My store has a $75 restocking fee. I am just planning on paying it off next month and then going to 200 mb only
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CEO Confirms All iPads on T-Mobile Receive 200MB Free Data Each Month
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My store has a $75 restocking fee. I am just planning on paying it off next month and then going to 200 mb only
Sprint does have a $15/2gig plan for existing customers that im considering and its the first offer thats turned my head from the t-mobile deal. If i can strap into a 2 yr commitment for $100 off even better.
Absolutely, if you have internet service at home and stay off YouTube when on the go, you won't use much data. At least that's my experience. I don't know what the folks who use 200 MB per day are doing!
Unwittingly ran thru mine in 20 min because I hadn't optimized all the settings on my air for minimizing cell usage. Just used 5.6mb for email, which is the entire draw for me.
Will try again next month..... Not a critical feature but a nice surprise on an already awesome tablet!
They should specify free for existing customers. And $10 fee for those with no other Tmobile service. The way they advertised it, and tried to clarify it. Makes it very confusing. Would rather just go to a place like Best Buy or something and pick one up without the 3g service. For the same price i can purchase a 16gb Tmobile one, i can get a Wifi only 32gb one from them. And they have a promo that you can have 18 months no interest if you pay it back on a best buy card by that time. It just seems like there is too much confusion with Tmobile. I thought it would be an easy way to finance a tablet with zero down and zero interest. But doing it through Apple or Best Buy or whoever would be easier and less hassle in my case.
People are confusing two different promos!!!
Those are two separate things.
In order to qualify for (1) the zero percent financing option, you must have an ACTIVE data plan (i.e., become a T-Mobile user - does not have to be a phone plan, can be data only through iPad)... T-Mobile data tiers START at $10/mo for a 200 MB plan, which becomes throttled after 200 MB of use. You can also opt for more data at a higher price. IF YOU LEAVE ANY PAID DATA PLAN (i.e., cancel T-Mobile data service on the iPad), you will forfeit the terms of the payment plan and be responsible for the remaining balance of the device.
In order to qualify for (2) 200 MB of free data with NO STRINGS ATTACHED, you must own a device outright. This is eligible for ANYONE, both OLD and NEW customers. The 200 MB of free data is NOT considered being an active T-Mobile subscriber. ANYONE with a cellular iPad and a T-Mobile SIM card can qualify for the 200 MB of free data. THIS DATA PLAN (not to be confused with the $10/mo plan) is CAPPED... and SHUTS OFF after the 200 MB allotment is used. There is NO CHARGE ever.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPTION 2, you must own your device outright, whether it is an old iPad or a new one purchased at full price from any retailer. *** You cannot be eligible for both the financing AND the FREE 200 MB capped data *** IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FINANCING (aka Option 1), then you MUST have an active T-Mobile data plan on the device.
They don't have to specify because it's not true. You do not have the be an existing customer to get the free data. You just have to own the iPad outright, or at least not financed through T-Mobile.
***
Regarding #1 above: Of course T-Mobile is not going to let you FINANCE with 0% interest with NO STRINGS ATTACHED. They have to get something, which is a paid data plan.
Regarding #2 above: The 200 MB free for anyone who OWNS (not financed through T-Mobile) a cellular iPad is NO STRINGS ATTACHED, unless you consider owning a cellular iPad a "string."
Those are two separate things.
In order to qualify for (1) the zero percent financing option, you must have an ACTIVE data plan (i.e., become a T-Mobile user - does not have to be a phone plan, can be data only through iPad)... T-Mobile data tiers START at $10/mo for a 200 MB plan, which becomes throttled after 200 MB of use. You can also opt for more data at a higher price. IF YOU LEAVE ANY PAID DATA PLAN (i.e., cancel T-Mobile data service on the iPad), you will forfeit the terms of the payment plan and be responsible for the remaining balance of the device.
In order to qualify for (2) 200 MB of free data with NO STRINGS ATTACHED, you must own a device outright. This is eligible for ANYONE, both OLD and NEW customers. The 200 MB of free data is NOT considered being an active T-Mobile subscriber. ANYONE with a cellular iPad and a T-Mobile SIM card can qualify for the 200 MB of free data. THIS DATA PLAN (not to be confused with the $10/mo plan) is CAPPED... and SHUTS OFF after the 200 MB allotment is used. There is NO CHARGE ever.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPTION 2, you must own your device outright, whether it is an old iPad or a new one purchased at full price from any retailer. *** You cannot be eligible for both the financing AND the FREE 200 MB capped data *** IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FINANCING (aka Option 1), then you MUST have an active T-Mobile data plan on the device.
