T-Mobile CEO Misleads on 'No Strings Attached' Free Data, New Customers Require $20 Data Plan to Finance iPads

[MrXiro]

No mate, no it wouldn't. It would be similar to buying a car at 0 down and 0 interest and getting a small amount of gas free for life. But then if you wanted more gas, you had to buy it from the same place that sold you the car. See the difference, there?

Do the math. Actually, don't; I did it two weeks ago when I was looking for a new contract. For a single plan using more than 2GB of data, here's what it will cost you to run an iPhone 5s for two years with all costs including buying and paying off the handset:

At&t: $2640
Tmobile: $2541.12
Sprint: $2280
Verizon: $2040

Hard to argue with numbers, which is what it ultimately comes down to. I'm not saying your 5 person family plan isn't a good deal, I'm saying that Tmobile aren't revolutionising the industry in terms of cost like they claim to be. What they are really doing is presenting what is essentially the same deal as everyone else, in a new format. It's not until you sit down and work out how much it's going to cost at the end of day that you realise that you are still getting screwed.

That is unless you byo your phone like I am doing. Also if you're like my mom and dad who don't upgrade for 4 years paying the "full price" is a terrible deal. Do the math again without having to buy new phones every 2 years and you've got a hell of a better deal. That ends up being 600 over 2 years 750 if they bought a phone to use for 4 years.

 

[spicynujac]

Most every bank that offers online services, has a free online bill payment system that affords people to pay their bills at a certain day of the month without the need to use stamps. .

That's fine and dandy, but it still doesn't mean you are going to earn a meaningful "profit" by borrowing money to pay for an ipad. The rule of thumb I always follow is never borrow money to buy an asset which decreases in value over time. Which generally means don't borrow money to buy anything other than real estate. I think it's sad that people have to borrow money to pay for a phone or tablet.

People should be grateful T Mobile is offering ANY free data. I sure am, and I would likely jump through some hoops to get it (such as you must buy the device at a T Mobile store) but they are not. They are just staying pay us $10 a month if we lend you money to buy the device or pay for your own damn device, and either way you get 200MB free data. That's way more than any other carrier is offering, and frankly it's ridiculous that so many crybabies are whining about it.

 

[mikew3]

It is not FREE, if you have to pay to get something that is "FREE", it is not FREE.

When you put a cost on something, the term FREE no longer exist.

IT IS NOT FREE. Damnit, i feel like i am talking to a wall

I will give you my one millione dollar super car Audi R8 for free, but you have to buy my Bel Air $13 million dollar house.

Is the car free? no, it COST you 13 million to get the car

you're retarded

the car was free. the house cost $13m.

are all apple fanboys this stupid?

 

[Taz Mangus]

People should be grateful T Mobile is offering ANY free data. I sure am, and I would likely jump through some hoops to get it (such as you must buy the device at a T Mobile store) but they are not. They are just staying pay us $10 a month if we lend you money to buy the device or pay for your own damn device, and either way you get 200MB free data. That's way more than any other carrier is offering, and frankly it's ridiculous that so many crybabies are whining about it.

Where do you get that in order to get the free 200MB data plan offer that you are required to buy the iPad from T-Mobile? You can buy the iPad from anywhere and then get a sim from T-Mobile and get the free 200MB data plan. Does not matter if you are a new or existing customer. Yes, you can certainly buy the iPad from T-Mobile but it is not required to do so. Not sure what hoops you are referring to. Why are people making this harder than it needs to be.

And since you are not interested in financing the iPad then it is even simpler for you to take advantage of the free 200MB data plan. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[mahermusic]

.

 

[c1phers]

That's fine and dandy, but it still doesn't mean you are going to earn a meaningful "profit" by borrowing money to pay for an ipad. The rule of thumb I always follow is never borrow money to buy an asset which decreases in value over time. Which generally means don't borrow money to buy anything other than real estate. I think it's sad that people have to borrow money to pay for a phone or tablet.

People should be grateful T Mobile is offering ANY free data. I sure am, and I would likely jump through some hoops to get it (such as you must buy the device at a T Mobile store) but they are not. They are just staying pay us $10 a month if we lend you money to buy the device or pay for your own damn device, and either way you get 200MB free data. That's way more than any other carrier is offering, and frankly it's ridiculous that so many crybabies are whining about it.

Oh so you must pay for your cars in cash then.

If I can buy something at 0% interest and put my money in an interest bearing account I would all day every day, not that I NEED to, but it makes sense to. You must not like free money.

 

[mysticbluebmw]

This is what's wrong with our society.... The greed. 0% financing OR free data are both free by themselves but is it good enough?? No... We need to have our cake and eat it too...

And honestly if one needs financing for iPad, they probably should not be buying it.... I'm waiting for my bonus from work to get it instead of getting it now when I don't have enough money in the bank

LOL, if you don't have enough money in the bank and must wait for your bonus to have the cash, you can't afford it, either.

