Americans overwhelmingly buy their smartphones at carrier stores on contract—nearly 70 percent, according to 2025 IDC data—so any growing phone manufacturer must partner up to succeed, rather than rely solely on online retailers like Amazon.
That’s why Fairphone, the only mobile manufacturer in the world with a 10/10 repairability rating for its smartphones, has announced its first carrier partnership with Boost Mobile. Fairphone has sold its smartphones in Europe for more than a decade, but it only began selling its phones in the US this summer.
Boost is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) formerly owned by Sprint and Dish before Dish merged with EchoStar. Unlike carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, MVNOs lease network access and don’t own the underlying infrastructure; Boost primarily relies on AT&T’s network for coverage, though it has some access to T-Mobile. While Americans largely rely on the big three carriers, Counterpoint research director Mohit Agrawal tells WIRED that around 16 percent of US consumers rely on MVNOs, including carrier-owned MVNOs like Mint Mobile and Cricket.
The $650 Fairphone Gen. 6+ is the only cellular device Fairphone sells in the US, and it’s certified to work on T-Mobile’s or AT&T’s networks. With the Boost Mobile partnership, you still can’t directly buy it from Boost’s online storefront or brick-and-mortar stores. Instead, you’ll have to buy the device from Fairphone or Amazon, then activate it through Boost with any of the MVNO’s plans. Fairphone’s website will have Boost plan options at purchase. If you go that route, you’ll receive an eSIM activation email when the phone is delivered.
Rutger Sneep, chief commercial officer at Fairphone, tells WIRED in a text message that this is phase one, a first step in a long-term collaboration, and to expect more news soon on “joint go-to-market plans.” When asked whether Boost will facilitate repairs, since many Americans bring their devices to carrier stores for fixes, Sneep says Americans won’t need to go anywhere to get their phone fixed.
“You can simply and affordably order all spare parts to your doorstep and carry out the repair yourself,” Sneep says. “In the more complex cases, which are also more rare, you only need to send your Fairphone to a repair center. Fortunately, within five years after purchasing your Gen. 6+, you’re also still covered by your warranty.” (You need to register the phone within 90 days to get the full extended warranty.)
The Gen. 6+ comes with a screwdriver, and owners can replace 12 modular elements, from the USB-C port and battery to the screen and cameras. Fairphone sells spare parts on its website, and the components are affordable. For example, a replacement battery is $40, and a new display costs $90. For an iPhone 17, a battery replacement costs $99, and a display repair costs $329.
The Fairphone isn’t just repairable—the company also touts its products as sustainable and promotes fair wages for workers in the supply chain. (It has various independent accreditations, like B Corp certification and a Platinum EcoVadis rating.) These efforts are partly why the Gen. 6+ costs as much as it does; going by specs alone, you can get a competing device for less cash.
The overall smartphone market is declining, according to Counterpoint data, largely because of rising costs stemming from the memory crunch. Shipments declined 19 percent year over year, though smartphone revenue grew 3 percent in the third quarter of 2026 due to higher prices. Yes, phone makers have raised smartphone prices, a broader trend that is affecting all electronics. Fairphone claims it’s in a bright spot, though, with phone sales up 74 percent in the first half of the year and 48 percent growth in the second quarter alone.