They don't have to specify because it's not true. You do not have the be an existing customer to get the free data. You just have to own the iPad outright, or at least not financed through T-Mobile.
***
Regarding #1 above: Of course T-Mobile is not going to let you FINANCE with 0% interest with NO STRINGS ATTACHED. They have to get something, which is a paid data plan.
Regarding #2 above: The 200 MB free for anyone who OWNS (not financed through T-Mobile) a cellular iPad is NO STRINGS ATTACHED, unless you consider owning a cellular iPad a "string."
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Well godamnit I was reassured multiple times by sales and CSR by phone that i will be able to use free 200mb plan while on payment plan. Which contradicts the website they admit. Ahh! And I am a new T-Mobile customer. Do I cancel my order wtf?!
The problem is, they never specified that. The original press release DID make it sound like you could both finance and get 200mb for free with no strings attached. Then the CEO said that everyone gets 200mb for free, with no strings attached. But, if you go click the ipad air on their website it forces you to choose a plan starting at $10 a month. That's a string!
Yes of course it makes sense for T-Mobile to charge you for a plan if you finance an iPad. The problem is that their press releases have never been clear and a couple have directly contradicted that. I'm not faulting them for not being generous enough with the free data, I'm faulting them for not being clear and making it seem like you would not have to pay anything when actually you do.
EDIT: Also, at this time I have tried to buy a Sim card to put in my iPad 3 which should be able to get the 200mb of data without signing up for a plan. But I can't checkout. Their online ordering process seems to be down.
Basically, you have the two options:
(1) Buy a new cellular iPad at full price from ANY retailer. OR own an older generation cellular iPad. Get yourself a T-Mobile SIM card. Fill in some non-specifics on the iPad to activate, and BOOM - 200 MB free data, which shuts off after the allotment is met (monthly).
(2) Finance a cellular iPad through T-Mobile's EIP plan. If you choose this option, you are agreeing to have a paid data plan on your device for the duration of the finance period. These paid data plans start at $10 for 200 MB, that which throttles after the allotment is met. If you do not want to pay for a data plan with T-Mobile, then you will violate the terms of the EIP and thus, not be eligible for T-Mobile financing.
While there is no contract to USE data on T-Mobile for any device (that is, you can pay for data one month, skip one month, then pay for it again another month) there IS a contract for FINANCING. It says: In order to qualify for this financing program, you must have a minimum $10 data plan on your device for the duration of the finance period. Once you decide to forgo a T-Mobile paid data plan, then you decide to forgo T-Mobile financing.
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YES - the 200 MB *IS* no strings attached. The financing *IS NOT* no strings attached. So you can choose to get the free 200 MB capped data - but then you will not be eligible for the financing. I'll admit, it's sneaky of them to be so ambiguous, but it DOES make sense. It's the same with AT&T's NEXT program. You must have an active paid data plan for the duration of the finance period in order to keep financing. The FREE 200 MB is not a paid data plan. That is a stipulation for the financing, NOT a stipulation for the free data.
Once you get your SIM card, pop it in your iPad 3 and you'll see that you have success with free data, like many people on this thread have reported. It's just - if you try to take advantage of their financing, it WILL force a paid data plan on you. You need to just buy the device outright if you want ONLY the free data.
(1) Buy a new cellular iPad at full price from ANY retailer. OR own an older generation cellular iPad. Get yourself a T-Mobile SIM card. Fill in some non-specifics on the iPad to activate, and BOOM - 200 MB free data, which shuts off after the allotment is met (monthly).
(2) Finance a cellular iPad through T-Mobile's EIP plan. If you choose this option, you are agreeing to have a paid data plan on your device for the duration of the finance period. These paid data plans start at $10 for 200 MB, that which throttles after the allotment is met. If you do not want to pay for a data plan with T-Mobile, then you will violate the terms of the EIP and thus, not be eligible for T-Mobile financing.
While there is no contract to USE data on T-Mobile for any device (that is, you can pay for data one month, skip one month, then pay for it again another month) there IS a contract for FINANCING. It says: In order to qualify for this financing program, you must have a minimum $10 data plan on your device for the duration of the finance period. Once you decide to forgo a T-Mobile paid data plan, then you decide to forgo T-Mobile financing.
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YES - the 200 MB *IS* no strings attached. The financing *IS NOT* no strings attached. So you can choose to get the free 200 MB capped data - but then you will not be eligible for the financing. I'll admit, it's sneaky of them to be so ambiguous, but it DOES make sense. It's the same with AT&T's NEXT program. You must have an active paid data plan for the duration of the finance period in order to keep financing. The FREE 200 MB is not a paid data plan. That is a stipulation for the financing, NOT a stipulation for the free data.
