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

[gnasher729]

I think Apple's site is a little misleading too. There is no asterisk or anything. It just says 200 MB free per month.

It's not misleading. It says you get 200 MB data free per month. If you sign up and they don't want to give you the free data, you don't complain about a misleading advert, you complain about not getting the free data. And you complain until you get it.

 

[redscull]

Can't imagine Apple would be too happy about this either? Now Apple's website is incredibly misleading when going to purchase a T-Mobile iPad.

Apple's web site isn't the least bit misleading. It is 100% accurate. If you buy from Apple, you don't get to finance. You're paying for the whole iPad up front, and when you do that, you do indeed get completely free 200MB/mo from T-Mobile.

It is only when you buy from T-Mobile directly and use their nothing down, no-interest financing that you find out you must subscribe to at least the $20/mo data plan.

 

[outie2k]

I think Apple's site is a little misleading too. There is no asterisk or anything. It just says 200 MB free per month.

Apple's site is for full price. When you buy the iPad upfront you are not signing up for T-mo's financing plan, and thus you are able to get real free 200MB data.

 

[mattais]

aannnnddd just like that, I'm out.

T-mobile's whole "uncarier" crap is really quite thinly veiled. Fair play to them, though; they've managed to think of a totally new way to charge what ends up being the same price as everyone else.

 

[macduke]

So lets wait 24 hours and see what they will come up with tomorrow. Maybe only owners of the silver iPad will get the 200MB.

"We were only talking about the iPad Mini with Retina Display in gold. So the 2014 model. And only if you buy a two pack, otherwise it's only 100MB. I know it gets confusing, but that's how we roll at T-Mobile."

- T-Mobile CEO Extraordinaire

 

[TOYSTER17]

I think Apple's site is a little misleading too. There is no asterisk or anything. It just says 200 MB free per month.

If you buy it from Apple, or from T-Mobile at full price, or even bring an existing iPad over to T-Mobile, you get the 200MB free. The monthly charge is only for those financing an iPad from T-Mobile and currently not a T-Mobile customer.

 

[MichaelJohnston]

I bought my iPad from a T-Mobile store using the EIP (equipment installment plan), threw down $30 for 2.5GB of data for this month only with the intention of going down to the free 200 MB of data for the rest of the time that I have it and was told by the salesman (who confirmed with their sales support rep) that I would be able to do so. If I can't do this, I don't want a cellular iPad and I certainly don't think I should be responsible to pay their $75 restocking fee. It's their fault, not mine.

 

[AppleFan4Life83]

Not True...

I purchased one from a T-Mobile store on Saturday evening and I did not have to sign up for any additional service. I have phone service through AT&T and have never had service with T-Mobile. All they did was run my credit to make sure I qualified for the offer and they simply told me to pay the $26 a month starting in January. The employee attempted to up-sell me on getting a higher data plan (which I expected), but I told her I won't be using it out of the house much and she did not press any further.

So, maybe I'm lucky. But I did not have to sign up for a data plan...

 

[kwikdeth]

aannnnddd just like that, I'm out.

T-mobile's whole "uncarier" crap is really quite thinly veiled. Fair play to them, though; they've managed to think of a totally new way to charge what ends up being the same price as everyone else.

yes to their credit, i think its a good thing that they are breaking the pricing down the way that they are - people at least starting to understand that if they're not financing a handset purchase they're just getting ripped off on the other carriers.



my current problem with tmo is lack of availability of the larger ipads! I have been looking at their site since friday and there's no availability of 64 or 128gb ipads unless you go direct through apple - nothing on tmo's site.
[EDIT] of course now they're showing up when i go look....

 

[sammaffei]

Um, well, what did you expect

If you are "financing" the iPad with T-mobile, I would expect to have to get a data plan. But, it you buy it "outright" from Apple (With t-mobile connectivity), you do get 200MB a month free. I did exactly that was was able to signup for the account with no credit card info.

I always thought that would be the case and it is. Don't see where the controversy is…

 

[DDGator]

Okay, let's be real here. If you have to finance an iPad, you shouldn't be buying one.

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.

 

[kemal]

Wow. John Legere is a bit of a Richard Stephenson.

 

[ricktat]

I don't understand what is misleading about this? Yes, the 200mb is still free for whoever. No, they aren't going to give you free financing and free data. You either buy the iPad straight up, or you pay for monthly access. It's called business.

Best Buy, Apple, and Walmart all offer free financing.. For Free and then you can go to T-Mobile and get Free 200mb.

T-Mobile offering Free Finance and Free 200mb shouldn't have been a stretch. A simple disclaimer from day 1 would have resolved this.

Changing, updating, and you CEO even being confused is why people are mad.

