T-Mobile: Finally made the jump...

[21stNow]

Think you missed my point. We didn't have a choice if we wanted a smartphone. Now we do.

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The only new thing that T-Mobile is doing is marketing and paying ETFs for customers to switch. These plans have been on T-Mobile for at least four years. I came over to T-Mobile toward the end of 2010 and the Even More Plus plan was not new then. Four years is enough time for people who were on contracts with other carriers to let them expire and to switch to T-Mobile if they wanted a lower price for service if they brought their own device or paid full price at T-Mobile.

T-Mobile also allowed smartphone users to not have a data plan if they brought their own device in the past. This is something that I see many people complain about on Verizon Wireless and AT&T, but they weren't willing to move to T-Mobile to get away from the requirement.

People have had a choice for a while. It took T-Mobile's marketing to make them consider making a switch.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

The only new thing that T-Mobile is doing is marketing

Exactly. Me switching would have no effect because no one else would make the switch since no one else knew how much cheaper T-Mobile is. Now that they are doing aggressive marketing my switch will be among many who are tired of paying their carrier's ridiculously high prices.

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[dkhmwilliams]

Exactly. Me switching would have no effect because no one else would make the switch since no one else knew how much cheaper T-Mobile is. Now that they are doing aggressive marketing my switch will be among many who are tired of paying their carrier's ridiculously high prices.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Everyone keeps saying that they are a lot cheaper, but when doing the math, I'm not coming out that way. Maybe I'm missing something. Currrently, I have five lines with AT&T, this includes four phones and one iPad. I have 10 GBs of data that we share. My last bill, with a 17 percent corporate discount was $320. Doing the math with T-Mobile, with 5 lines and installment plans for each device it comes to:

First phone = unlimited everything $70 + $25 installment + $10 insurance (which I was told was mandatory)
Second phone = unlimited everything $50 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Third phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Fourth phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Tablet = data $15 + $25 installment + $10 insurance

This totals $365 before taxes. I don't get a corporate discount with T-Mobile and it also is considering that I paid for the phones that I now have at the subsidized pricing, which I wouldn't be paying up front (other than paying the taxes on the five devices). I will also be getting unlimited data too with T-Mobile, but we don't use our 10 GB now. When I saw the advertisement on tv I really was intrigued by it, but it doesn't seem to be that great of a deal. Anybody see any flaws in my logic?


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[gidgiddonihah]

Everyone keeps saying that they are a lot cheaper, but when doing the math, I'm not coming out that way. Maybe I'm missing something. Currrently, I have five lines with AT&T, this includes four phones and one iPad. I have 10 GBs of data that we share. My last bill, with a 17 percent corporate discount was $320. Doing the math with T-Mobile, with 5 lines and installment plans for each device it comes to:

First phone = unlimited everything $70 + $25 installment + $10 insurance (which I was told was mandatory)
Second phone = unlimited everything $50 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Third phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Fourth phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Tablet = data $15 + $25 installment + $10 insurance

This totals $365 before taxes. I don't get a corporate discount with T-Mobile and it also is considering that I paid for the phones that I now have at the subsidized pricing, which I wouldn't be paying up front (other than paying the taxes on the five devices). I will also be getting unlimited data too with T-Mobile, but we don't use our 10 GB now. When I saw the advertisement on tv I really was intrigued by it, but it doesn't seem to be that great of a deal. Anybody see any flaws in my logic?


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There is their 30$ plan. They also have an option for real unlimited plus no overage charges on data for any plan (biggie for me)... And if you aren't having them pay for your ETF there is no way they are mandating you to have insurance. That's got to be poppycock. Also don't buy a phone from them. Get one from the Play Store or an unlocked GSM model on Amazon. Same price, but allows you to move from T-Mobile to AT&T if you ever want the option. The Nexus 5 is also much cheaper on the Play Store.