Once you get your SIM card, pop it in your iPad 3 and you'll see that you have success with free data, like many people on this thread have reported. It's just - if you try to take advantage of their financing, it WILL force a paid data plan on you. You need to just buy the device outright if you want ONLY the free data.
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Been on the phone with T-Mobile all day and the customer service manager told me I had to pay $10/month because I purchased the iPad via an installment plan. I'm pretty upset as the T-Mobile store assured me that the data would be free and proceeded to allow me to purchase using an installment plan.
There's a 14 say buyer's remorse clause for new contracts so I will be returning my purchase. I've been an AT&T customer since the 2G iPhone, T-Mobile almost got my business (5 iPhone lines).
There's a 14 say buyer's remorse clause for new contracts so I will be returning my purchase. I've been an AT&T customer since the 2G iPhone, T-Mobile almost got my business (5 iPhone lines).
I don't understand the fascination of the ability to spread out the cost over 2 years. I mean, I hate to sound cricitical or anything, but if you don't have $500 in your bank account for these new iPads, maybe you shouldn't buy one. Personally, I usually wait for a bonus from work or some thing like that to buy something like this. I'm not getting a bonus until the end of the year, so I will not be buying it until then...I can wait a little bit longer on my iPad 2
Time value of money
In essence it is a discount
Obviously this only applies if paid data plan isn't required. Which they told me wasn't. I guess I'm going to end up paying in full. Won't be switching my phone to T-Mobile - bad taste in mouth.
You guys are right. I just re-read the press release and it very much does make it seem like you can qualify for both the financing AND the free data. However, at the very, very bottom with the asterisk, it DOES say that if you cancel wireless service (cancel a paid plan), you will have to pay the remaining balance on the device (you are no longer eligible for financing).
It sucks that it's extremely unclear... but for anyone who still has any questions about it, unfortunately that is the reality. Financing = MUST pay for a data plan for the entire duration of the finance period. The 200 MB free data is not a paid plan, and thus, violates the terms of the financing agreement. You can still get the 200 MB free, you just won't be able to finance.
The T-Mobile CSR that I spoke with told me that as a new customer you need to be on a plan, the on-demand data plan. He also told yes you are charged $10/month for the on-demand data plan but you are credited back the $10 each month. This is what his supervisor told him as well. You end up with 200MB/month cost $0. This is for the $26.25 24-month interest free finance plan.
This is what I was told as well by phone. I am in the same exact scenario. Both sales that rang the order and the CSR i was transfered to said this.
the problem with that is you won't find out for 100% until the end of December or January, when your first bill actually shows up. as will I. now what?
Yeah, when I was in the store buying mine the regional manager called and talked to the sales rep helping me. They said the same thing. My hunch is this will be all worked out early next week, I don't think it's a malicious ploy. I just think nobody knows what they are doing. I still can't even log in.
And if somehow it's not, we all get to be part of a class action lawsuit. So win, win.
I heard something along those lines too, but I'm hesitant to believe if this is an exception they are making for people who are inquiring or if that is just how it's supposed to be. I just know that a paid data plan is required to finance. The $10 monthly credit seems like a case by case basis, but would be nice if it were true for everyone. Problem is, most people don't want to sign up for a T-Mobile account and pay $10/mo and get credited back $10/mo. They want to go into the iPad settings and put in name, address, phone, and get 200 MB free. Fair enough, as that's how it appears to be advertised.
At that point if they end up charging the best choice would probably be to pay in full and actually get the free plan.
I am waiting for T-Mobile to get the 64GB iPad Air before I go for the 24-month interest free loan. I believe that you will get credited back $10/month.
The CSR told me that it is not a case by case situation. Everyone gets the free 200MB data plan no matter what. I think the problem is that not all T-Mobile employees are on the same page regarding the free data plan. I e-mailed John Legere about this pointing to this thread.
That is assuming that ppl want Tmobile data service. I think alot of ppl, like me just wanted to finance the ipad. But not nec worried about the Tmobile service itself. Or maybe finance at 0% and try and use it with another provider. Me personally, i was going to try and use it on Verizon somehow. And if i could not, just use wifi only. And keep the 200mb in case of emergency and i had to use it. But i can live with a wifi only tablet. And get it somewhere else.
If it is a ploy then a law suit will happen. John Legere seems like a very smart business man. I doubt he wants to piss off potential customers and future customers.
That's the boat I'm in. I'd like the free data for conveniences sake. I can always tether to my phone. Itll be too late to return it at that point though.