Questions about Boost Mobile and Smartphone Cases. (T-Mobile, Verizon, battery)

[Simple Living]

I've never had a smartphone. My first cell phone was an LG VX8300 flip phone from 2006. Great phone. The battery died only two years ago so I left it plugged in to use as a landline phone. Three weeks later, I needed to take it with me and discovered that the battery was restored! A full charge STILL lasts three weeks!

But, my job requires me to send texts. It simply takes too long on a flip phone so I entered the world of smartphones.

For my needs, I chose the 2016 Samsung Galaxy J7. I bought an unlocked phone because I want to switch from Verizon post-paid (expensive) to being a pre-paid user. Boost Mobile seems to have the best pre-paid plans.

BOOST MOBILE QUESTIONS:

1. I tried finding a Boost Mobile Sim Card but can't. Tons of them on eBay but none that work on the J7. Nothing on Amazon. I found them for other carriers, like T-Mobile, but nothing for Boost Mobile. Where can I get one?

2. I did a search for Boost Mobile customer service phone number and got all kinds of sketchy locations... like out of apartments? "XXXX Lyndale Avenue Apt #103..." I remembered a specific store location and called them. He was 100% unfamiliar with an unlocked cell phone and insisted all cell phones come with carriers attached to them and that no cell phones take SIM cards and they don't have them in Boost Mobile stores. What is up with Boost Mobile???? I like their monthly plans but their customer service is freakishly scary and very seriously sketchy, not to mention difficult to get hold of!!!

I'd like to keep my cell phone plan at no more than $50 month, including unlimited talk/text and the most data. I tried T-Mobile on a $40 phone (with a 13,800mAh power battery!) from Amazon but calls kept dropping. Don't know if that was T-Mobile or the $40 phone. All helpful suggestions for the best carrier will be considered!

SMARTPHONE CASE QUESTION:

How can I bulk up my thin smartphone (S.G. J7)? Yes, I want it thicker. I don't like thin. I know some companies make extended battery pack cases that do the trick but the SG J7 is too new. (And probably too mid-priced for them to make them for an SG J7 anyway.) I'm looking for a thick case. I've heard many people refer to these types of cases as "bricks." I may be the only person in the world that likes that and that's fine. But any advice or suggestions here would be really appreciated!

[Peregrine]

Where do you live? (Why should I have to ask that on this forum?)

Is there no actuall Boost Store near you?

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Where do you live? (Why should I have to ask that on this forum?)

Is there no actuall Boost Store near you?

I prefer keeping my personal information off-line. Just my preference. This board is the closest thing to social media that I do. And, if you check, I haven't been on here for years. I was just hoping to get some guidance with my phone situation.

I went into a Boost Store. The same one mentioned above because it's the closest one to me. The guy insisted there was no such thing as an unlocked phone. So, I pulled one out to prove it to him and he looked like I just punched him in the gut.

The called another Boost Store and spoke to a girl. Literally, a girl. She didn't know what a SIM card was. I was standing near a FAX machine and asked her if she had one so I could send her a picture. She asked, "What's a FAX machine?"

I even tried calling Samsung themselves. The guy I spoke to couldn't put a single sentence together without "Uh," "Um," or grunts and wheezes literally every third word. I honestly couldn't make out what he was trying to say.

I tried calling Boost. It was VERY difficult trying to get out of their automated system and to a live person. They don't give any options for that. I tried every single one. I finally got through by sheer luck. I was frustrated, trying to figure out what to do next and had their automated system babbling in my head. After it spoke the final option for buttons to push, I just sat there. About 10-15 seconds later it said, "To speak to a representative, stay on the line."

Got to an agent. Difficult to understand. He said no they don't have SIM cards. I called back and tried another agent. Difficult to understand. She said I had to activate a phone number with Boost FIRST and THEN call them to get a SIM card sent to me 10 days later. How does that make any sense?

Eventually, I caved in and went to Best Buy Mobile. I don't have a car so that was a 30 minute bus ride and a 2 mile walk in the high humidity. The only phones they had were the 2015 model, not the 2016. I gave up at that point and just took the phone, walked back to the bus, in the rain, got home, and realized I couldn't set it up because I didn't have WiFi. Had to wait till the next day to go to a cafe three blocks away and do it.

Boost really does have the best pre-paid plan and that was the most important thing to me. It's a significant savings. I just didn't get an unlocked phone out of the deal. I'm tied to Boost now by my phone. And I didn't get the current model, but a year old one.

And people asked me for YEARS why I didn't have a smartphone...

[moved]

There are plenty of cases for you to choose from on here: Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles, Coupons and More | eBay.

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by moved

There are plenty of cases for you to choose from on here: Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles, Coupons and More | eBay.

Thanks moved. I've been searching everywhere, even eBay. But, when the trend is to go light and thin, my quest to go heavier and thicker makes finding a phone case more difficult.

[moved]

It shouldn't be a problem. Just narrow it down in the search box to the make and model of your phone. You can get a hard plastic case which will make it heavier. I got a hard plastic case for mine, but didn't like it, so I ordered a soft silicone one to replace it.