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[dkhmwilliams]

There is their 30$ plan. They also have an option for real unlimited plus no overage charges on data for any plan (biggie for me)... And if you aren't having them pay for your ETF there is no way they are mandating you to have insurance. That's got to be poppycock. Also don't buy a phone from them. Get one from the Play Store or an unlocked GSM model on Amazon. Same price, but allows you to move from T-Mobile to AT&T if you ever want the option. The Nexus 5 is also much cheaper on the Play Store.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

You are assuming that I want a Nexus device though. The sales person on the phone said that I would have to have insurance to be in their JUMP program. Maybe I misunderstood then. Do you not have to be in the JUMP program and not pay insurance? That's not what he communicated to me. Made it seem like I had no choice. Adding the extra $50 for insurance stings.


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[gidgiddonihah]

You are assuming that I want a Nexus device though. The sales person on the phone said that I would have to have insurance to be in their JUMP program. Maybe I misunderstood then. Do you not have to be in the JUMP program and not pay insurance? That's not what he communicated to me. Made it seem like I had no choice. Adding the extra $50 for insurance stings.


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You do not need to be in the JUMP program. That is only for early upgrades. I personally wouldn't touch that with a ten foot stick. Also you can get ANY current smartphone unlocked at Amazon or any retailer for that matter.

I assumed you wanted a Nexus 5 as that's the section you posted in .

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[dkhmwilliams]

You do not need to be in the JUMP program. That is only for early upgrades. I personally wouldn't touch that with a ten foot stick. Also you can get ANY current smartphone unlocked at Amazon or any retailer for that matter.

I assumed you wanted a Nexus 5 as that's the section you posted in .

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I know that I can buy an unlocked phone, but then you are looking at thousands of dollars up front to switch to T-Mobile when you are considering 4 smartphones and a tablet it makes it tough. Long-term savings are nice, but it will burn a whole in my pockets. T-Mobile is great in my area and I would feel better with the unlimited data even if we don't make good use of it. But I can't find a reason good enough to convince the wife that this is what we need to do. And that's what it really comes down to, selling the idea to the missus.


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[Old Stoneface]

Think you missed my point. We didn't have a choice if we wanted a smartphone. Now we do.

"Wanted," as opposed to needed? If so: You proved my point: The other carriers figured out what the market would bear and charged it.

Your complaint is not unlike that of cable customers that complain of the high cost of cable TV, yet keep paying the exorbitant fees for premium channels, which they surely don't need, nonetheless.

With the new T-Mobile plan, are you able to get corporate discounts?

I would imagine so. We're getting a discount for a different association.

No, I think the point here IS that landline long distance died partly because the industry failed to provide a good enough value for the consumer ...

Long-distance land-line, itself, "failed" because it became largely obsolete. Please re-read what I wrote. You did not answer my point.

Didn't you just argue in another post that if consumers are willing to pay (or can be dragged kicked and screaming into paying) ridiculous prices for mobile services then it's perfectly OK for providers to take advantage of it?

I made no such argument. I simply pointed-out that, in a free market economy, or at least something more-or-less resembling one, that's what can happen.

The reverse also has to be true then. If airliners are willing to go to price wars to get consumers, why shouldn't we take advantage of it and secure our pocketbooks?

You have completely failed to miss the point I made on that one, too.

 

[yfan]

"Wanted," as opposed to needed? If so: You proved my point: The other carriers figured out what the market would bear and charged it.

Your complaint is not unlike that of cable customers that complain of the high cost of cable TV, yet keep paying the exorbitant fees for premium channels, which they surely don't need, nonetheless.

Market demand is most often created by wants, so to me, this argument as to whether something is a necessity or luxury in this context is pointless. Yes, cable consumers keep paying high costs despite complaining, but that's not because they want cable, but because they want the content on cable. That's the reason cable companies are now complaining about and competing with services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc.

If people want something, will they pay a high price if no alternatives are available? Yes. But it is also true that as soon as someone in the market begins to provide a cheaper alternative, consumers will vote with their dollars by moving (cord-cutting, etc.).

Long-distance land-line, itself, "failed" because it became largely obsolete. Please re-read what I wrote. You did not answer my point.

