T-Mobile's new contract-free pricing plans are live

[Poke]

No contracts but watch the catch.


http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/24/4142082/t-mobiles-new-contract-free-pricing-plans-are-live

 

[JerseyMatt]

Its a total scam. Aside from whatever crappy overpriced tier you choose, they tack on $20-40 a month as basically a "rent to own" contract on the phone. If you cancel before 22 months you either have to return the phone (with no refund) or pay the balance. They want you to think its no contract but they're still screwing you for two years.

 

[John Kotches]

Its a total scam. Aside from whatever crappy overpriced tier you choose, they tack on $20-40 a month as basically a "rent to own" contract on the phone. If you cancel before 22 months you either have to return the phone (with no refund) or pay the balance. They want you to think its no contract but they're still screwing you for two years.

Why is being honest about the cost to finance a phone "screwing you for two years" and a "total scam"? You don't have to pay it, you can buy it outright at the full price. Other carriers won't lower your monthly price after the phone subsidy period ends, TMobile will.

I fail to understand your hostility. Please elaborate.

 

[truckracer]

I would say he has been burned by a wireless provider. It happens occasionally. Sometimes the customer fails to understand the agreement and sometimes the company fails to understand the agreement. I have had a couple of crazy experiences with AT&T while I was under contract. I will never do contracts again with any provider. I use Virgin Mobile cell service (prepaid) with a galaxy S2 4G phone. 45.00 per month. Works great and the data is fast. NO CONTRACT.

I will not do contracts with pizza dish satellite companies either. Anytime somebody makes you a contract that is printed on a legal sheet front and back that has print so small it takes an electron microscope to read it, they are hiding something.

 

[JerseyMatt]

First of all they aren't honest about it. They make no mention anywhere except the fine print. And that's besides the fact that they've been lying about having 4g for years. HSPDA is NOT 4g

Second, you are buying the phone outright anyway. When the rent to own is up, the plan price drops into line with everyone else. Its not like they are undercutting anyone's rates.

You can buy any phone outright on any provider without a contract. That holds true whether you pay up front and do month to month or you cancel early and pay an etf. It all works out to the same amount.

 

[raoul5788]

First of all they aren't honest about it. They make no mention anywhere except the fine print. And that's besides the fact that they've been lying about having 4g for years. HSPDA is NOT 4g

Second, you are buying the phone outright anyway. When the rent to own is up, the plan price drops into line with everyone else. Its not like they are undercutting anyone's rates.

You can buy any phone outright on any provider without a contract. That holds true whether you pay up front and do month to month or you cancel early and pay an etf. It all works out to the same amount.

I haven't read anywhere that they claim to have 4G. Can you show me where? Also, I didn't get the impression that they saved anyone money over other providers, only that they have a plan with no commitment.

 

[JerseyMatt]

Lol watch any of their commercials for the 4g claim.. And the claim of "undercutting" is in the article in the OP - as well as claimed by John Kotches above "Other companies won't lower your monthly bill after the phone subsidy ends. T-Mobile will"

 

[John Kotches]

JerseyMatt:

Strictly speaking, neither LTE nor HSPDA+ was 4G until the ITU changed their definitions. LTE-Advanced was/is/always will be. ITU changed definitions which allowed both LTE and HSPDA+ to qualify.

Your rate goes down at the end of the subsidy. If you should have a phone for 3 years, you get 1 year subsidy free with a lowered bill. When your subsidy ends on another carrier, your bill stays the same.

Yes, you can buy any phone outright on any provider, but T-Mobile is the only one that will result in a lower bill if you do so.

I don't have T-Mobile as a carrier, so I don't have a vested interest in them.

 

[mike123abc]

Well now they have LTE in 9 cities and are building out more.

If you for example get a used phone you could save some money. $50 is not bad for unlimited voice/text/500MB or $20 more for unlimited data. If they finish building out enough LTE they could be very competitive.

 

[JerseyMatt]

You need to stop trolling me because you're going to look really stupid.

First of all T-Mobile is HSDPA, not plus. It is "enhanced 3g" or "3.5g". They have been claiming to have 4g for at least two years.

