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T-Mobile, the only major U.S. cellular carrier to not sell the iPhone, will begin carrying the device on April 12th. The carrier will sell the phone under its new 'Uncarrier' policies as T-Mobile attempts to differentiate itself from other cellular networks with new 'customer-friendly' rate plans.
New iPhone customers will be able to purchase the 16GB iPhone 5 for $100 down, plus 24 monthly payments of $20. After the payments are finished, customers will see their monthly bills drop. On traditional subsidized plans from AT&T or Verizon, users pay $199 up front, and then see a subsidy payment invisibly built into their monthly plans. However, if the customer goes longer than two years without purchasing a new phone, the carrier continues to collect subsidy repayments as pure profit.
"This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can’t stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA. "We feel their pain. I’ve felt the pain. So we’re rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience — on an extremely powerful network."
Notably, T-Mobile says it will be the only U.S. carrier to support the 'Wideband Audio' feature of the iPhone 5, calling it 'HD Voice'.
T-Mobile is also offering the iPhone 4S for $70 down and $20 per month for 24 months, and the iPhone 4 for $15 down and $15 per month for 24 months.
The carrier will charge a base rate of $50 per month for unlimited talk, text and 3G data, plus 500MB of 4G data. Customers can add 2GB of 4G data for $10/month per line, or $20/month for unlimited 4G. Additional lines have a base rate of $30/month for the first, and $10/month for each additional. The company officially rolled out 4G LTE service today in Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose, Calif.; and Washington, D.C.
Customers can pre-order the iPhone 5 beginning April 5.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)This question has been lingering for a while.
Sign up with the payment plan, cancel 1 month later. obviously T-Mobile would expect you to either return the phone, or pay the full unsubsidized value (reduced by the amount already paid) of the device.
Isn't that a "contract" ?
It is, but it is separate from the service. Once the phone is paid for, you don't have that part of the payment anymore. With other companies your bill doesn't go down once the phone subsidy is paid off.
Let's see... $20/month (iPhone) + $50/month (base rate) + $20/month (unlimited data) = $90/month for one line.
I pay $100 for Verizon and 2GB of Data. I would rather pay $10 more a month for a far more grown out LTE network that Verizon offers.
You are comparing cost of Unlimited Data to Limited Data on Verizon at a higher cost and you still want Verizon... :confused::confused::confused::confused:
Awesome
Let's see... $20/month (iPhone) + $50/month (base rate) + $20/month (unlimited data) = $90/month for one line.
Except you don't have to pay the extra "$20/month (unlimited data)" because the base plan includes unlimited 3G data and 500mb of 4G (Im guessing LTE) data, that "$20/month (unlimited data)" is for 4G data, sure, it may be a must have for you but if you don't need it or want parents to have smart phones and know they'll never use it then it would just be the $70, until you've paid off the phone or if you bring your own phone then its $50.I pay $100 for Verizon and 2GB of Data. I would rather pay $10 more a month for a far more grown out LTE network that Verizon offers.
Family plan with 5 phones, just using the base 3G data is $110/mo as long as you already own the phones.
Does this include tethering?
I LOVE the fact that after you've paid the subsidy, YOU JUST PAY FOR SERVICE! I told the AT&T guy that I've been a customer 2 years, my subsidy was paid and that I wanted to see my rate drop. He just laughed.
Here in Central Florida T-Mobile is great. Will visual voicemail and all the other features work now?
And How much for a 32GB iPhone 5?
Yes but you need to pay $20/month for the iPhone as well so it costs $90/month until your iPhone is payed off, then it's $70/month.
You're missing a key point. So it's $100 down, then you pay $50 a month for unlimited text, talk, and 3G data, plus 500mb of 4G data. Plus you have to pay $20 a month for the phone itself. So it is only $70 a month. Where are you getting $90 a month?:confused: