Flashed Phones and Boost

[Slickyy]

Most people on this forum that come past this are going to know this, but for those who don't, be careful about purchasing used phones from non-authorized Boost Dealers.

Had the experience today of trying to help someone who had a flashed phone, and can no longer use it, nor use that phone number because he was flagged.

 

[kolosus]

Thanks for the heads up. Why was he flagged? Did he call Boost and tell them that he had a flashed phone?

Phone flashing is going the way of the dinosaur, slowly but surely. Used to be that Boost didn't have any fancy phones. They were the domain of contract carriers. So you'd get a contract phone and flash it use it on Boost. But given that Boost is now carrying some pretty snazzy phones flashing is becoming a dying art.

I've declined to flash many phones for many people. One because I dont want the headache. Two because it is just too much work for not that much more gain.

You can get a bad esn Galaxy Sii for roughly $100, good condition. You'll pay someone to flash it for you, that can run anywhere from $50 to $80 or more. You'll have to find a good donor, another $20. You'll have to put up with the fact that you wont get voicemail notifications, your MMS might be wonky at times. You wont get 4g even if you live in a 4g covered area. You might save $5 a month if you're lucky enough to get a Incognito donor instead of a Prevail donor or some such.

The alternative is that you pay $250 to Boost directly, or if you hurry $200 on sale as I write this, and everything thing works out of the box. You also get a 1 year warranty. If something should go wrong you'll be able to send it back and get it fixed/replaced. Plus you'll get 4g if you're in a 4g area.

How much is your peace of mind worth?

 

[Slickyy]

Pretty much what had happened is that he wanted to change his phone number because someone had been harassing him. With Boost Mobile, you can call 611, and the first time you change your number it is free. However because of how the system is setup, the internal system reads your DEC (MEID) as an actual Boost Phone that is in the system. That DEC is then "flashed" to the phone you want to use on Boost.

So when he called into Boost to have it changed, the signal for a number change went to a completely different phone with a completely different MSL code from the actual phone he had. The rep told him that all he had to do was restart his phone and it would automatically be changed. However because it was a flashed phone this did not happen, so he called 611 and explained the situation. When they asked him to read the DEC from the back of his phone, it did not match the DEC in the system, so the number change would not work. The rep explained everything to him.

I talked to him a little bit later and he called Boost again to figure out what he could do and they didn't flag him because he explained the situation. He was unaware of what "flashing" even is, and that the store he got the phone from did not notify him of this. They just sold him a nice EVO 4G from Sprint, put it on Boost, and gave him a lower bill than usual.

As for the store he got it from, it was an unauthorized store. It was a "Wireless" shop in Tennessee and to his knowledge they closed down a while back. He got the phone from them in late 2010, or early 2011.

 

[tube517]

Thanks for the heads up. Why was he flagged? Did he call Boost and tell them that he had a flashed phone?

Phone flashing is going the way of the dinosaur, slowly but surely. Used to be that Boost didn't have any fancy phones. They were the domain of contract carriers. So you'd get a contract phone and flash it use it on Boost. But given that Boost is now carrying some pretty snazzy phones flashing is becoming a dying art.

I've declined to flash many phones for many people. One because I dont want the headache. Two because it is just too much work for not that much more gain.

You can get a bad esn Galaxy Sii for roughly $100, good condition. You'll pay someone to flash it for you, that can run anywhere from $50 to $80 or more. You'll have to find a good donor, another $20. You'll have to put up with the fact that you wont get voicemail notifications, your MMS might be wonky at times. You wont get 4g even if you live in a 4g covered area. You might save $5 a month if you're lucky enough to get a Incognito donor instead of a Prevail donor or some such.

The alternative is that you pay $250 to Boost directly, or if you hurry $200 on sale as I write this, and everything thing works out of the box. You also get a 1 year warranty. If something should go wrong you'll be able to send it back and get it fixed/replaced. Plus you'll get 4g if you're in a 4g area.

How much is your peace of mind worth?

I agree 110%. Once Boost (and other ppd companies) started releasing 4G phones and higher quality smartphones, the reason to flash was slowly becoming a less desirable "solution". It's just not worth the time or headache anymore.

 

[Slickyy]

Since Sprint is launching more and more 4G LTE markets, and plan to have more LTE phones available (which we're seeing more and more, also with lower prices, proof with the LG Mach) there is no reason to flash a phone over to Boost anymore. Unless you're on a very low budget, have a phone that can be used, and you know how to do it yourself.

 

[wcsc12]

I will agree that as a business, phone flashing isn't really needed for Boost anymore but from a personal level, it's still pretty decent. Boost is getting flashy phones and that's great but if you look at their specs vs the newer phones on the market, they aren't quite there. They are more middle range. Personally, I love the high range phones and they aren't on Boost yet and won't be for at least a year or two. I mean, I've had an S III on Boost since 3 months after the phone was launched. Although, because I used an Incognito as a donor, I don't have LTE. That being said, now with Boost having LTE phones, it opens up even more possibilities for flashing.

 

[kolosus]

I've had a flashed phone for quite some time too. I have a Prevail donor. I'm grandfathred into the $35 price. I'm not going to be changing donors anytime soon. I dont have 4g or 4g LTE at my location regardless. Once I have 4g perhaps I'll change to an actual phone but in the mean time the Prevail donor is doing me fine. I dont have a fancy phone though... I have a Evo 4g. I used to have a Galaxy Sii but got tired of it... wasn't as dependable as the Evo. Battery problems, random shutoffs. I went back to the Evo. Good phone.

I am on the look out for some other phone within a reasonable price, like a Galaxy Siii or a Note but till I find something I'll stick to this phone. Oh, and I flash my own phones and I have a legit copy of CDMA ws. So flashing a phone from LG is also an option...