However, if you're looking to switch to save money... Look into Straight Talk. My buddy has it and pays $45/month for EVERYTHING unlimited, and they now are offering the iPhone officially with a no-interest payment plan from Wal-Mart.
I'd still go with T-Mobile. Straight Talk buys service from T-Mobile and AT&T. It doesn't include roaming. Further, although the data is unlimited, it does tether the speeds after a certain amount of data. It just doesn't tell you when. Straight Talk also doesn't truly mean unlimited. If you use too much, it will let you know.
T-Mobile costs five dollars more a month ($50), includes roaming, has actual stores to go to, decent customer service, and is clear about when it tethers the data speeds. Moreover, with T-Mobile you get more options in terms of customizing your plan. For instance, say you always are around wi-fi and don't need a data plan or a very small one is good, you can make the plans as low as $30 a month. AT&T forces you to have a data plan when using an iPhone. Straight talk doesn't have the flexibility of creating custom plans. With T-Mobile if you are happy with the service, you can either go the no contract route or sign up for one of its value plans under a contract to lock your rate in. With no contract plans you are subject to rate increases.
Also what Walmart does is sell you the iPhone on a separate credit account then your Straight Talk account. So, you have to open a separate credit account, and have two bills. Currently, you can just buy an unlocked iPhone from Apple and take it anywhere you want. If you don't have the funds, you can charge it. If you have a low interest credit line, it probably will be cheaper than getting it at Walmart.
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If I am not mistaken, they will offer plans for a bit less, but you are still committed to a 2 year contract. I don't see a reason to pay full price, and still commit to a contract. Which probably means there will be ETF if you decide to leave.
Anyway T-Mo is only 3 years later then the other providers to offer iPhone.
You are mistaken on a couple counts. First, T-Mobile offers no contract plans and contract value plans. The value plans cost about the same as the no contract plans (may be a little less), but they are good if you want to lock your rate in for the period of the contract. With no contract plans everybody can decide to raise the price.
Second, for about fifty dollars a month on T-Mobile you can get an unlimited everything plan. This includes unlimited Internet. AT&T charges about $130 for a comparable plan, and doesn't offer unlimited data.
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Logic says you are correct but your contract does not. And current laws (which I agree need to be changed) say your contract wins over logic
As for this 'news', I'll believe it when Apple announces it. Regardless of WSJ, some t-mobile rep etc
This doesn't make sense because the person doesn't have a contract after the contract is up, which is why he thinks the price should drop since he no longer is getting a subsidized phone.
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Public perception is everything. If all the carriers go to this most people will be like "I'm not going to pay $649 for something that cost me $200 two years ago". The big technology cellphone party where everyone updated their device with every new upgrade and iteration that the economy has been helped by for the last few years will be over.
The public perception will entirely depend on TMobile producing some kind of marketing puffery indicating that their monthly bills for subscribers are significantly lower than the other carriers.
If they can't do that and keep the prices the same this isn't a great deal for the average person looking at it on the street.
T-Mobile already operates this way. It is nothing new for it. Just currently, it also offers subsidized plans as well.
More importantly, you'd have to be an idiot to not understand T-Mobile's way is better and doesn't cost you any more out of pocket initially. For instance, if you want a $649 on T-Mobile and don't have the money or means to get it yourself (e.g. via Apple), T-Mobile will buy it for you. You will probably pay T-Mobile about $199 up front, and make monthly payments of less than $20 a month on top of what your monthly service plan costs. Unlimited everything on T-Mobile costs $50. So the total costs would be about $70 a month (excluding taxes and fees). Once the phone is paid off, the bill goes back to $50. On AT&T the same plan currently costs about $130 (excluding taxes and fees) and it never drops.
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yeah like my mother-in-law. it took her years to decide on paying the $49 to get an iPhone 4.....no way in hell she's gonna pay $649 to upgrade her phone when it's time.
You can't get consumers used to paying cheap subsidized phones then shock them at $649. Bc they don't understand that's how much the phones really cost.
If you are right I lost all hope for humanity. The math is simple. You go into T-Mobile and tell it what plan you want. Most people will likely go for the unlimited everything plan at $50 a month. T-Mobile will ask you if you have a phone. If you don't and you want an iPhone, T-Mobile will offer to buy it for you. If you go with the $649 version, you will pay it $199 a month (like with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon). The remainder of the phone price will be broken down into monthly payments, which comes out to less then $20 a month. So your T-Mobile bill will reflect a $50 and $20 a month charge equaling about $70 a month. When your iPhone is paid off, the bill goes down to $50.
Go get the same plan at AT&T. First, it is impossible, as AT&T doesn't offer an unlimited plan. So get the next comparable plan. It is going to set you back about $130 a month. I am unsure about Verizon, but the same plan will cost about $130 on Sprint as well.
Who is going to fail to see that $70 a month for 20 months and then $50 a month thereafter is better than $130 a month for 24 months?
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As for T-Mobile's move, my spider senses are telling me they will both want their cake and eat it! So, don't be too surprised if, in the future, the carriers expect the full cost of the phone from you, plus a $50+ per month contract over a minimum 24 month period....... I love capitalism
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What many people do not get is that T-Mobile which offer more expensive subsidized plans it already largely operates on unsubsidized plans. Moreover, T-Mobile offers both no contract and contract value plans. I personally opted for the contract value plan because the rate is far below the other carriers and it is now locked in. Based on past experience, when the contract ends if rates are higher, T-Mobile will keep my rate at the lower rate as a valuable customer.
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T-Mobile, Straight Talk, SIMple Mobile (SIMple, get it?), offer exactly this in the US. However, I think the minute/text/data bundles are pretty limited in choices
This is not true for T-Mobile. The other carriers are buying service from T-Mobile and AT&T so the plans are somewhat limited. On T-Mobile though you have a lot of options regarding plans. You can even get a plan for an iPhone with no data or just 100 MB. There is a lot of variety concerning unlimited data plans as well. The variety involves at what point tethering of speed takes place.