I ported to Boost for the coverage and cost, but got even more by moving

I ported to Boost for the coverage and cost, but got even more by moving

When you start talking about carriers, there’s a lot that can be said about all of the big players. Hellstra, drOptus and Vodafail have all had their (unwanted) time in the media spotlight. Oftentimes, some discerning users will bounce around between some of the carriers. This is in their continual quest to find the best deal and coverage to their needs and my driver for switching.

It was when I switched to Boost I realised that I was getting more than I originally realised. Not only did it meet my needs, but the whole process showed great customer service. Let’s start with the process to find a plan and order a SIM.
The whole process took me around 20 minutes, looking at the various plans online armed with existing bills to know (across 3 months) my average data use and calls used. Once I made my decision — in the knowledge, there are booster packs and the ability to change between plans easily — I purchased a SIM.

This was the first of the “nice touches” experienced: An immediate email confirming the order receipt and, a notification the next business day with a tracking ID for my SIM that came via registered post.

Three business days later the SIM arrived in my letterbox and I prepared for the activation battle. My heightened readiness wasn’t required because it was such a simple process, with step by step instructions which were very simple and only took around 5 minutes:

1. Visit the Boost activation page
2. Enter the required details including mobile number as I was porting in
3. Provide ID for verification
4. Choose automatic or manual recharge
5. Wait for the port to occur

In fairness to all carriers, it’s become a lot easier these days with the only real hurdle being if you’re trying to port a number out of a corporate fleet to personal use.

It took only three minutes from pressing “Submit and activate” for my existing carrier SIM to drop out and the moments of fear to begin. If you’ve ever unsuccessfully ported a number, you’ll know what I’m talking about – it’s scary when so much of your life and personal contacts are tied to that number. Again, pointless because within seconds of inserting my new Boost SIM I was online and it was like nothing had changed except the coverage in my home.

When it comes down to it, the extra coverage that I get from Boost (running on the Telstra network) offers better coverage than my previous provider. I’m getting sufficient data for my needs at around $60 per year less than I was previously paying for my mobile.

So to this point, a grand total of just under half an hour has been invested into changing providers and a saving of $60 per year was achieved.

What did I lose and what did I gain?

I ported from a carrier that offers 5G services on the plan I was on, so I lost access to 5G. At this point in time though, there’s not a lot other than bragging rights to gain from 5G since our 4G coverage (particularly on the Telstra network) is so good with consistent speeds high enough to stream even 4K video. In the future, it’s quite possible that Boost may gain access to 5G services which would be a bonus but isn’t a need for me at this time.

I lost the convenience of a consolidated bill with my wife’s phone which, again, given the automatic billing setup for that and automatic recharge on Boost really isn’t a problem. What I have gained though, is the fringe area coverage that you only get with Telstra or one of their MNVO partners. This is important for me for a couple of reasons, primarily with work and my emergency services volunteering to ensure coverage for safety when I’m on the move.

I’ve gained international (albeit limited minutes) calling and SMS every month. While there is plenty of other options to stay in touch with family and friends (Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal or even email) overseas it’s nice to not rely on those, particularly for people who don’t use them. The final addition is the My Boost Mobile app, it’s simple to use and understand exactly what’s in front of you and you can handle your whole account right there.

I know that this isn’t groundbreaking stuff, but it’s the positive impression that all of these little things coming together gives, that makes the switch worthwhile for me. While it wasn’t a driver for the switch: I’m also pretty happy to know that the money I’m spending is going to a company that supports not just seasoned campaigners, but young talent in sporting arenas.

Are MNVO options for everyone?

In reality, no they’re simply not for everyone. There is almost always some form of compromise when it comes to switching carriers. Whether that’s losing access to a service, a change in coverage — always check the coverage maps — or simply based on costs.

This has been a learning experience for me personally as I’ve primarily (aside from brief tests) had my personal phone with one of the big three carriers. Now I’ve had that positive experience with Boost from the initial moment of engagement, it will take something special from others to win me back.

Editors Note: This is not a sponsored post, the change to Boost Mobile has been self-funded by Phil for his carrier needs. The article is intended to share the positive experience in moving to the chosen provider: Boost Mobile