Oh Crap - Amazon as a Carrier

[Deleted User]

https://www.xda-developers.com/sprint-tmobile-merger/

Granted this is only speculation and nothing has officially happened yet, but I don't know whether to be excited or scared if this whole ordeal gets approved and it goes through

Considering how huge they already are, they'd probably offer even cheaper cell service than Boost under Sprint could. I wonder if they'd leave Boost as is or try to convert it into some Amazon carrier. Hell, maybe they'd give further discounts to Prime users, how cool would that be. Maybe they'd expand it to more bands too, since Boost wouldn't be stuck as an MVNO under Sprint anymore, it would be "its own thing" now. This has some serious potential to be both cheaper and better service wise. You Boost Bois might really have something to look forward to

Of course, you guys probably know me by now and that's not what I'm concerned with. Assuming Amazon actually takes over Boost and turns it into "their own thing" this could spell disaster for Boost Motorolas, one of the modding community's best kept secrets. Amazon already has their own line of smartphones they sell subsidized through their site. Would this mean the ad-riddled Prime Phones would get locked down network-wise to whatever Boost would become? Imagine not only having your brand new G7 locked down to Boost, but being forced to have ads and even more bloat plastered all over the thing. "No problem, I'll just use the patent pending @bcrichster workaround to get myself some custom ROMs and unlock the network", you think to yourself. About that... Prime Phones are locked down bootloader wise and offer absolutely no way to unlock it, period. A lot of people found this out the hard way when Amazon first did this to the Moto G4 (with the exception of a few people who got their phones shipped to them so early that they sent them through Moto's unlocking program before Amazon had a chance to tell Moto to not allow them to do it). This has long since been patched though. Unless a major software exploit is found deep in Motorola's code, you're SOL. Thankfully his patent pending workaround also works on Sprint Motorolas, so let's hope Sprint stays the way they are so it's not totally obsolete

...But wait, along with this Boost deal Sprint would be becoming T-Mobile. If they transition to Tmobile's GSM network rather than Sprint's CDMA, that could severely limit the usefulness of a "bootleg unlocked Sprint Moto" since Sprint/TMO would have no need for CDMA band support in their Moto variants. If this goes through, the chances seem high that modders are very much screwed

Let's hear some thoughts, maybe there's something I missed

 

[bcrichster]

I think if Amazon got Boost Mobile, it'd be for just the patents and bandwidth.. Expecting the Carrier service would possibly get buried and Amazon would profit as it delegates the new bandwidth to its new Amazon products.. And I love Amazon as a product delivery service, been using it as much as Walmart and certainly MORE than an auto parts store. Heck, I was in Advance Auto yesterday (No BS) really upset about the fact they removed the $2 tiny packs of stuff from the counters (where they have other small packs of stuff like hose lube and dielectric grease) and forced me to buy a way oversized $10 pk of what I needed, knowing I wasn't ever gonna need but 1/10 of that $10 product.. Meaning I wasted $8 for absolutely nothing, I told Auto store "you guys know you're going down right? As a company.. Amazon has everything, rarely missing availability of a needed product and with Prime, everything is there either next day or in 2 days but @ like HALF the price.." LOL. Dude was honest, cool, and I walked out with an overpriced product of a much larger quantity than I wanted since it was an issue of time to get the project completed.. Amazon has a wonderful service in many ways but they'd probably bury Boost Mobile as a Carrier and the rest of us would be screwed. I'm in the hopeful mindset that the original CEO gets Boost back because every other entity looking to purchase the Carrier are well known for bootloader Lockdowns and that'd spell a closer end to devices we can ROM, Root, & develop with. My only worry is who I'd jump to after 17+yrs of Great cell service

 

[Unforgiven]

I think they would integrate their IOT devices and expand the functionality. Ring, Kindle book delivery, alexa everywhere (Including integrated into my wife's Lexus). I could see them doing a line of phones and service via prime, but I agree with @jasonmerc it will be locked down tight.

As far as T-Mo (Mint Mobile MVNA), I just switched from an unlocked Moto X4 (I almost went through Prime until I realized about the boot loader) to an unlocked Pixel 3a. Coverage and speed is great. I pay $20 / month for unlimited everything with 8GB high speed, so Amazon would have to amaze me to get me to switch.

 

[Deleted User]

I think they would integrate their IOT devices and expand the functionality. Ring, Kindle book delivery, alexa everywhere (Including integrated into my wife's Lexus). I could see them doing a line of phones and service via prime, but I agree with @jasonmerc it will be locked down tight.

As far as T-Mo (Mint Mobile MVNA), I just switched from an unlocked Moto X4 (I almost went through Prime until I realized about the boot loader) to an unlocked Pixel 3a. Coverage and speed is great. I pay $20 / month for unlimited everything with 8GB high speed, so Amazon would have to amaze me to get me to switch.

I didn't even think of IoT. I guarantee you they're gonna make an Alexa that you can "take with you" now. Or even worse, she's in the dashboard and you can't take her out. Now not only will she spy on you in your house but in your car too! Better make your VTEC really loud so she can't hear...

 

[Unforgiven]

they're gonna make an Alexa that you can "take with you" now. Or even worse, she's in the dashboard and you can't take her out. Now not only will she spy on you in your house but in your car too!

It is already in my wife's Lexus infotainment system.

 

[bcrichster]

Lol.. I'd probably fill the mic hole with epoxy or something but yeah, I think the spectrum would go to their IOT stuff. Bezos is/was one of the richest ppl in existence so I'm a bit worried for Boost Mobile's existence as a Carrier if it goes that direction. The best option for Boost (I feel) would be Mr. Adderton getting it back because we've spoken with each other in the past and he knows that our Custom Android Development helps sell phones, increasing demand and consequently Profit. He actually seem like he'll continue to support us.

 

[Deleted User]

Lol.. I'd probably fill the mic hole with epoxy or something but yeah, I think the spectrum would go to their IOT stuff. Bezos is/was one of the richest ppl in existence so I'm a bit worried for Boost Mobile's existence as a Carrier if it goes that direction. The best option for Boost (I feel) would be Mr. Adderton getting it back because we've spoken with each other in the past and he knows that our Custom Android Development helps sell phones, increasing demand and consequently Profit. He actually seem like he'll continue to support us.

An entire carrier that supports development. That would be the dream. Used to be T-Mobile but they've skimped recently

 

[svim]

I think if Amazon or any other corporation buys Boost that it's pretty much irrelevant, all the media flurry on this is just a diversion to keep the real discussion of all the problems directly tied to the conglomeration of America's online access. We're reaching a point where only a handful of different carriers and ISPs have all the control, only a few steps away from a complete monopoly. At that point, it won't be a matter of pricing as a competitive measure, there won't be any competition to speak of.