T-Mobile Uncarrier?

[lupi]

it's not a contract, except it is

http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=fa8b5396-9d9b-4da0-9eb2-fe6135665371&ocid=ansmony11

 

[Owls]

it's not a contract, except it is

http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=fa8b5396-9d9b-4da0-9eb2-fe6135665371&ocid=ansmony11

Good lord are people unable to understand that you are obligated to pay off your phone first before leaving? If anything is a contract it is to pay the balance of your phone in full!

 

[cronos]

Good lord are people unable to understand that you are obligated to pay off your phone first before leaving? If anything is a contract it is to pay the balance of your phone in full!

So we can't pay the phone in installments as per the agreement (over the course of two years) but cancel the plan and use the phone somewhere else (there are now tons of T-Mobile MVNOs)?

I think this is what was addressed by the AG. The original wording of the 'uncarrier' seemed to imply that you can do that.

 

[Owls]

So we can't pay the phone in installments as per the agreement (over the course of two years) but cancel the plan and use the phone somewhere else (there are now tons of T-Mobile MVNOs)?

I think this is what was addressed by the AG. The original wording of the 'uncarrier' seemed to imply that you can do that.

Why would Tmo let you finance the phone for free when not using their service?

 

[cronos]

Why would Tmo let you finance the phone for free when not using their service?

They're the 'uncarrier'. You see what I'm getting at?

 

[Owls]

They're the 'uncarrier'. You see what I'm getting at?

No, I don't. If you expect Tmo to finance your phone for free without using their service then you are on some other planet.

 

[lupi]

No, I don't. If you expect Tmo to finance your phone for free without using their service then you are on some other planet.

you mean, as if you were under a contract?

 

[Owls]

you mean, as if you were under a contract?

Is paying for your phone such a foreign concept? No wonder Verizon and AT&T love you guys.

 

[lupi]

Is paying for your phone such a foreign concept? No wonder Verizon and AT&T love you guys.

sounds like you aren't reading the article all that well.

 

[blairharrington]

Doesn't T-Mobile require you to purchase your phone at full price but over a 2 year period? So don't you end up paying more because you would have gotten the same phone at a subsidized price at another carrier?

 

[Owls]

Doesn't T-Mobile require you to purchase your phone at full price but over a 2 year period? So don't you end up paying more because you would have gotten the same phone at a subsidized price at another carrier?

No because once you pay off your phone your bill drops accordingly

 

[cronos]

No, I don't. If you expect Tmo to finance your phone for free without using their service then you are on some other planet.

I'm not expecting anything. I was just saying that I understood and agreed with the AG's point.

 

[blairharrington]

No because once you pay off your phone your bill drops accordingly

What do you mean by that? You end up paying more for your phone over the 2 year period instead of getting it at a discounted rate from the start.

 

[Owls]

What do you mean by that? You end up paying more for your phone over the 2 year period instead of getting it at a discounted rate from the start.

Paying 200$ for a smartphone when the typical plans cost 80-90 a month that never goes down is cheaper?

Just because you don't see the hidden cost doesn't mean it's cheaper

 

[blairharrington]

Paying 200$ for a smartphone when the typical plans cost 80-90 a month that never goes down is cheaper?

Just because you don't see the hidden cost doesn't mean it's cheaper

What is your point? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but after a 2 year period you actually end up paying more with T-Mobile because you are paying for the full price of the phone versus the subsidized price with another carrier.

 

[dagamer34]

What is your point? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but after a 2 year period you actually end up paying more with T-Mobile because you are paying for the full price of the phone versus the subsidized price with another carrier.

Dear god, this is why the US wireless system is terrible. I will put this in bold for you:

Regardless of the plan, regardless of the terms, one way or another, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE. Doesn't matter if it's up front or through financing or hidden in your plan cost, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE.

I don't know what's worse, the fact that AT&T and Verizon have tricked people into thinking the subsidized price of the phone is the actual cost, or that people think that $500 phones are expensive but ignore paying $100+/month phone bills.

 

[blairharrington]

Dear god, this is why the US wireless system is terrible. I will put this in bold for you:

Regardless of the plan, regardless of the terms, one way or another, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE. Doesn't matter if it's up front or through financing or hidden in your plan cost, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE.

I don't know what's worse, the fact that AT&T and Verizon have tricked people into thinking the subsidized price of the phone is the actual cost, or that people think that $500 phones are expensive but ignore paying $100+/month phone bills.

This is nonsense. The carrier takes a hit up front and makes their money up with monthly plans. Everybody knows this except you apparently. The whole point of the ETF is so that they don't lose money if say you accept a subsidized smartphone and then break your contract early. Put your bold letters away. You're an idiot.