And it became obsolete because of the ubiquity of cell phones which began to offer nationwide long distance as well as companies like Vonage that offered VoIP services at the fraction of the cost of traditional long distance. These things benefited consumers, because the telephony industry (traditional, cellular and VoIP) got into fierce price competition. Your wrote that price competition does not always benefit customers. I countered that it nearly always does, and your own example was one validating my point.

I made no such argument. I simply pointed-out that, in a free market economy, or at least something more-or-less resembling one, that's what can happen.

Umm, okay. And it can also happen the other way - i.e. consumers taking advantage of price wars among providers.

You have completely failed to miss the point I made on that one, too.

Maybe YOU should re-read what you wrote. If I have "failed to miss the point," that means I got the point, according to you. Thank you very much.

 

[Almeuit]

The only new thing that T-Mobile is doing is marketing and paying ETFs for customers to switch. These plans have been on T-Mobile for at least four years. I came over to T-Mobile toward the end of 2010 and the Even More Plus plan was not new then. Four years is enough time for people who were on contracts with other carriers to let them expire and to switch to T-Mobile if they wanted a lower price for service if they brought their own device or paid full price at T-Mobile.

T-Mobile also allowed smartphone users to not have a data plan if they brought their own device in the past. This is something that I see many people complain about on Verizon Wireless and AT&T, but they weren't willing to move to T-Mobile to get away from the requirement.

People have had a choice for a while. It took T-Mobile's marketing to make them consider making a switch.

T-Mobile was not offering unlimited.. unthrottled.. Data 4 years ago. I didn't count unlimited data as... You use this much then bam dial up service speeds.

Now they have full unlimited plans and also the pay for your device.. So marketing definitely helped but the plans were not the same..

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[JHBThree]

I'm not arguing they can't. I'm arguing the blanket assertion that wars between competitors is necessarily always good is a questionable one.



In your opinion. In a free market economy sellers are allowed to charge what the market will bear. If people are stupid enough to deprive themselves of necessities and putting a little aside for a rainy day so they can have the latest and greatest "smart" phone, on the most expensive wireless networks in the country, just so they can keep track of their friends and play Angry Birds constantly, why should sellers not take advanage of them?

Don't get me wrong: I'm very, very glad T-Mobile's shaking things up. Took advantage of that, myself. But, lacking T-Mobile's new direction, we simply would have done without smartphones and data plans. If Sprint Borg's TMO and takes it all away: We'll be without them again. That's the other way you get reasonable pricing: Don't buy stuff that's stupidly expensive.



Did you have a smartphone on a stupidly expensive data plan before Legere started taking TMO down its current path? If so: You already showed them what you're willing to pay. Month-after-month, month in, month out.

Not just my opinion at all. What AT&T and Verizon charge their customers is obscene compared to what their services are actually worth. The only reason they've gotten away with it is because the other choices haven't been comparable until recently. But, as we're already seeing, when a comparable cheaper option exists, people will take it.


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[Almeuit]

Did you have a smartphone on a stupidly expensive data plan before Legere started taking TMO down its current path? If so: You already showed them what you're willing to pay. Month-after-month, month in, month out.

I didn't . I was on AT&T unlimited.. First month I was throttled after they wanted to get rid of unlimited.. I paid my ETF and went to Sprint. After awhile at Sprint and promises of LTE.. I paid the ETF and am now with T-Mobile .

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[Almeuit]

I know that I can buy an unlocked phone, but then you are looking at thousands of dollars up front to switch to T-Mobile when you are considering 4 smartphones and a tablet it makes it tough. Long-term savings are nice, but it will burn a whole in my pockets. T-Mobile is great in my area and I would feel better with the unlimited data even if we don't make good use of it. But I can't find a reason good enough to convince the wife that this is what we need to do. And that's what it really comes down to, selling the idea to the missus.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If you don't need it why worry about it? It seems like you just want it .. because others like it .. when it doesn't fit your needs. If you are fine on AT&T stay with them.. Why leave?

