Boost, Helio tweak plans: ‘Unlimited’ is the keyword

Sprint Nextel Corp.’s subsidiary Boost Mobile and mobile virtual network operator Helio L.L.C. tweaked their unlimited voice, data and messaging plans.
Boost Mobile introduced a new $1 per day voice plan for pay-as-you-go customers, which includes unlimited nights, unlimited mobile-to-mobile and a daytime rate of 10 cents per minute. Unlimited Boost Walkie-Talkie can also be added on for $1 each day.
The company also cut its monthly 600-minute plan to $60 from $70.
Meanwhile, Helio, which recently saw its founder leave his CEO post to become chairman, slashed its monthly unlimited plan from $145 to $99. The plan includes unlimited nights, mobile-to-mobile, messaging, data and GPS services. Helio said the new $99 unlimited plan is a limited-time offer.
Sprint Nextel offered one of the industry’s first unlimited plan from a national carrier almost a year ago as a trial offering in San Francisco. The No. 3 carrier expanded the offering to Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Tampa, Fla. in May 2007. The plan includes unlimited voice calling, text messaging, data, e-mail and picture messaging for $120 per month.
Sprint Nextel said it’s trying to gauge consumer interest in unlimited plans by selecting key markets in which to test the offering.
“The way we choose the markets for those is generally based on the usage we’re seeing in those markets,” a spokeswoman said.