T-Mobile Targets Tablets: LTE Models for Price of Wi-Fi, Bonus Free Data Through 2014

MacRumors · Apr 10, 2014

T-Mobile US, which has been shaking up the cellular industry in the United States with a series of promotions and policy changes, today made several announcements intended to attract tablet customers to the carrier. There are two key pieces to the initiative:

- LTE tablets for the price of Wi-Fi: Under Apple's standard pricing, LTE iPad models are priced $130 higher than their Wi-Fi equivalents, but T-Mobile's limited time promotion will allow customers to purchase an LTE iPad from the carrier at Wi-Fi pricing.

If you're stuck on Wi-Fi, you can now come to T-Mobile and upgrade to a 4G LTE-enabled model for nothing down and pay no more than you'd pay for the cheaper Wi-Fi-only model, with any postpaid activation on a 1GB or more mobile internet plan with no annual service contract. For example, pay the Wi-Fi price of $499 instead of $630 for the 4G LTE-enabled 16GB iPad Air.

24-month interest-free financing with zero money down is also available for qualified customers.

- Bonus 1GB of free data per month through 2014: T-Mobile already offers a free 200 MB data package for tablet owners, and with today's announcement, T-Mobile voice customers can receive an additional 1 GB of free data per month through the end of the year.

And, for both new and existing customers, T-Mobile is offering $10 off its most popular internet data plans starting April 12th through the end of 2014. For voice customers, what that means is you can get up to 1GB of 4G LTE data free every month through the end of the year. Combined with the 200 MB of free data you already automatically get every month with T-Mobile's previously announced "Free Data for Life" offer that comes to nearly 1.2GB of free 4G LTE data every month through the end of 2014. If you love living beyond the Wi-Fi zone - and want to keep enjoying that tablet freedom beyond 2014 - you can get it starting at just $10 a month with voice service next year.

T-Mobile also continues to offer its ETF buyouts, allowing customers stuck on service contracts with another carrier to trade-in their devices and receive credits for the termination fees paid to the other carrier.

Article Link: T-Mobile Targets Tablets: LTE Models for Price of Wi-Fi, Bonus Free Data Through 2014

SPUY767 · Apr 10, 2014

God I hope T-Mobile is successful in its shakeup of the US mobile market because the current state of affairs is apalling.

Jaro65 · Apr 10, 2014

The good deal got even better. Seriously thinking about moving to TMO.

Prof. · Apr 10, 2014

I would love to just pay full-price of my iPhone every two years and pay less per month with Verizon. If I can buy the phone outright, and pay $25 less per month, I'd jump on that in a heartbeat.

Plutonius · Apr 10, 2014

Not interested in getting a contract though on an iPad.

_Refurbished_ · Apr 10, 2014

I use Verizon for my phone service, but I wanted to purchase my iPad Air through T-Mobile to get 200mb of "free data for life". I was going to purchase a WiFi tablet, but decided this was too good a deal to pass up.

I was on the phone yesterday for an hour with a supervisor telling me that I do not get 200mb of free data. It's $10 a month, due to me not being attached to any other T-Mobile services. I wish this was a joke. They said their website is "confusing" and they will need to escalate this to change their website so it's not misleading. They told me I need to have a phone line with them to get the free data. They credited my account for a year for 200mb, but in a year I will have to call back to complain again, since they can only do things in yearly increments.

From T-Mobile's site:

"FREE DATA FOR LIFE
Anybody who wants to use a tablet on T-Mobile's 4G LTE network gets 200MB free data for as long as you own the device, whether you pay for it up front or you choose to finance it.

You can buy a tablet from us, or bring your own device. Either way, you will get 200MB free data for the time you own the device and use it on our network."

What's confusing about this T-Mobile?

J4B3 · Apr 10, 2014

I love what T-Mobile has been doing. Love them or hate them, you have to admit their competition greatly favors the consumer.

Personally, I hope they keep the ETF promotion going through the iPhone 6 release. Only thing holding me back....

garylapointe · Apr 10, 2014

And why would the article NOT list the price of that minimum 1GB plan to show the value of this?