It all really depends on a persons needs. I use a lot of data (average 75 GB .. usually more) and that alone would cost me an easy... $500 or more a month?... Or $70 a month with T-Mobile? My choice is obvious. You aren't a heavy data user from the sound of it so ... Why leave?

My parents are prime examples of this as well .. They are not very heavy data users so AT&T, Verizon, or even Sprint (which they have and are on the "Framily" plan with 1 GB of data per line) is great. AT&T and Verizon are only super expensive when you start tacking on a lot of data .. If you barley use anything they are actually reasonably priced.... but if you want to use to your hearts content obviously T-Mobile would be better unless you are just someone who makes boat loads of money and don't care to spend the cash elsewhere .. OR if T-Mobile simply doesn't have coverage in your area. Also other various reasons could be you travel a lot and T-Mobile isn't the best for that unless you don't mind having crap data till you are in a major area.

As I said for my needs ... unlimited data.. I barley travel so I don't mind the dead spots when I rarely do travel .. and it is all $70 a month. For you? AT&T seems to fit you so .. stay with em .


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[serenemind]

@dkhmwilliams

Here's what you can do:

Take advantage of the latest Tmobile promotion where they pay your ETF for switching

1. Do not trade in your current At&t phones
2. Buy 14 dollar At&t go phones from target and give them to Tmobile (Roughly $65)
3. Port your numbers and buy the cheapest phones Tmobile has outright which might cost you ($72*4 = 288 + taxes)
4. Wait for At&t's bill with ETF
5. Pay the ETF off and submit for Tmobile reimbursement (Master Card)
6. Request a device unlock from At&t. Since you satisfied their requirement of fulfilling the contract by paying the ETF your At&t phones will be unlocked and can be used on Tmobile
7. For $375 and the taxes on At&t ETF you will be able switch all your phones to Tmobile (Can't comment on the tablet)
This switch should save (4 * ( $25 installment + $10 insurance) = $140) every month bringing your bill from $320(At&t) to $180+taxes(T-Mobile)
Essentially your $375 +At&t ETF taxes will be paid for in 3.5 months. Over a 2 year period your savings will be significant

Hope this helps. I switched to T-mobile after 7 years with At&t

* Do your thorough research as every Tmobile store tells you different story but the above mentioned steps are tested and true

 

[DCSholtis]

I think that what T-Mobile has done with paying ETFs is going to have a big impact. Larger carriers like Verizon and AT&T can't scare you into staying anymore with ETFs. Now they have to look at their service and coverage. Now, I have noticed that AT&T is trying to get around this by offering its current users a chance to upgrade through their NEXT program. This way, if you leave you will have to still pay for the remaining cost of the phone which could be a lot of money depending on what device you have chosen. But T-Mobile won't pay this because technically it isn't an ETF because you have financed the device.

AT&T ALMOST got me with this was already to stick with them an upgrade to get into the NEXT program until I learned that you can't buy a Moto X from then design it through Moto Maker. Switching to TMO now. I mean what's the benefit of a Moto X if you can design it lol. I want a 32 gb anyway.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[yfan]

Everyone keeps saying that they are a lot cheaper, but when doing the math, I'm not coming out that way. Maybe I'm missing something. Currrently, I have five lines with AT&T, this includes four phones and one iPad. I have 10 GBs of data that we share. My last bill, with a 17 percent corporate discount was $320. Doing the math with T-Mobile, with 5 lines and installment plans for each device it comes to:

First phone = unlimited everything $70 + $25 installment + $10 insurance (which I was told was mandatory)
Second phone = unlimited everything $50 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Third phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Fourth phone = unlimited everything $30 + $25 installment + $10 insurance
Tablet = data $15 + $25 installment + $10 insurance

This totals $365 before taxes. I don't get a corporate discount with T-Mobile and it also is considering that I paid for the phones that I now have at the subsidized pricing, which I wouldn't be paying up front (other than paying the taxes on the five devices). I will also be getting unlimited data too with T-Mobile, but we don't use our 10 GB now. When I saw the advertisement on tv I really was intrigued by it, but it doesn't seem to be that great of a deal. Anybody see any flaws in my logic?

