Bye, Bye iDEN – Devices no longer available for purchase

Starting 5/18/12, iDEN devices will be completely removed from Telesales, Sprint.com, Consumer Care, SWAC and Sprint Retail Stores. After Friday, the only place to purchase an iDEN device will be a 3rd Party retail store that carries Boost Mobile devices. In the interest of keeping the mole-hunters at bay, I’ll post the iDEN FAQ sheet from Boost Mobile below – it has the same facts as the one for Sprint, with a few words changed, and the addition that Boost retailers can still order and sell the devices if they choose to. 

Also, as of 7/4/12, no more iDEN activations will be allowed in the system. So those that have an iDEN phone activated before then can use it until next summer, but after that it’s bye-bye-bye.

From the Boost Retailer FAQ:

Should I still sell iDEN devices?

• Yes. If the customer is a “heavy” iDEN walkie-talkie user, you can still sell iDEN devices, letting the customer know that the iDEN network is projected to shut down in mid-2013. Offers may be available at a later date to migrate the customer to another device.
• However, if a customer is a “low” or “no usage” walkie-talkie user, suggest the customer purchase a Boost Mobile CDMA device so they can start taking advantage of our CDMA network improvements.
• Starting July 10, we will no longer allow new activations onto iDEN, however the existing
• iDEN customer base will still be able to use their handsets and perform equipment changes and network swaps until the projected network shut down in mid-2013.

From the Sprint FAQ:

• Sprint is completely phasing out the iDEN network by 2013 so this is the customer‘s opportunity to get a jump on migrating to CDMA.

• Proactively offer the opportunity to migrate to a CDMA device.
• Tell upgrade eligible iDEN customers about the great offers available for CDMA devices and the benefits of the CDMA network.
• Tell iDEN push-to-talk users that they will experience the same convenience using the Sprint Direct Connect feature. 

And there’s one more gem hidden in the box: Effective 5/18/12, the iDEN International Direct Connect add-on will increase from $10 per month to $15 per month. Existing impacted customers were sent postcards and bill messages to notify them of this change

Download the FAQ here: iDEN FAQ Document 04_25_12 – ISN

or view below:

View this document on Scribd

Boost Mobile to Throttle Speeds

Later this year, Boost Mobile will move to reduce 3G/4G data speeds to 3G speeds (of 256kbps) when a customer’s data usage exceeds 2.5GB in a month.

The talking points:

• Based on recent usage patterns, approximately 95 percent of Boost Mobile customers use less than 2.5GB of data usage per month and will not experience any difference in their service.
• Customers who go over the 2.5GB threshold may experience slower page loads, file downloads and streaming media – 3G speeds of 256kbps.
• Data speeds will restore to full 3G/4G speeds when a customer’s new monthly plan begins.
• We don’t have a definitive date for when throttling will be implemented

Boost will continue to provide robust, unlimited data access without contracts, usage caps, overages or activation fees and intend to maintain 3G data speeds of 256 Kbps even after surpassing 2.5GB in a given month.

Customers who are approaching the throttling threshold will also receive a text message from us letting them know they’re close to the threshold.

CTIA: Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile add 4G speed

On 5/8/12 Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile announced they will begin offfering 4G WiMAX handsets and mobile broadband devices on Sprint’s Nationwide Network in 71 markets across 28 states on 5/31/12.

• This giant step for Boost and Virgin is a terrific way to attract new customers and keep existing customers on both brands, all while positively impacting Sprint’s overall bottom line.

• While Sprint transitions postpaid customers to LTE, it frees up the existing WiMAX platform for prepaid customers.
• This new step gives Sprint’s prepaid brands a competitive edge and maintains Boost and Virgin 4G on our existing WiMAX network.

Initial Boost and Virgin 4G devices include:

• Boost Mobile:
  • HTC EVO Design 4G
    • Cost: $299.99 on boostmobile.com
    • Plans: $55 Monthly Android plan with shrinking payments
• 4G on Virgin Mobile:
  • HTC EVO V 4G
    • Cost: $299.99 on virginmobileusa.com,
    • Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans starting at $35 per month/
  • 4G on Broadband2Go will offer:
    • Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless for $149.99
    • U600 3G/4G USB by Franklin Wireless for $99.99

Sprint (CDMA) to Boost (iDEN) Now Possible!