Again, your missing the point. People aren't feeling entitled, their upset with false or misleading advertising. Companies need to be held accountable for misleading potential customers, plain and simple.

 

[c1phers]

Again, your missing the point. People aren't feeling entitled, their upset with false or misleading advertising. Companies need to be held accountable for misleading potential customers, plain and simple.

EXACTLY. I don't get why this turned into an affordability argument. Plain and simple people are pissed off about the false advertising.

 

[GadgetGav]

Misleading is misleading. Marketing is using FACTUAL EVIDENCE to sell someone on a product. Real marketing isn't outright misleading. Misleading is. I get that in your cynical world you think they're one in the same, but they're not.

Please try to understand that this time, because I have no interest in explaining it to you again.

Gosh, it's so hard to understand. Please explain it to me again and again...

Where did you get the definition that "Marketing is using FACTUAL EVIDENCE to sell someone on a product"..? Must be from the Utopia Business School. I bet it's nice there.

 

[Rajani Isa]

[...]
But it is not the case, everyone gets 200mb "EXCEPT" new financing customer.

If this was true, a new customer finacing an iPad would recieve only 500mb a month data.

Not the 700 they get.

As for your car and house analogy - that is only true if you buy the house solely to get the car and don't want or do anything with the house.

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Gosh, it's so hard to understand. Please explain it to me again and again...

Where did you get the definition that "Marketing is using FACTUAL EVIDENCE to sell someone on a product"..? Must be from the Utopia Business School. I bet it's nice there.

Utopia CONSUMERS school, rather.

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LOL, if you don't have enough money in the bank and must wait for your bonus to have the cash, you can't afford it, either.

Again, your missing the point. People aren't feeling entitled, their upset with false or misleading advertising. Companies need to be held accountable for misleading potential customers, plain and simple.

Sounds like he can afford it, but is using responsible budgeting. iPads are not something you are buying every day or month. Using a 1-time infusion of cash to cover it is responsible.

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you're retarded

the car was free. the house cost $13m.

are all apple fanboys this stupid?

I've seen ones that would be considered ravenous fanbois get it better.

I think in this case we just have aT-Mobile hater. Maybe T-mobile ran over their dog?

 

[Judas1]

iPad isn't just a toy, it is a productivity tool. Some people don't have the money to shell out for one -- why judge them because they finance something like this?

Besides, T-Mobile is providing FREE financing. Why, exactly, is that a problem is anyone's world? I often take advantage of free financing because it is free money and I can keep making money on my money during the promotions period.

I guess consider yourself lucky you can shell out cash for an iPad, but don't judge others.

Let's be real. Its a toy. If you're using it for productivity you're using it wrong because there are other options out there that are more productive. And as an advice, financing should only be used as an investment where the investment pays more than the cost of finance. Businesses borrow from banks all the time, but businesses make up for it in revenue. If you have $500 or you could save $500, you buy it outright. Financing is the way to pay for those that don't have the money. Which means you shouldn't have bought it.

 

[Judas1]

^^^ guy who knows nothing about finance.

^ Guy who doesn't know the value of a dollar. You are not saving much at all with 0% financing on $500, and you are asking for a world of hurt. Spend you money elsewhere if you can't afford it.

 

[filmbuff]

Let's be real. Its a toy.

Not a toy for me. 0% interest financing would go a long way for my wallet. Luckily even though T-Mobile misled I can still it at 0% on a credit card.

 

[gotluck]

^ Guy who doesn't know the value of a dollar. You are not saving much at all with 0% financing on $500, and you are asking for a world of hurt. Spend you money elsewhere if you can't afford it.

There are no disadvantages to 0% financing bro

Time value of money is part of the value of a dollar

ITT People who finance things for free cant afford them

 

[Judas1]

There are no disadvantages to 0% financing bro

Time value of money is part of the value of a dollar

ITT People who finance things for free can't afford them

Except for the risk of falling into debt. Which is the purpose of this type of financing in the first place. Yes its smart to consider the time value of money, but it only becomes important when you talk about years, and compounded interest. This is financing for 6 months on $500 which means its only valuable for people that can't afford it.

 

[gotluck]

Except for the risk of falling into debt. Which is the purpose of this type of financing in the first place. Yes its smart to consider the time value of money, but it only becomes important when you talk about years, and compounded interest. This is financing for 6 months on $500 which means its only valuable for people that can't afford it.

it's for 24 mo's based on $630 and is seems early orders are not subject to required data charges

there are no downsides for those who were quick enough

best deal on cellular ipad air yet..

I know how to budget $26.25 / mo

 

[spicynujac]

Where do you get that in order to get the free 200MB data plan offer that you are required to buy the iPad from T-Mobile? Not sure what hoops you are referring to. Why are people making this harder than it needs to be.

