Boost Mobile offers 5G with capped speeds: Is it worth the money?
5G speeds are just around the corner for Boost customers.
Boost Mobile has finally announced that it will be offering 5G across all its mobile plans from 4 April 2023.
Up until now, it has only offered 5G on its expensive $70 plan and trialling it on others.
When it flips the switch, most of its 4G and 5G plans will have speed caps introduced.
Here's a breakdown of the new speed caps by recharge amount:
| Recharge cost | Expiry period | Download speed up to |
|---|---|---|
| $5–$15 | 7 days | 150Mbps |
| $20–$40 | 28 days | 150Mbps |
| $50 | 28 days | 250Mbps |
| $70 | 28 days | Uncapped |
| $100 | 6 months | 150Mbps |
| $150–$300 | 12 months | 150Mbps |
How do I get 5G network access with Boost?
5G network access will be included as standard on all Boost Mobile services.
However, you will need to have a 5G-compatible mobile phone.
5G coverage will depend on your location but Boost Mobile is the only mobile virtual network operator that has access to the full Telstra network.
Telstra is still rolling out 5G and covers around 80% of Australians.
Boost has told customers the change will not impact their voice or SMS inclusions. We've reached out to Boost to confirm if the same will be true for data inclusions.
What if I'm not recharging until after 4 April?
Existing Boost Mobile customers will be able to take advantage of uncapped 5G and 4G speeds until their next recharge after 4 April 2023.
How will speed caps affect my download speed?
It will really depend on the typical speed you're getting. The caps being introduced are the maximum potential download speed for a particular plan.
You can see how your mobile connection holds up by running a speed test. If you're not seeing speeds above 150Mbps or higher then you likely won't be impacted.
5G speeds are typically faster than NBN.
To put 150Mbps in context, the most popular NBN speed tier, NBN 50 offers a maximum download speed of 50Mbps.
Is a Boost Mobile plan worth it?
For a smaller provider, Boost certainly packs in a lot of value. On top of access to the full Telstra network, Boost offers:
- Unlimited standard national calls and texts.
- Plan management through the Boost Mobile app. You can recharge, check your data and get in touch with customer service all in 1 place.
- Features such as data rollover and international calls and texts to selected countries.
- Boost won the Finder award for Best Prepaid Mobile plan in 2022.
- Keep in mind: If you're on a 28-day expiry plan, you will need to recharge 13 times a year. This might make Boost Mobile slightly more expensive than other providers that offer month-to-month plans.
What does a Boost customer think of the announcement?
"I've been with Boost for a couple of years and love the full Telstra 4G network access without paying Telstra's prices.
"I've noticed other providers tend to put the prices up when they introduce 5G so I think it's great to have 5G added at no cost – the capped speeds don't bother me.
"150Mbps would actually be faster than my internet speed at home."
Looking for a new mobile plan and want faster speeds? Start by comparing 5G options.