Which appears to be $20 a month.
But $10 less if you have a T-Mobile phone?
Plus the rest of the year there is another $10 off (if you have a T-Mo phone)? (That's the free 1GB?)

It's awesome there is no contract on that plan. Drop that down to the free 200MB plan and that's a deal...

Gary

Scott90 · Apr 10, 2014

If you're stuck on Wi-Fi, you can now come to T-Mobile and upgrade to a 4G LTE-enabled model

Do I read this right? I can trade in my Wi-Fi iPad for a cellular model without payment, as long as I get a data plan, which is not even on contract? Their cheapest data plan is currently $20 for 1GB, so I'd be able to upgrade my iPad for $20 (and get 1GB of data) instead of $130? Or do I read to much into "upgrade"?

adeedew · Apr 10, 2014

I really wish tmobile was ready for prime time with their cell service. Every few months I'll activate a sim to try out on my spare 5s since it's comes unlocked on Verizon and LTE drops to 4g to edge still a lot through LA still. No comparison to Verizon whatsoever which is always a constant LTE. I wonder if they're doing all of this knowing their actually service is not up to par.

CooperGear · Apr 10, 2014

Plutonius said:
Not interested in getting a contract though on an iPad.

It is not a contract, you can dump T-mobile any time but you have to pay off the iPad if you do. It is a data plan and free financing for 24 months. I may have to do this because I want a new iPad but I have the unlimited ATT data so I would get the wi-fi price on the LTE ipad and cancel after the first month.

garylapointe · Apr 10, 2014

Scott90 said:
Do I read this right? I can trade in my Wi-Fi iPad for a cellular model without payment, as long as I get a data plan, which is not even on contract? Their cheapest data plan is currently $20 for 1GB, so I'd be able to upgrade my iPad for $20 (and get 1GB of data) instead of $130? Or do I read to much into "upgrade"?

No. You must pay for it. The price of the WiFi model.

Gary

Orlandoech · Apr 10, 2014

People

T-MOBILE DOES NOT HAVE CONTRACTS.

iPhone, iPad, Galaxy S4, doesn't matter, NO CONTRACTS.

goobot · Apr 10, 2014

Wow, if I didn't have unlimited data on AT&T I would switch right now. T-mobile is really moving forward.

JackieInCo · Apr 10, 2014

I love T-Mobile for my phone but I have to continue using AT&T for my iPad because they offer 1GB for $25 for three months. T-Mobile doesn't have anything like that yet.

adeedew · Apr 10, 2014

Orlandoech.com said:
People

T-MOBILE DOES NOT HAVE CONTRACTS.

iPhone, iPad, Galaxy S4, doesn't matter, NO CONTRACTS.

Well it depends on how you look at it right? If you don't pay full price for a device you're still on the hook to pay it off for 2 yrs whether you have contract or not you can't just leave unless you pay off device, so how is that much different than the rest?

Scott90 · Apr 10, 2014

JackieInCo said:
I love T-Mobile for my phone but I have to continue using AT&T for my iPad because they offer 1GB for $25 for three months. T-Mobile doesn't have anything like that yet.

T-Mobile has 1GB for $20 a month without a contract.

taptic · Apr 10, 2014

Good. Keep it goin' T-mobile.

All these top dog carriers need to realize they might not stay top dog unless they make customers happy...

JackieInCo · Apr 10, 2014

Scott90 said:
T-Mobile has 1GB for $20 a month without a contract.

Which is why I'm staying with AT&T, 1GB for three months for $25. I don't use much data.

CooperGear · Apr 10, 2014

adeedew said:
Well it depends on how you look at it right? If you don't pay full price for a device you're still on the hook to pay it off for 2 yrs whether you have contract or not you can't just leave unless you pay off device, so how is that much different than the rest?

It is different in that once your device is paid off you only pay that data and nothing else. Other carriers who give you a phone for cheap and you sign a 2 year contract always charge you the same price even after the phone is paid off. Tmobile you can pay off the device at any time.

arian19 · Apr 10, 2014

bboucher790 said:
I use Verizon for my phone service, but I wanted to purchase my iPad Air through T-Mobile to get 200mb of "free data for life". I was going to purchase a WiFi tablet, but decided this was too good a deal to pass up.