There’s been a lot of talk about the hassle that many customers have faced when attempting to swap from Sprint(CDMA) to Boost(iDEN), despite the fact that Boost is a wholy owned subsidary of Sprint. Sounds like a simple flip of a switch, right? That’s what most people thought, until they tried it and found out the hoops they’ve have to jump through to accomplish it. That’s no longer the case! As of this week, as a last resort save option, Sprint CDMA customers will be able to switch to Boost(iDEN) service.

As of 7/23/09 Account Services will support the CDMA post paid customers who want to move to iDEN Boost – Sprint‘s subsidiary that offers customers pre-paid service. Before 7/23/09, system limitations prevented CDMA post paid customers from migrating to Boost and Sprint risked losing them to competitors who offer pre-paid service.

• In order to switch, you will have to meet the following conditions:
  • Sprint accont must be current. Not in a past due, hotlined, or suspended status.
  • Be aware that the standard ETF will still apply to the Sprint account, if there was one.

Sprint Specialists:

• Verify the following information and before transferring the customer to Account Services.
  • Confirm the account is not in a past due, hotlined, or suspended status. Take a payment to bring the account current or tell the customer they cannot migrate their account to iDEN Boost until it is current.
  • After a payment has been made, remove the hotline or suspension status on the account. Payment must post and suspension or hotline be removed in order to migrate to Boost.
  • Check to see if the subscriber agreement is still in effect. It it is, tell the customer they will be charged an ETF which will appear on their next bill.
  • Transfer the customer to Account Services.

How to fix delayed messages – Nextel & Boost (iDEN)

With the popularity of the Boost $50/Unlimited Everything plan, there’s been a lot of  chatter regarding delayed text messages. In case you didn’t know, Boost is owned by Sprint/Nextel, and this plan is being run on the Nextel side of the network, which operates on the iDEN network (Sprint side is CDMA). Well, if your phone has been provisioned(activated) for at least 72 hours, then there is one fix that may help you get that ‘boost’ you need for the delivery of your messages on time.

NOTE: If your account is under 72 hours old, then you will just have to be patient. Welcome to iDEN. Messaging works a bit funny on this side of the world, and we happen to like it that way, lol, so for 3 days you’re just going to have to deal. During this initial provisioning period, you will also likely not have any headers in the messages you receive(“who sent me this?!?”), nor will you likely know that they are arriving in the wrong part of your inbox (but that’s another post entirely!).

So, if your account is over 72 hours old, and your messages seem to be slow or heavily delayed, here’s one option you can try that usually helps. (Note that YMMV* and if you’re fresh out of your 72 hours, you may require a manual refresh from Boost Mobile Care before everything’s working as intended). Most people have to have this done every month or two, but for those that use messaging functions heavily, the fequency could be greater. Of course, most folks never know this is what’s happening while they’re on hold with the tech or care agent.

Use Urgent Page to clear pending messages from the SMS box.

1. Dial the NPA-NXX-7243 for your phone number
   Basically, you’ll replace the last 4 digits of your cell number with ’7243′, which is ‘PAGE’. NOTE: due to the portability of wireless numbers, this is not always available for every number. the NPA-NXX dialed does not have to be the same one as the number being paged, they all go to the same central system.
2. Enter the 10-Digit Number of the device to be paged
3. Press ’1′ to c onfirm the number entered.
4. Press ’1′ to leave the callback number (if desired), then ‘#’ 
5. Press ’1′ to send the message
6. Press ’2‘ to mark as ‘Urgent’, then press ’1′ for confirmation

If the cause of your delay is that another message is ‘stuck’ for whatever reason, then this will correct the issue, and your messages will be delivered without delay until the problem reoccurs. This helps about 75% of the boost ‘delayed text’ issues that I’ve seen, so use the comments to let me know if this helped!

*YMMV – ‘your mileage may vary’