Indeed - I’ve just gone for the 100$ for 6 months, unlimited voice/text/etc in Aust plus 60 GB plus a heap of free countries unlimited and a few more with a reasonable credit (I rarely if ever call overseas, but …).
I’m not sure Boost covers Telstras 5G? but certainly in all the places I previously had Telstra coverage, remote areas, Aboriginal communities, etc Boost appears the same. I know from friends and colleagues experience that other ‘Telstra network re-sellers’ don’t provide this.
The docs state Boost has full Telstra 4G coverage ‘limited to 100 Mbps’ download speeds and no 4GX. Nothing about 5G I saw to date.
We have used Boost for a decade or more, without an issue,
I expect that Boost will have 5G once the network coverage becomes sunstanial just like how they got 4G.
Telstra will never give Boost or any other MVNO 100% of the Telstra product. The most probable scenario is that when Boost has (Telstra) 5G Telstra will have moved on even if only a bit for its own product differentiation.
So what is the current difference between Telstra and Boost coverage?
Already posted:
In a practical sense not much, but still a differentiator.
Whilst driving this morning, my mobile rang so I pulled over but by the time I had got it out of my pocket, I missed the call.
As I had not missed a call before with this mobile which I have only been using since Xmas, I did not see the missed call number displayed so I went to messagebank and it said to return the call, press 22, which I did.
It then said that this call will be charged at your standard Telstra rate.
Strange as I only deal with Boost even thought the monthly payments on the credit card state Telstra.
Boost is a Telstra onseller rather than its own/separate telco…UNlike say TPG (which in the past has used Vodaphone infrastructure) or Optus (which generally has its own infrastructure).
I moved my Telstra postpaid to Boost in October, keeping my existing number. Couldn’t stand the thought of calling up Telstra, so I did an intermediate jump via Aldi. Waited a week to use up the Aldi $5. Each movement completed within an hour.
Aldi is my favourite MVNO. Still have a data service there. Boost (365 day/$135/80GB) gives me something extra - the odd free international call, more advanced features (visual voicemail, VoLTE, …), the wider network, and great speed:
100Mbps limit wouldn’t bother me, except… I have many speed tests in low 100’s Mbps, and an extra-ordinary one over 200Mbps. Perhaps Boost includes 4GX now that 5G has arrived?
EDIT (14/01): from whirlpool Boost faq it seems there is no 100Mbps limited or 4GX restriction. This reflects my practical experience.
I’m also planning on the move from Telstra to Boost. I have received an email from Telstra saying my $29 per month postpaid plan is being increased to $50 with no addition data on offer. The also offered a monthly credit of $10 for one year so the monthly $20 jump would be phased in.
Needless to say the Boost 12 month offering currently for $135 is looking very attractive compared t the $600 Telstra. I am hoping I won’t have any issues with the changeover.
I have now converted from Telstra Postpaid to Boost Prepaid. Boost had a special on for “new” customers for their 12 month plan at 240g for $240. The process was, as described by an earlier poster, of receiving blank sim, Boost then changed me to Telstra prepaid, when this happened, I called again and they transferred me to Boost but said I could not have the discounted $240 offer so I signed up for their $300 equivalent.
I then complained to the Boost Complaints email address about what I considered was misleading advertising as I was a “new” Boost customer. They have agreed and are now trying to credit me $60. They asked for bank details but I don’t like giving my bank details so am insisting on their crediting my credit card which I used for the original payment. All dealing were with Telstra help people.
On the whole I am satisfied with the changeover as I have a massive amount of data compared to Telstra at less than half the annual cost. Surprisingly although all the Help people were from Telstra, they were much more helpful than my previous dealings with Telstra which finally (after 3 months of fighting) resulted in my move from Telstra Broadband to Aussie Broadband.on exactly the same HFC cable.
Regarding the ‘blank sim’ when moving from Telstra to Boost - this is more a ‘how they do it’ rather than a ‘how it has to be done’.
If you buy a 2$ sim - you can move from a Telstra sim to that sim - A few weeks ago I tried calling to get the blank sims for a couple of services and was told that function was broken and I needed to get the 2$ sim. I did so and called back, and was told I needed to order a blank sim. I told the agent that I’d called previously to get a blank sim and was told to go buy the 2$ sim - the new agent told me the system was now fixed - none the less they migrated the service to boost on the 2$ sim.
There is probably a technical or procedural reason why the blank sim is preferred, but it certainly isn’t required …
