Is T-mobile and Boost mobile the same?

In This blog post, we will answer the question, Is  T-mobile and Boost mobile the same?. We will cover topics like key features of Boost mobile,  mobile phone plans, Network coverage, and phone selection.

Is T-mobile and Boost mobile the same?

No, T-mobile and Boost are not the same. Previously Boost was owned by Sprint. Now Sprint is owned by T-mobile. To complete the federal approval, T-mobile had to sell Boost for the acquisition of Sprint. Dish wireless acquired Boost mobile on 1st July 2020.

What is the T-Mobile network? 

T-Mobile is the 3rd-largest wireless network provider in the USA. T-Mobile is a German telecommunication industry and it has some investments in other mobile communication industries in the United States.

T-Mobile USA has a network sharing agreement with Cingular Wireless, an American mobile operator. Due to this, T- mobile has access to some top markets in the USA.

Key features of T-mobile  

  • Monthly installment plans are offered for T Mobile phones. 
  • More priority is always given to the T-Mobile subscribers on the network over other subscribers. This is a prime important factor in case of network congestion. 
  •  T mobile offers some better additional options, for example, international talk and data add-ons. 
  •  T mobile network provider has an excellent customer service record. 
  • Some extra perks are offered only for T-Mobile subscribers. 

Is T-mobile GSM or CDMA?  

T-mobiles is a GSM network carrier and not a CDMA network carrier.  GSM stands for global system for mobile, and it is second-generation cellular technology. T-mobile is a GSM network carrier used for mobile voice and data services. The term  CDMA stands for code division multiple access.

What is Boost mobile?

Previously Boost mobile was a part of the Spring network. Sprint is owned by T-mobile. To complete the federal approval, T-mobile had to sell Boost for the acquisition of Sprint. Dish wireless acquired Boost mobile on 1st July 2020. Boost customers can access the T-mobile network for seven years. During this tenure, the Dish is supposed to build up its own 5G network.

Key features of Boost

  • No service contract plans.
  • Taxes and fees included.
  • Unlimited talk and text included on each phone plan.
  • Unlimited music streaming without additional data charges.
  • Wide selection of latest phones with affordable price.
  • Makes use of T-mobile and AT&T network which gives 99% nationwide coverage.

Is Boost GSM or CDMA?  

The customers who joined Boost, when it was a part of the Spring network are still using CSMA technology. But presently Boost is using a T-mobile network, so these customers are using GSM technology.

Pros of Boost mobile

  • Offers no service contract plans.
  • Free SIM kit worth $9.99.
  • Free shipping.
  • Multiple unlimited data options are available.
  • 5G network of T-mobile can be accessed.
  • Wide selection of latest phones including iPhones and Galaxies with affordable price.
  • Unlocked GSM phones.

Cons of Boost mobile

  • Poor network coverage in rural areas.
  • Data deprioritization in case of network congestion.
  • Less family plan discounts.

Mobile phone plans

Several affordable prepaid plans are available. Taxes and fees are included in each plan. The basic prepaid plan starts at $10.All plans are inclusive of unlimited text and talk. But you will get a fixed amount of data. In the case of the $ 45 plan, if you make six ontime payments then the price drops to $35.

If you are a moderate data user then you can opt $10,$15, or $ 20 plan per month. The most popular unlimited data plan starts at $50 per month for a single line. For two lines the price drops to $80 per month.

The following table shows the summary of Boost prepaid plans.

PLANPRICETEXT AND TALKDATA
1 GB$10Unlimited1 GB 4GLTE
2 GB$15Unlimited2 GB 4GLTE
5GB$25Unlimited5 GB 4GLTE
10 GB$35Unlimited10 GB 4GLTE
15 GB$45Unlimited15 GB 4GLTE

Comparison with T-mobile phone plans

T-Mobile network carriers give you both prepaid and postpaid plans.  The following table shows a summary of unlimited plans from T-mobile.

PlanPrice per lineUnlimited text and talkPremium dataMobile hotspot dataUnlimited Video streaming
Essential$60Applicable50GBUnlimited at 3GB speedSd streaming
Magenta$70Applicable100GB5GB high-speed dataSd streaming
Magenta plus$85ApplicableUnlimited40GB high-speed dataUp to 4k UHD streaming

Boost mobile plan starts at $10 while T-mobile plan starts at $60.Boost offers no service contract plans. So with Boost mobile, you will get cheaper phone plans. But the Boost mobile plans have high-speed data caps.

Network coverage

For the 4G network, T mobile covers 62% of the country. T mobile provides a good coverage network in city areas and suburbs. The 3G network coverage of T-Mobile is only 21%. The coverage is spotty in some areas. In certain areas, you need to have a handset that will support both CDMA and GSM services. 

Boost mobile makes use of the T-mobile network. Ultimately you can avail yourself of the same advantage of network coverage as that of T- mobile subscribers. But in case of network congestion, whenever there is heavy traffic, more priority is given to the T-mobile subscribers.

