The saga of migrating to a new phone for an existing Boost customer

General
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Just bought a new Moto G 2025 (eSIM) from the Boost store for my significant other for Christmas to replace her 2022 Moto G Power (SIM card). I wanted to document some Lessons learned/frustrations, and kudos.

TL;DR Power the new one up, ad follow the prompts on the new phone and the old phone (as needed); let the process and data migration complete, and just use Boost Config to activate the eSim on the new phone.

Background: we are long-time legacy Republic customers who were migrated to Dish and then Boost. We are still with Boost – we like the AT&T coverage, the discount as former Republic customers, and more monthly data than we’ll ever need.

Lessons learned/frustrations:

(1) I should have done more homework to learn the process better for migrating to a new phone. I didn’t expect it to turn into the cluster it did. Boost Mobile definitely caters to new customers; there is almost nothing documented for existing customers about the actual procedure for cutting over, which is quite simple, but… who knew? Yes, I should have posted a request for help here on rwusers.

(2) Boost tech support. I don’t think they were listening to my request to just get info on the process to migrate an existing customer to a new phone. Oh let’s verify who you are. Oh you don’t have 2FA set up (who knew???). Let me transfer you to our team to verify your identity. Then it turned into a hot mess, where they wanted me to take a pic of my driver’s license and upload it. Tried several times, their system didn’t like my ID. They also wanted to confirm my IMEI, but it didn’t match their records (I think maybe I had the wrong phone? See #6 below). Then - we are going to transfer you to another department to assist. Please hold on the line. They hung up on me.

(3) Boost config. While her new phone was sync’ing her data and apps and settings from the old Moto, I waited until the Boost Config app was online, then was able to follow a rather simple process to set up the eSim on the new phone. A few minutes later, the new phone was working, the old one de-registered the old SIM, and shortly after, all the data and apps from the old phone were available on the new one.

(4) Before the Boost Config app install was completed, I had called Boost again while the sync was taking place to try to get the process started again, and set it up for a call back. The call back came right after I figured out the Boost Config app, and the eSim started working, much to my surprise. I asked them to close the ticket. Before the call ended, they confirmed that the new IMEI was registered and working. I was able to call out, call in, and everything else seemed to be working fine.

(5) Sometime overnight, I got an email from Boost tech support. Subject: “Sorry, we couldn’t unlock your phone. Call Customer Care.”

(6) some of the frustration was that I had in front of me my Moto, her old Moto, her new Moto, and my laptop. There were texts sent to either my Moto, her old Moto, or my laptop (Google Messages) which may have complicated things for this old brain to keep straight.

Kudos:

I was using Google Gemini to help with some of the steps and processes to make sure her data all ended up on the new phone. Particularly for Viber - which our extended family uses to share cute grandkid and dog pics, family news, Gen Alpha “67” videos, that kind of thing… I had mentioned to Gemini about this forum made up of former Republic customers. Gemini’s comment: “The forum you’re thinking of is almost certainly rwusers.com. It was started by Southpaw (the legendary former Republic community manager) as a “safe landing” after the original Republic forums were shut down in 2022.”

Sorry this got so wordy; thanks for reading. I hope it helps someone; at least it let me blow off some steam.

Bill H (Herbie)

7 Likes
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Uggh, thanks for this heads up. Also have a Moto G 2022 Power still going strong though stayed on w/Boost just for the RW discount until battery goes. Not concerned about updates as this phone lightly used. How do you like the 2025 Moto G? Did you get a deal buying phone from Boost and sticking w/their plan? As I may recall, once I get a new phone the RW discount ends? I’ll likely leave Boost am considering buying a phone from different source then just starting with a new company rather than convert to boost though thanks for these instructions should I stay.

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If my faulty memory hasn’t totally failed me yet, I do recall seeing a comment about the RW discount ending, and someone responded to say that it isn’t true. The only way I could see that happening is if someone gets a higher end phone with a special “deal” - but which requires them to sign up for the higher end $60/mo. plan.

Stay tuned. I’ll update when I get my next bill if the discount changes.

And to your question about how we like the new G 2025. My wife is very happy with it. We were both nervous about the changeover. She - because she doesn’t like change. And me - because I am the one who would do the cut-over to the new phone and have to deal with the headaches. And in spite of the minor burp (in my original post), I’m very happy with how it all went. I can’t speak to how flawlessly it works with going from a Moto to a different brand phone (or BYOD), but Moto to Moto (including SIM card to an e-SIM) went very well.

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Hi guys!

I also stayed with the plan, but did not opt into a new phone at that time. Earlier this summer I decided I needed a new phone due to problems with my old phone. I switched from an old Moto G Power to a Samsung that I bought on sale at Best Buy unlocked. So all I did was swap the physical sim. I never interacted with Boost. My monthly cost has been the same since then. Boost has a bit of info on the process for you on it’s website somewhere if you search BYOD. That way you don’t need to speak with them.

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My only concern is the new Pixel 10 phones only use ESIMs now, no more physical SIM port.

Boost Mobile says with their android app it is easy to migrate to the ESIM from a physical one, but I have not tried it yet. I am also hoping we still keep the $12 a month discount which is nice. I did notice that my bill went up $1.98 this month for my two phones due to a Telecom surcharge fee increase.

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Bestwire, thanks. Good to know you were able to BYOD, transfer without speaking to them :joy: , AND keep the RW discount. Though when it’s time here for new phone, IF I consider keeping Boost after evaluating other options, it would hinge on keeping RW discount. Therefore, I’d plan on speaking with them and wanting assurance of my rate in writing. Have trust issues after past dealings. Will see, a move may be in our future so would have to see about best coverage as well.

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On 2nd Moto phone and satisfied. Liked simplicity and seem to not come with as much junk so will definitely consider Moto G power again. Light user with few apps. In fact, recently with old group friends, all Iphone snobs :wink: who seemed shocked that I don’t own one. Later, when sharing pics, I feel mine were sharper than theirs.