Why would you be getting unlimited data on T-Mobile if you don't even use your 10 GB now? I don't get it. 5 devices, 10 GB data. That's an average of 2 GB each. For the smartphones, that's $40 off your math right there. Second, insurance is not mandatory if you don't want to be on JUMP (but you do not have to be in the JUMP program to have T-Mobile pay your ETF - you just have to trade in your phone). That's another $50 off. Now we're looking at $275 instead of $365.

And what phones are you looking to get, exactly, that each costs $25 in installments? Candidly speaking, consumers need to know and bear the cost of their devices - not simply because it's unfair to make someone using a cheaper device subsidize someone using a more expensive one (which is what happens under traditional contract plans), but more importantly, because manufacturers cannot get away indefinitely with selling overly expensive phones without getting into any price competition.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

"Wanted," as opposed to needed? If so: You proved my point: The other carriers figured out what the market would bear and charged it.

Your complaint is not unlike that of cable customers that complain of the high cost of cable TV, yet keep paying the exorbitant fees for premium channels, which they surely don't need, nonetheless.

I don't like to get in flame wars on the interwebs but....

People like you **** me off. You tell other people that the way they are spending money is stupid. You have no place criticizing the way I spend money and putting down my argument that cell companies are overcharging as if I was a spoiled brat. I wasn't complaining. I was stating that cell companies overcharge. Period.

I hated the prices I was being charged but as I wanted a smartphone I didn't have a choice. Now that I have a choice I will pick the reasonable price. I can argue the prices are high because they are ridiculously high. It's similar to the ISP's that are ripping a 95% profit from their customers. The prices could be lower and T-Mobile is showing it's competition that very thing. Here's to a better market. Cheers.

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[dkhmwilliams]

Why would you be getting unlimited data on T-Mobile if you don't even use your 10 GB now? I don't get it. 5 devices, 10 GB data. That's an average of 2 GB each. For the smartphones, that's $40 off your math right there. Second, insurance is not mandatory if you don't want to be on JUMP (but you do not have to be in the JUMP program to have T-Mobile pay your ETF - you just have to trade in your phone). That's another $50 off. Now we're looking at $275 instead of $365.

And what phones are you looking to get, exactly, that each costs $25 in installments? Candidly speaking, consumers need to know and bear the cost of their devices - not simply because it's unfair to make someone using a cheaper device subsidize someone using a more expensive one (which is what happens under traditional contract plans), but more importantly, because manufacturers cannot get away indefinitely with selling overly expensive phones without getting into any price competition.

Currently, we don't need unlimited data, but over the past year we have increased our data cap three times. So I'm just thinking ahead. We are using our phones and tablets more and more for streaming music and video. As far as the devices that we are using, we have three iPhones, Galaxy S3, and an iPad mini.


Sent from my iPhone 5S. The "S" is for sexy.

 

[yfan]

Currently, we don't need unlimited data, but over the past year we have increased our data cap three times. So I'm just thinking ahead. We are using our phones and tablets more and more for streaming music and video. As far as the devices that we are using, we have three iPhones, Galaxy S3, and an iPad mini.

But you have to compare apples to apples. You can't compare a data plan capped at 2 GB per device to an unlimited one. Put another way, you have to compare a higher data limit on AT&T. 6-10 GB per device, for example. What would your AT&T plan cost if you upped your shared data to 30 GB? How about 50? Thinking ahead is fine, but you have to apply the same future point to both plans.


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[gidgiddonihah]

Currently, we don't need unlimited data, but over the past year we have increased our data cap three times. So I'm just thinking ahead. We are using our phones and tablets more and more for streaming music and video. As far as the devices that we are using, we have three iPhones, Galaxy S3, and an iPad mini.


Sent from my iPhone 5S. The "S" is for sexy.

If your looking ahead then up the price for your current plan as well.

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