On average, the T-Mobile network provides much faster 5G speeds compared to its competitors. If you have a 5G mobile with a T mobile network, you can expect internet speeds of about 85 Mbps. 

How to check the coverage map?

  • Go to link https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map on your computer or mobile phone.
  • When prompted type the area or zip code and press enter, you also have a dropdown list showing all the areas to choose from
  • You will get the map showing the coverage in different shades of pink
  • You can move the map; you just need to tap and hold to drag.
  • To get coverage information in detail you just need to tap on the location and it gives you a pop-up.
  • To zoom in use +, to zoom out use – or just pinch
  • If you want to see the 4G LTE coverage just switch off the 5G selection at the top.

Phone selection

Boost mobile offers a wide range of the latest phones at affordable prices. Some cellphones are available below $100. Boost mobile also offers a” Bring your own phone” option. But the phone must be unlocked and compatible with the Boost network. You can check the compatibility of your phone on the official website of Boost mobile.

T-phone especially offers a wide range of budget phones. T mobile offers some budget phones from LG and Samsung which are less than $ 200. T-mobile phones have greater compatibility with unlocked devices. Before purchasing a new phone from other carriers, you should check the temporarily available deals on new devices.

Customer services

Compared to other MVNO Boost mobile offers more options for customer service. You can contact customer care on phone by dialing 1-866-402-7366.  You can also use a  live chat option.

Some additional features of Boost mobile

  • The premium caller id is preloaded on Boost phones.
  • Option of visual voice mail, which includes an auto-forward facility to email.
  • Availability of mobile wallet which is compatible with PayPal.
  • Availability of Boost mobile app for managing the account and troubleshooting.
  • You can also add international services.
  • More data can be added to prevent suffering at higher data speeds.

How can you get 5G on Boost mobile?

You don’t have to pay any additional fees to avail 5G network. Make use of the following steps to connect to the 5G network.

  • Open the “settings”.
  • Click on the “connection” option.
  • Toggle the VoLTE switch to make it “ON”
  • Click on “mobile network”.

Data Throttling and Deprioritization

Even if you have an unlimited data plan, there is an upper cap. If you cross it then T-mobile will throttle your data. It will slow down the data speed on your cell phone and other devices using the hotspot. During busy hours, priority is given to cell phone users and the data speed of hotspot devices is slowed down. 

Below are other T-Mobile articles you may be interested in:

Does T-Mobile take a cracked phone?

Is T-mobile and Boost mobile the same?

Is T-mobile available in Canada?

Conclusion:

The blog gives detailed information about Boost Mobile, it explained the key features of Boost mobile as well as T-mobile. It also gave the idea about different plans and features of the Boost mobile.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs ): Is T-mobile and Boost mobile the same?

Is Boost part of T-mobile?

No,  Boost is not part of T-mobile. Previously Boost was owned by Sprint. Now Sprint is owned by T-mobile. To complete the federal approval, T-mobile had to sell Boost for the acquisition of Sprint. Dish wireless acquired Boost mobile on 1st July 2020.

Can I use T-mobile with Boost?

Yes, you can use T-mobile with Boost provided that it is unlocked. Most of the T-mobile handsets are compatible with Boost.

Is AT&T have better network coverage than T-Mobile? 

Presently AT&T has significantly improved its coverage area. For the 4G network, AT&T covers 68% of the country, whereas T mobile covers .62%. AT&T provides a good network for rural areas. In comparison, T mobile provides a good coverage network in city areas and suburbs.

Does T-Mobile or Verizon have better 5G coverage?

As far as 5G coverage is concerned T-mobile has an edge compared to Verizon. It covers approximately 40% of the country whereas  Verizon covers only 11%. As well as the speed of T- mobile  5G coverage is more than Verizon.

What’s an unlimited plan? 

It is a plan which gives unlimited text and voice for the entire month. It also includes unlimited data.

But after reaching a certain data limit, the speed of data is affected and it is reduced.

How can you check the coverage map on T-mobile?

  • Go to link https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map on your computer or mobile phone.
  • When prompted type the area or zip code and press enter, you also have a dropdown list showing all the areas to choose from
  • You will get the map showing the coverage in different shades of pink
  • You can move the map; you just need to tap and hold to drag.
  • To get coverage information in detail you just need to tap on the location and it gives you a pop-up.
  • To zoom in use +, to zoom out use – or just pinch
  • If you want to see the 4G LTE coverage just switch off the 5G selection at the top.

References:

Who Owns Boost Mobile Company? Is Boost Mobile Going Out Of Business?

By

Hemaja Burud

December 17, 2021

Boost Mobile vs T-Mobile in 2022

https://www.moneysavingpro.com/carriers/boost-mobile/vs-t-mobile/

Boost Mobile vs. T-Mobile – How Do These Carriers Compare?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/buybackboss.com/boost-mobile-vs-t-mobile/amp/

Dish now owns Boost Mobile, following sale from T-Mobile

There’s a new logo, too

By Jacob Kastrenakes on July 1, 2020 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2020/7/1/21309968/dish-boost-sprint-tmobile-acquisition-spinoff-closes-prepaid