While the rest of the world struggles to turn a profit in the midst of an economic sand-trap that has dragged down balance sheets around the world, there is a sliver of hope. The prepaid wireless industry is apparently doing well for itself, as consumers ditch more expensive post-paid subscriptions in favor of reliably affordable pre-paid plans that offer unlimited talk time. Boost Mobile has announced that it will be adding its own $50 unlimited calling plan to its pre-paid calling options.
Boost Mobile’s new $50 unlimited plan offers unlimited talk time and SMS text messages for customers that need affordable voice minutes but little need for a wireless data connection (Boost’s iDEN network is the last place you’d want to be surfing for mobile data). The $50 Boost Mobile unlimited calling plan aims to lure customers away from regional pre-paid rivals MetroPCS and Leap Wireless, but may just end up eating into T-Mobile USA’s younger, hipper demographic. Larger carriers Verizon and AT&T may also see some of its subscriber-base defecting to the cheaper offering from Boost Mobile.
“It sets a bar for the wireless industry and in some sense a floor,” Current Analysis analyst Bill Ho said of the Boost offer. “The pricepoint will hit everybody — the postpaid people, the prepaid people and the wireline people.”
Look for the Boost Mobile’s $50 unlimited calling plan to go live on January 22.