My iPhone 5 bill is $82. That includes state tax and fees. Otherwise it's $75.00. I get 2 GB of data, 1000 texts, and 450 minutes with my monthly plan. Not everybody's smartphone bill is $100 or more. And if you have a good job you most likely have access to a FAN which makes your monthly bill even less.

All T-Mobile is offering is a financed plan, if desired, to pay for your smartphone.

 

[Dulanic]

What is your point? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but after a 2 year period you actually end up paying more with T-Mobile because you are paying for the full price of the phone versus the subsidized price with another carrier.

Did you fail math? Tmobile /w 2.5 gb including monthly payments towards phone is 80 a month and no activation and 149 down towards a s4. This goes down to 60 a month after its paid off.

Verizon is nearly 100 as is att and neither drop after 2 years. Plus they cost more down and have 30+ activation fees.

 

[Dulanic]

This is fucking nonsense. The carrier takes a hit up front and makes their money up with monthly plans. Everybody knows this except you apparently. The whole point of the ETF is so that they don't lose money if say you accept a subsidized smartphone and then break your contract early. Put your bold letters away. You're an idiot.

My iPhone 5 bill is $82. That includes state tax and fees. Otherwise it's $75.00. I get 2 GB of data, 1000 texts, and 450 minutes with my monthly plan. Not everybody's smartphone bill is $100 or more. And if you have a good job you most likely have access to a FAN which makes your monthly bill even less.

All T-Mobile is offering is a financed plan, if desired, to pay for your smartphone.

His point which is valid is that they never stop taking that money once your contact is up. It's a very valid point. If my mother for example only upgrades every 4 years why should she still pay the higher monthly price.

 

[dagamer34]

This is fucking nonsense. The carrier takes a hit up front and makes their money up with monthly plans. Everybody knows this except you apparently. The whole point of the ETF is so that they don't lose money if say you accept a subsidized smartphone and then break your contract early. Put your bold letters away. You're an idiot.

My iPhone 5 bill is $82. That includes state tax and fees. Otherwise it's $75.00. I get 2 GB of data, 1000 texts, and 450 minutes with my monthly plan. Not everybody's smartphone bill is $100 or more. And if you have a good job you most likely have access to a FAN which makes your monthly bill even less.

All T-Mobile is offering is a financed plan, if desired, to pay for your smartphone.

The problem with your scenario is that unless you upgrade your phone as soon as you your carrier lets you (assuming the phone you want has been released), you end up "wasting" ~$20/month on a subsidy which has already been paid off, despite the fact they literally cost a carrier 0 dollars.

Subsidy is usually paid off on month 18. New iPhone comes out every 12 months. Wait 6 months to get the latest iPhone? $120 directly into AT&T's pocket.

What you don't seem to understand is that the carrier makes huuuuge profits between the time you pay off a phone and you get a new one. And this is on top of the profits they get from cell service itself, just look at how text message prices have gone up.

 

[Seven]

I suppose taking a loan on a TV is also a contract.

 

[ImDonly1]

Dear god, this is why the US wireless system is terrible. I will put this in bold for you:

Regardless of the plan, regardless of the terms, one way or another, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE. Doesn't matter if it's up front or through financing or hidden in your plan cost, you are ALWAYS PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THE PHONE.

I don't know what's worse, the fact that AT&T and Verizon have tricked people into thinking the subsidized price of the phone is the actual cost, or that people think that $500 phones are expensive but ignore paying $100+/month phone bills.

I agree with this. Makes me wonder how t-mobile will market these plans when the general public in the US just doesn't understand this concept.

This is fucking nonsense. The carrier takes a hit up front and makes their money up with monthly plans. Everybody knows this except you apparently. The whole point of the ETF is so that they don't lose money if say you accept a subsidized smartphone and then break your contract early. Put your bold letters away. You're an idiot.

My iPhone 5 bill is $82. That includes state tax and fees. Otherwise it's $75.00. I get 2 GB of data, 1000 texts, and 450 minutes with my monthly plan. Not everybody's smartphone bill is $100 or more. And if you have a good job you most likely have access to a FAN which makes your monthly bill even less.

All T-Mobile is offering is a financed plan, if desired, to pay for your smartphone.

I don't even know how to explain it any better to you. The carrier takes a hit? I don't think ATT/VZW are that nice to do that. They are ripping you off and you don't even realize it. Look at how contract plans/cell phone plans work around the world anywhere except the US/Canada and then get back to me.

