It’s a strange world when the figurehead of a Telco actively tells their customers not to buy a product they have, but that’s where we are today with Boost Mobile founder Peter Adderton telling people not to buy his most expensive plan just because it has 5G.
Telstra announced not long ago that their MVNO’s (the smaller brands that use the Telstra network) will be getting access to 5G, but we’re yet to see it – until today. Well, in fact we knew i was coming thanks to Boost customers telling EFTM they had 5G on their phones!
Speaking to Peter Adderton today, he told EFTM that 5G still “doesn’t make sense“, going on to say “Which is why I told everyone not to buy it.”
It appears Telstra has just “enabled” the 5G option for Boost customers, but only those on Boost’s highest value recharge – the $70 for 28 day option. Adderton says “Telstra have this concept – which I don’t agreed with – that 5G demands a premium, and I just totally disagree with that”
So will we see a big 5G logo on Boost’s marketing. No. Mr Adderton is clear “I’m not even going to market that plan, because it’s not worth it.” He says “it’s not a value add for me, I don;t think 5G demands a premium over 4G”
But there’s one part of that that doesn’t gel with me. Adderton is huge into Supercars, they’re all about speed – surely there’s a marketing synergy there? Nope. He says “the benefit is an evolution not a revolution. Extra speeds that will make very little different on your phone.” However, when looking at Boost’s pending moved into Home Broadband, there’s a play to be had “as a replacement to the nbn, that’s where 5G wins, because you don’t need to roll a truck out.“
As for when the other Boost plans will get 5G, regardless of Adderton’s views – he didn’t say or doesn’t know, but expect it to be some time, because Telstra do see it as a premium, so don’t want a Boost $30 plan in the market that offers 5G right now.
In another advance, with Woolworths already offering eSim support, the question of when will Boost get eSIM? Adderton’s answer “we’re very very close, extremely close“.
He added, “its not months, its weeks”
You can hear the full interview with Peter Adderton in next week’s EFTM Podcast
