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T-Mobile Announces 'Test Drive', A One Week Network Trial With a Free iPhone 5s

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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At its Un-Carrier 5.0 event in Seattle, T-Mobile announced a new program called Test Drive, which allows prospective customers to try out its network for 7 days with a free iPhone 5s.

testdrive.png
Starting this Monday, June 23, people can sign up for T-Mobile Test Drive at www.t-mobile.com/testdrive. A few days later, they'll receive an iPhone 5s fully loaded and ready to go, and they can put T-Mobile's data-strong network to the test for seven full days on the "most forward-thinking" smartphone. After the test drive, just drop it off at any T-Mobile store. That's it. Absolutely no money down. No obligation. No strings attached.
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The carrier said that Apple is providing "tens of thousands" of iPhones for Test Drive, and expects more than a million users to use the program within the first year. In 1984, Apple itself used a similar test drive program to get people to try out the original Mac.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere said the goal of the program is to change the perception some people have of the carrier's network, according to Re/code. The carrier has been rapidly enhancing its network in recent years, adding LTE and expecting to reach 250 million customers with that LTE network by the end of the year. Additionally, T-Mobile has 16 markets with "Wideband LTE", which lessens potential network congestion and increases speeds, and plans on introducing Voice-Over-LTE.

The carrier also announced that current T-Mobile customers will be able to stream music from Spotify, Rdio, iTunes Radio and Pandora for free. T-Mobile negotiated deals with those streaming companies so that data from those apps don't count against a customer's data plan, according to Engadget. The company plans to add other services, like Google Play Music and Beats Music, if enough customers request them.

Additionally, T-Mobile announced UnRadio, which allows customers on a Simple Choice plan to gain access to Rhapsody's entire music library for free with unlimited skips and no ads. UnRadio also doesn't count against a customer's data plan. Customers not on the Simple Choice plan will have to pay $4 a month for the service.

Those who want to sign up for Test Drive must do so at T-Mobile's website for the program. Once a user signs up, T-Mobile will place a $699.99 (plus taxes) hold on a user's credit or debit card. If the phone isn't returned at the end of the 7 day trial, T-Mobile will charge the hold amount. Additionally, if the phone has water damage, a damaged display or screen or has Find My iPhone activated, T-Mobile will charge the user with a $100 "damage fee". If the phone is returned with no damage at the end of the 7 days, the hold is lifted.

Article Link: T-Mobile Announces 'Test Drive', A One Week Network Trial With a Free iPhone 5s
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/18/iphone-tmobile-test-drive/
dannyyankou

dannyyankou

macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
13,002
27,987
Westchester, NY
Just thought this would be a good idea a few days ago. I'm still on my parent's plan, and I'm thinking of starting my own on T-Mobile, so this is exciting news!
 
M

mnsportsgeek

macrumors 601
Feb 24, 2009
4,378
6,849
I will totally do this in the fall before the iPhone to see how I like their network before making the switch.

As long as they get the iPhone 6 and the network holds up in Minneapolis, I'm totally dropping AT&T.
 
goobot

goobot

macrumors 603
Jun 26, 2009
6,484
4,375
long island NY
Very smart, one of the biggest barriers would be people not wanting to bother switching to begin with just to see if they still get coverage.
 
tdgrn

tdgrn

macrumors 6502
May 1, 2008
364
8
Little Rock, AR
I was literally thinking this evening that I would like to try T-Mobile out... I don't really know anybody that has them in my area. We are a mid-sized market so I am curious how their network is here.
 
dannyyankou

dannyyankou

macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
13,002
27,987
Westchester, NY
MacRumors said:
The carrier also announced that current T-Mobile customers will be able to stream music from Spotify, Rdio, iTunes Radio and Pandora for free. T-Mobile negotiated deals with those streaming companies so that data from those apps don't count against a customer's data plan, according to Engadget. The company plans to add other services, like Google Play Music and Beats Music, if enough customers request them.
Click to expand...

Let's not overlook this detail. Wow!
 
Plutonius

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,032
8,404
New Hampshire, USA
littyboy said:
This is great news. Just shows how confident they are in the network.
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I think it's more likely that they don't want customers who find they can't use the T-Mobile network. I have T-Mobile and I'll be the first to admit the T-Mobile network coverage is not great.

The free streaming sounds great.
 
Menel

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
ajcadoo said:
Am I the only one here that wouldn't consider the 5S a forward-thinking phone? Other than perhaps the whole 64bit stuff.
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64bit not so much for end users.

TouchID really got people securing their devices. No one has anything as slick and seamless. No doubting its cpu power...
 
M

markgpearse

macrumors 6502
Nov 11, 2010
376
339
Big t-Mobile Fan

I switched from AT&T to T-Mobile a year ago. No regrets. T-Mobile customer service is 10 out of 10 and I love their simple approach to pricing. I travel to Mexico a lot... the unlimited text and data is great and $0.20 per minute for calls isn't bad either.
 
S

Saturn1217

macrumors 65816
Apr 28, 2008
1,271
847
ajcadoo said:
Am I the only one here that wouldn't consider the 5S a forward-thinking phone? Other than perhaps the whole 64bit stuff.
Click to expand...

I don't think you have to get an iphone 5s. If after the test period you decide you would love to send t-mobile a monthly check but the iphone 5s isn't right for you I'm sure they'd have no problem letting you buy another phone. I hope people realize this probably won't apply to the iphone 6 (nor should it). Still a wonderful deal.
 
azentropy

azentropy

macrumors 601
Jul 19, 2002
4,021
5,380
Surprise
Nice idea. Back in March I tried the tmobile $30 plan on my old iPhone 4s and was not impressed. Had decent coverage around home, but when I took it on a trip to Palm Springs it was very spotty on the drive and while I was there. Now the 4s does not have LTE and that is the area they are improving. Might be worth a test drive again when all my phones are LTE.
 
K

knemonic

macrumors 6502a
Jan 14, 2009
682
153
On day 2, take a drive, in any direction for about 30 miles, let me know if you still have service.
 
S

swingerofbirch

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2003
3,641
4,442
The Amalgamated States of Central North America
We just did this experiment but paid (and are getting our money back). We are supposedly in "Good" coverage according to T-mobile's map but had absolutely no coverage. We went from being worried about using our 1 GB of LTE per month to realizing we'd never be able to use any. Back on Verizon. I do like T-mobile's approach to things and maybe it's a good company for some areas, but not where I live.
 
S

Shotgun OS

macrumors 6502a
Dec 18, 2006
505
4
Ohio
I rarely use any of the streaming services on the road because of it using up my data. Now I will definitely be using them more. This is absolutely fantastic! I love T Mobile.
 
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