And $82 is cheap? I don't think you realize most people before smartphones came around paid $30-40 for cell service with minutes/texts. I pay $42/mo on prepaid for unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for an iPhone. How is it you are paying double what I am paying? What does that extra $40 go to? Oh yeah, subsidizing your phone.

 

[blairharrington]

Did you fail math? Tmobile /w 2.5 gb including monthly payments towards phone is 80 a month and no activation and 149 down towards a s4. This goes down to 60 a month after its paid off.

Verizon is nearly 100 as is att and neither drop after 2 years. Plus they cost more down and have 30+ activation fees.

I realize I'm in a better position because I have favorable grandfathered rates. Let's look at a new customer to either AT&T or T-Mobile. Let's take the 16 GB iPhone 5 as an example.

Let's use the 2.5 GB you even quoted.

T-Mobile for 2 years using a 2.5 GB plan unlimited talk and text.

$99 (iPhone 5 price up front) + $400 ($20 a month, 24 months) + $1,440 ($60 monthly plan, 24 months)

(Your monthly bill would be $80.00 a month without taxes and surcharges.)

Total: $1,939.00.

AT&T for a new customer. Same phone.

$199 (iPhone 5) + $936 ($39.99 a month for 450 minutes, free nights and weekends) + $720 ($30 a month for 3 GB) + $480 (Unlimited texts) +$36 (Activation Fee)

(Your monthly bill would be $89.99 a month without tax and surcharges.)

Total: $2,371.00

Difference in price: $432 over 2 years. Or $218 a year.

For $218 a year more you get an established LTE network. I'm not saying the T-Mobile plan is a mistake, it's just not a huge savings per year in such a common scenario.

 

[ImDonly1]

I realize I'm in a better position because I have favorable grandfathered rates. Let's look at a new customer to either AT&T or T-Mobile. Let's take the 16 GB iPhone 5 as an example.

Let's use the 2.5 GB you even quoted.

T-Mobile for 2 years using a 2.5 GB plan unlimited talk and text.

$99 (iPhone 5 price up front) + $400 ($20 a month, 24 months) + $1,440 ($60 monthly plan, 24 months)

(Your monthly bill would be $80.00 a month without taxes and surcharges.)

Total: $1,939.00.

AT&T for a new customer. Same phone.

$199 (iPhone 5) + $936 ($39.99 a month for 450 minutes, free nights and weekends) + $720 ($30 a month for 3 GB) + $480 (Unlimited texts) +$36 (Activation Fee)

(Your monthly bill would be $89.99 a month without tax and surcharges.)

Total: $2,371.00

Difference in price: $432 over 2 years. Or $218 a year.

For $218 a year more you get an established LTE network. I'm not saying the T-Mobile plan is a mistake, it's just not a huge savings per year in such a common scenario.

Maybe you should be comparing prices of ATTs unlimited talk/text plans to T-mobile. The T-mobile plans have unlimited. And what happens when t-mobile finishes their LTE rollout? Your argument won't hold up anymore.

Unlimited talk on ATT is $70/mo, bringing total bill to $120/month for unlimited talk, text, and 3GB of data. Total for 2 years is $3,116 for unlimited talk, text, 3GB of data, $36 activation fee, and $200 for an iPhone.

Difference in price $1,177.

Not to mention lots of people don't upgrade their phones every 3 years. During year 3, the savings would be even more on t-mobile since you won't be paying the $20/mo for the month anymore. ATT, nope still paying the same monthly fee.

 

[blairharrington]

The problem with your scenario is that unless you upgrade your phone as soon as you your carrier lets you (assuming the phone you want has been released), you end up "wasting" ~$20/month on a subsidy which has already been paid off, despite the fact they literally cost a carrier 0 dollars.

Subsidy is usually paid off on month 18. New iPhone comes out every 12 months. Wait 6 months to get the latest iPhone? $120 directly into AT&T's pocket.

What you don't seem to understand is that the carrier makes huuuuge profits between the time you pay off a phone and you get a new one. And this is on top of the profits they get from cell service itself, just look at how text message prices have gone up.

More nonsense.

Text pricing has gone up because consumers have countless ways to side step using a carrier's SMS/MMS methods. (iMessage, WhatsApp, etc.)

Carriers make a profit soon after you start paying your monthly bill. Like I said before, they take the hit up front but are protected by the ETF. The numbers you are throwing out make no sense. It's as simple as this. AT&T for example pays Apple more for each iPhone then you the consumer pay to purchase it from AT&T on contract. Soon after they make their money and then some off you from the monthly service they provide. End of story. With T-Mobile all you are doing is paying off a phone over a 2 year period. And in that scenario you are actually paying more for your phone in the long run.