I was on the phone yesterday for an hour with a supervisor telling me that I do not get 200mb of free data. It's $10 a month, due to me not being attached to any other T-Mobile services. I wish this was a joke. They said their website is "confusing" and they will need to escalate this to change their website so it's not misleading. They told me I need to have a phone line with them to get the free data. They credited my account for a year for 200mb, but in a year I will have to call back to complain again, since they can only do things in yearly increments.

From T-Mobile's site:

"FREE DATA FOR LIFE
Anybody who wants to use a tablet on T-Mobile's 4G LTE network gets 200MB free data for as long as you own the device, whether you pay for it up front or you choose to finance it.

You can buy a tablet from us, or bring your own device. Either way, you will get 200MB free data for the time you own the device and use it on our network."

What's confusing about this T-Mobile?

You should really have tried again... I think the confusion is at the employees, they think that the offer is too good to be true... I got my iPad LTE for the same reason, and I have 200 mb for LIFE. I didn't even have to put a credit card on file.

You should ask to speak to their manager, or go to a different T-Mobile store.

Scott90 · Apr 10, 2014

JackieInCo said:
Which is why I'm staying with AT&T, 1GB for three months for $25. I don't use much data.

Oh, you mean $25 for three months, not per month. Then yeah, that's the better deal.

PantherCreek · Apr 10, 2014

bboucher790 said:
I was on the phone yesterday for an hour with a supervisor telling me that I do not get 200mb of free data. It's $10 a month, due to me not being attached to any other T-Mobile services. I wish this was a joke. They said their website is "confusing" and they will need to escalate this to change their website so it's not misleading. They told me I need to have a phone line with them to get the free data. They credited my account for a year for 200mb, but in a year I will have to call back to complain again, since they can only do things in yearly increments.

I bought an iPad from an Apple store - an AT&T model at that - walked into a T-mobile store, bought a SIM card with cash, never gave them any personal information, put my new SIM card into my iPad and I receive 200 MB of free T-mobile LTE each month.

Nothing confusing about that.

CooperGear · Apr 10, 2014

goobot said:
Wow, if I didn't have unlimited data on AT&T I would switch right now. T-mobile is really moving forward.

I also have ATT unlimited ipad data and I am thinking about this deal. It is $130 off the LTE iPad and I can dump tmobile after the first month and pay the balance of the ipad. Why not do it? I will have to pay full price for the next iPad so I will take the discount.

By the Way, how much data do you use in a month? In February I burned through about 24 Gb, never turned on the wi-fi once.

rdlink · Apr 10, 2014

adeedew said:
Well it depends on how you look at it right? If you don't pay full price for a device you're still on the hook to pay it off for 2 yrs whether you have contract or not you can't just leave unless you pay off device, so how is that much different than the rest?

When you pay off the phone you're free to go elsewhere with it, and if you stay with them your monthly goes down the price of the monthly of the phone. If you leave them early and pay off the phone, you have no ETF, and can either use the phone on another carrier, or sell it.

If you buy a subsidized phone from VZW or AT&T you will continue to pay the subsidized monthly price even after your contract is up. This will eventually change, but only because TMO is pressuring the market.

Basically, everyone needs to do the math for themselves, and go with the carrier that gives them a deal that makes sense for them. Not just for pricing, but for service. If you are going to get a new phone every two years anyway, it may make just as much sense to use one of the other carriers on a subsidized contract.

But if TMO was not being a disrupter right now the bigs guys in the US cellular industry would be willing to continue to rape consumers from now until eternity. Thank goodness the DOJ stepped in and killed the AT&T merger.

T-Mobile Targets Tablets: LTE Models for Price of Wi-Fi, Bonus Free Data Through 2014

macrumors bot

macrumors 68020

macrumors 68040

macrumors 603

macrumors G3

macrumors 68020

macrumors regular

macrumors 68000

macrumors 6502

macrumors regular

macrumors newbie

macrumors 68000

macrumors 68040

macrumors 603

Suspended

macrumors regular

macrumors 6502

macrumors 65816

Suspended

macrumors newbie

macrumors demi-god

macrumors 6502

macrumors regular

macrumors newbie

macrumors 68040

Our Staff