I have it set to ask for my SIM pin when it is powered on, so I think it uses a card… Would I be able to pop the SIM card out of my i465 and put it into an unlocked/older Blackberry? Thanks again!
@edub Technically yes you could use the sim in the BlackBerry (unlocked) and get some service. There would however be an issue with services like BBM and email as they require a specific BlackBerry data plan to work.
I have the Boost branded Blackberry Curve. My better half has one as well. I am impressed with the price of service at $60 a month, and the phone as well. Unfortunately, I am not impressed with the signal quality. I live in Orange County, New York and just about every call I make or receive gets dropped. One minute I’ll have full signal the next I have none. It’s up and down. I can sit the phone on the table and just watch it fluctuate constantly. I keep thinking about switching to another company but after spending the money for the phone I feel a little stuck. It’s a very discouraging experience. Data works (somewhat slowly), and texting works but voice is suffering severely. Unless there is a solution for the dropped calls, I would give them 2 out of 5 stars for their CDMA network.
I bought the Boost Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8330 on March 3rd & LOVE it so far, great calls, fast internet, no problems with e-mail or text.
I upgraded from a almost 3 year old Motorola 855e from Boost. What a BIG upgrade.
I was on the $50 a month unlimited & now I am on the $60 a month unlimited Black Berry.
Best $250 dollars I ever spent.
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