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nextel, any nextel phone work with boost. as far as smart phones only blackberry nextel. boost has their own called an i465 but it kinda light weight, won't do a whole lot. Google boostberry you will find information on what i am telling you,.

when looking for one, do i use sprint nextel as the basis?

blackberry is the only smart phone that will work with boost and it has to be an iden phone. they have three models that will work 7520i, 7100i and 8350i the 8350i is expensive arounf 250-300 on ebay.

It wierd how sprint owns boost and can't offer the same deal.......?

thanks for the heads up. I am gonna check into this today. Look for the phone on ebay after work. Sounds great. Do you know of any other smart phones that might be able to be used like that. I am trying to understand how to aquire an unlocked smart phone.

I am currently with sprint. Formerly with Nextel. For 7 years now. But I am paying 100 for two phones alone, nothing fancy like internet or nothing. For 1400 minutes. Which rarely gets used up. If I had unlimited, with internet and email for the same price, that would be a much better deal.

I called sprint last night after seeing this. They can not come close to this for less than 120 a month per phone and another 24 month contract.

Yes, it basically Nextel Prepaid. Go to wally world buy cheap boost phone, activate. Go to ebay pickup Blackberry 7100I or 7520I for under 50.00 and the programing software if you don"t want the hassle of installing service books for the phone. I think the softeware is about 15-19 dollars and your all set. If you use Direct connect already or others you know do it will direct connect to any nextel phone. I get push gmail to my phone, nav4all gps, oprea mini browser and all blackberry free apps and ones if you want pay for them. All for 50 a month with phone and software investment for less than 100.00. Without being tied to one of those contracts. It is also nation wide no roaming. Let you save a buck and still have all the gadgets. I love tools and gadgets.

50 a month? I am gonna go check that out.

We just switched to boostmobile, 50.00 a month unlimited talk, nextel push to talk, text and web. i bought a blackberry 7520 off ebay downloaded some google apps and i get everything you get from the big 3 for 50.00 bucks a month. had this service now for 7 months and love it. oh yeah no contract.

I'm really glad to see this thread show up. This has been one of my pet peeves for a long time for *SEVERAL* reasons.

1. Thousands of people like me have had to deal with Verizon regarding their rule of making the 29.95/mo data plan mandatory for people with "smart phones". They implemented this policy about last November. Lots of us have absolutely no intention of going online for either email or web access activities. I bought my own Blackberry Curve merely for the purpose of making phone calls and doing HVAC calcs with the MS Office Excel software I purchased for it. Cell phone companies can and do disable the internet capabilities of your account at the flip of a switch. But they just want the 29.95 per mo. As I expected, the other cell phone companies watched for a few months to see if Verizon got away with this, and they then followed suit.

2. The other limitations are that Verizon has their versions of the phones they carry made with wireless incapable configurations. So they won't work when you're near a free wireless area, like in airports, wireless cafes, etc. I fully expect the other carriers to follow suit as Verizon has gotten away with this.

3. Verizon has also fixed their phones to prevent you from being able to back up your contacts list, download your own ringtones, etc., because they offer these services for a fee.

It seems pretty useless to switch carriers as the others either have or will be following Verizon's lead on these things.

Again it is a question of exactly who our elected representatives work for. The individuals who elect them or the special interests who wine and dine them, oh and don't forget the $$$ for reelection.
You have my vote!!! Free my phone!!!!

Thats the solution we need get Congress involved in it then we will really be screwed.

Cell Phone Co. Have us Jammed. But.....

Got this interesting email today from Consumer Reports:


If you own a cell phone, the giant telecom companies are likely holding you hostage right now.

They know they can charge you what they want, give you spotty service, and even prevent you from getting the latest technology, because almost all the most popular wireless handsets on the market today are shackled by "exclusivity deals" — meaning if you buy a particular phone, you can only get service from one company.

Want an iPhone? You're stuck with AT&T. Own a Blackberry Storm? You have to deal with Verizon. These exclusive contracts mean your pricey phone is virtually worthless if you try to change companies. And forget about shopping around for a better deal.

Throw off the chains of the telecom giants. Tell Congress to free your phone now!

A few years ago the telecom companies tried to keep you from taking your phone number with you when changing providers. They knew if you had that freedom, you'd walk away from bad or pricey service. But with your help we mounted a campaign to the Federal Communications Commission and Congress to let you keep your number, and the companies were forced to give in.

We want to give your cell phone that same freedom. The FCC just agreed to review these exclusivity deals, and the Department of Justice is reportedly looking into it as well. It's time Congress gets involved and makes sure that when we shop for wireless phones and service, it's in a truly competitive, free and open marketplace.

But the telecom giants are lobbying against this freedom, and we need consumers like you to put the pressure on once again.

E-mail Congress for the freedom to shop for the best deal on your phone AND your phone company.

In Asia, 80 percent of wireless phones are sold outside of a wireless carrier contract. But in the United States, you're either stuck with one company, or your phone is effectively worthless. That's not a free market, that's just un-American.

Sincerely,
Jim Guest

P.S. Know anyone else caught between the phone they want and the company they have? Forward this message so they can weigh in, too!