Second, you are NOT paying less "after the subsidy ends". There is no subsidy, you are paying FULL PRICE for the phone. On top of that, their "contract free" plan tiers are right on par with everyone else. So after two years are up, you are saving NOTHING because your bill goes down to what everyone else pays. The difference is you paid FULL BOAT for your phone, when everyone else on other carriers only paid the subsidized price. In case you missed it, you DO pay the "subsidized" price up front with this scam.. So if you want a Note 2, it costs you $280 up front plus $20 a month for 2 years for the "rent to own".

There really is a sucker born every minute.

 

[truckracer]

I always buy my phones used on eBay. Activate them through the provider on a month to month basis. Last iPhone 4S I had on AT&T, I got a nice mint condition white one used for 385.00. Went to AT&T , they gave me a SIM card and a number.

 

[JerseyMatt]

Well now they have LTE in 9 cities and are building out more.

If you for example get a used phone you could save some money. $50 is not bad for unlimited voice/text/500MB or $20 more for unlimited data. If they finish building out enough LTE they could be very competitive.

I don't think its their own LTE, I believe they are leasing tower space from AT&T.

 

[JamesJ]

lets make sure we keep this on point guys and not throw dirt or names at one another, please, thanks!

 

[John Kotches]

You need to stop trolling me because you're going to look really stupid.

First of all T-Mobile is HSDPA, not plus. It is "enhanced 3g" or "3.5g". They have been claiming to have 4g for at least two years.

Android Central listed 142 Markets for T-Mobile with HSPA+ 42Mbit/second as of November 2012. This is by ITU standards 4G.
Here's the AC link.

Wikipedia shows a population of 30 million covered with HSPA+ 42 Mbits/second as far back as Mid 2010. That number could represent a mere handful of highly populated markets. I have not researched what markets were active that far back. So you can see where I'm pulling the data from, here's the wikipedia link.

Second, you are NOT paying less "after the subsidy ends". There is no subsidy, you are paying FULL PRICE for the phone. On top of that, their "contract free" plan tiers are right on par with everyone else. So after two years are up, you are saving NOTHING because your bill goes down to what everyone else pays. The difference is you paid FULL BOAT for your phone, when everyone else on other carriers only paid the subsidized price. In case you missed it, you DO pay the "subsidized" price up front with this scam.. So if you want a Note 2, it costs you $280 up front plus $20 a month for 2 years for the "rent to own".

280 + 480 is $760. That's slightly more than buying it outright, which is to be expected since the carrier is footing some of the upfront costs for the handset. Buy it outright for X or pay a higher monthly bill for a lower initial out of pocket. The difference is that the bill will go down after 2 years with T-Mobile and it wouldn't with other carriers.

Whether this amount is more or less than other carriers is subject to change over time. Right now, it's more to subsidize, about the same without. How that will compare in 6 months or a year is unknown. Also unknown is what impact if any this will have on their standing in the marketplace.

 

[truckracer]

"42 mb/s"....I have never seen a speed like that on any mobile broadband.

 

[Kb Cool]

I heard the commercials on the radio that say "get a galaxy s3 for $99 down!" like it's a car or something!!!lol

 

[John Kotches]

"42 mb/s"....I have never seen a speed like that on any mobile broadband.

That is the maximum the technology is capable of. You'll find that LTE as currently implemented is roughly the same maximum. LTE-Advanced is capable of > 100 mbits/second.

Capable of and delivering on a loaded network are different matters. This is true for any technology and is not unique here.





Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2.x

 

[Rey]

lets make sure we keep this on point guys and not throw dirt or names at one another, please, thanks!

This ^^^^. In addition if a thread is of no interest to you please move on.Thanks everyone.

 

[raoul5788]

You need to stop trolling me because you're going to look really stupid.

First of all T-Mobile is HSDPA, not plus. It is "enhanced 3g" or "3.5g". They have been claiming to have 4g for at least two years.

Second, you are NOT paying less "after the subsidy ends". There is no subsidy, you are paying FULL PRICE for the phone. On top of that, their "contract free" plan tiers are right on par with everyone else. So after two years are up, you are saving NOTHING because your bill goes down to what everyone else pays. The difference is you paid FULL BOAT for your phone, when everyone else on other carriers only paid the subsidized price. In case you missed it, you DO pay the "subsidized" price up front with this scam.. So if you want a Note 2, it costs you $280 up front plus $20 a month for 2 years for the "rent to own".

There really is a sucker born every minute.

Quite a bit of T-Mobile is HSPA+, which is 4G.