I'm afraid I only contributed to all the noise here. Read my post again.. I said I WOULD be willing to jump through hoops for free data, such as buy from T mobile directly, become a t mobile voice customer, etc. because free cellular data is such a great benefit, and I am extremely eager and grateful for it, BUT T mobile is NOT making anyone do that. The point is that they are offering something for free, and instead of complaining that it's not the version of free that you want, just be happy and try to take advantage of it. I mean it's ridiculous expect to borrow money to buy an ipad and also receive free data service on it.

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Oh so you must pay for your cars in cash then.

If I can buy something at 0% interest and put my money in an interest bearing account I would all day every day, not that I NEED to, but it makes sense to. You must not like free money.

I do pay cash for used cars and keep them for a LONG time.

If I could get 0% interest for a big purchase, I would consider it. But honestly the $630 is already sitting in my bank account, earning me 0.2% interest, or $1.26 a year. To me it is not worth the time and hassle of financing something, being beholden to a finance company which owns my device until it is paid off, being unable to easily sell said device within the first 2 years, being tied down to a monetary obligation every month for 2 years, going into debt, and taking the time needed to finance this, set up bill pay or mail in payments, and end / terminate my obligation, and having a budget that is ~$26 smaller every month for the next 24 months, and I would gladly forfeit that $1.26 for both years in order to do away with all of the above. I don't like the stress and anxiety of "owing" anybody anything, and I like to own things outright. But I do understand there are people out there who would finance their Starbucks coffee purchases if they could.

Oh and I almost forgot the BEST reason to buy your own ipad outright--free 200MB of cellular data without any data plan obligation !

 

[Taz Mangus]

I'm afraid I only contributed to all the noise here. Read my post again.. I said I WOULD be willing to jump through hoops for free data, such as buy from T mobile directly, become a t mobile voice customer, etc. because free cellular data is such a great benefit, and I am extremely eager and grateful for it, BUT T mobile is NOT making anyone do that. The point is that they are offering something for free, and instead of complaining that it's not the version of free that you want, just be happy and try to take advantage of it. I mean it's ridiculous expect to borrow money to buy an ipad and also receive free data service on it.

Okay.

 

[scbn]

Update on my previous posts.

Confirmed: I got my free micro SIM card in the mail yesterday (it's the same phone SIM card that works on tablet too); insert it into my iPad 4, turn off wifi, open Safari, it automatically routed you to the t-mobile registration site. After that, it works with the free 200MB/month plan.

No string attached, as far as I can tell.

 

[SeaFox]

Self employed?

Start-up costs = financed by your small business loan/seed money. Not some retailer financing.

 

[gotluck]

Start-up costs = financed by your small business loan/seed money. Not some retailer financing.

still dont get how poeple are complaining about 0% financing, it's cheaper than both of your mentioned sources

 

[Rajani Isa]

Let's be real. Its a toy. If you're using it for productivity you're using it wrong because there are other options out there that are more productive.

Because your way is the only way of doing things.

There are plenty of people who get a large amount of productivity from their iPads - and plenty that get noticeable productivity AND entertainment.

 

[ruddyman]

For those "non-customers" who financed ipads - Here's what they did for me

After shock and surprise that I would not receive the deal without paying for the $20 data package, they sent me away and took a few days to get back with me on what they were willing to do.

They gave me the option to either receive a $100 account credit or return the device waiving the restocking fee. I opted to return the device.

I'm not sure what to think. I thought the deal was too good to be true (finance + free data for non-subscribers) so I talked to several reps who confirmed the deal as I read it. Two reps thought it was too good to be true so they asked a supervisor who once again verified that I would not see recurring charges even as a non-subscriber. Then I went into the store and received the same information!

I can't understand how so many T-mobile employees including supervisors could get it so wrong on a big rollout like this. Two days later, you call customer service, and everyone's on the same exact page. I'd like to give T-mobile the benefit of the doubt, but it's hard. Hard to believe the confusion wasn't intentional (they did make headlines for all the iPads they sold). I don't have any proof, of course.

As it ends up, they did not honor the offer confirmed to me by several reps. I didn't get angry over it and the employees treated me kindly, but 5 months of no recurring charges (in the $100 credit) is not the same as 24 months.

 

[DCJ001]

it's for 24 mo's based on $630 and is seems early orders are not subject to required data charges

there are no downsides for those who were quick enough

best deal on cellular ipad air yet..

I know how to budget $26.25 / mo

Actually, the best deal was to buy a cellular 16GB iPad Air from Target for $629, with a Target red card (5% back) on Thanksgiving day, receive a $100 gift card, and get a T-Mobile sim card with 200mb of free data each 30 days for life.

This is what I did.

 

[gotluck]

Actually, the best deal was to buy a cellular 16GB iPad Air from Target for $629, with a Target red card (5% back) on Thanksgiving day, receive a $100 gift card, and get a T-Mobile sim card with 200mb of free data each 30 days for life.

This is what I did.

Well that was written before thanksgiving