 

[darkslide29]

LOL. I am annoyed at T-Mobile (but mostly myself for not investigating this more closely).

I decided to keep my iPad 3rd gen w/cellular for another year.
But when I read no money down and 200 free mb, how could I resist?
I sold my iPad on eBay that same day. (Mostly because my AT&T iPad 3rd gen cannot do LTE on T-Mobile. Otherwise I would have kept it, and brought it over to T-Mobile).

Now I have no iPad, and a bad taste in my mouth of T-Mobile that will be long lasting.

I suppose I will spring for either the wifi only version, or go with an AT&T/Verizon iPad.

Shame on you T-Mobile. And shame on me for not thinking about the old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (especially when it comes to phone companies!)."

 

[LucasLand]

Stick with the wifi only iPads. Screw these cell companies

 

[tl01]

$20 for 700 mb? I get 4 gb... For $40... On Verizon. Much better deal!

 

[darkslide29]

I bought my iPad from a T-Mobile store using the EIP (equipment installment plan), threw down $30 for 2.5GB of data for this month only with the intention of going down to the free 200 MB of data for the rest of the time that I have it and was told by the salesman (who confirmed with their sales support rep) that I would be able to do so. If I can't do this, I don't want a cellular iPad and I certainly don't think I should be responsible to pay their $75 restocking fee. It's their fault, not mine.

You may be billed for the full amount of the iPad for canceling a data plan before the iPad is paid off in full. Good luck to you getting this straightened out.

 

[RMo]

Can't imagine Apple would be too happy about this either? Now Apple's website is incredibly misleading when going to purchase a T-Mobile iPad.

No, it's not. This article is very lengthily worded, but it's basically this: most people could get free data from T-Mobile. You don't get it only if you finance the iPad from T-Mobile--and can you blame them? Paying nothing down and getting a bit of data each month also for nothing seems a bit too good to be true. But even then, you can still get free data if you have an existing T-Mobile plan. (EDIT: And actually, you still get 200 MB free with the financing plan; it just goes on top of whatever plan you need to have as a little extra.)


So: buying from Apple? You're paying full price. You can't use T-Mobile's financing offer. You can get free data. Just like it says.

 

[darkslide29]

If you are "financing" the iPad with T-mobile, I would expect to have to get a data plan. But, it you buy it "outright" from Apple (With t-mobile connectivity), you do get 200MB a month free. I did exactly that was was able to signup for the account with no credit card info.

I always thought that would be the case and it is. Don't see where the controversy is…

Controversy is that the CEO tweeted and many, many articles on tech sites made it sound like you could do both. I read a CNET article that said you could do both. Financed for 24 mos, and 200mb of data, no strings attached.

And that's why it was making headlines everywhere - because it was never-before-seen this way at any other carrier, and better than expected.

 

[TheBama]

I don't understand what is misleading about this? Yes, the 200mb is still free for whoever. No, they aren't going to give you free financing and free data. You either buy the iPad straight up, or you pay for monthly access. It's called business.

That was my thought too. The 200mb is free but the service contract comes with the financing deals. Only a deadbeat would expect to get it financed for free, and be able to immediately cancel the contract they just signed and ride for free.

 

[durkkin]

Wait, so in order to finance an iPad through T-Mobile you have to be a paying customer?! This is outrageous!!! T-Mobile should be ashamed of themselves! /sarcasm

But really though, the title of this article is more misleading than anything. Requiring customers to have some sort of data plan through T-Mobile in order to FINANCE an iPad is not worth all this fuss. They're not a bank. Finance your iPad through Barclays and get the free data, or buy it outright and get the free data. I think it's funny people get so worked up and act like they're entitled to free things. Yeah, it would have been cool to get an iPad financed at retail price and free data along with it, but I don't think this policy is in the least bit surprising or uncalled for. And really, all the CEO said is that everyone gets free data, which is still true. All that changed is that new customers who want to finance an iPad with no money down have to have a monthly data plan. Seems reasonable.

 

[wigby]

he should be sued personally for lying to get new customers. isnt that a clear case of fraud?

it's more a clear case of awful media skills. i hope they lose a lot of customers for such boneheaded pr. they certainly won't gain any. i was all prepared to buy iPad air or mini just for this deal and i've been an att customer for years. now they lost that opportunity. dopes.

 

[mikew3]

It is only when you buy from T-Mobile directly and use their nothing down, no-interest financing that you find out you must subscribe to at least the $20/mo data plan.

exactly.

and then, once you buy the $20/mo plan for 500mb, you still get 200mb free data, for a total of 700mb. $30/mo for 2.5gb +200mb = 2.7gb, etc

 

[kevinbal]

LOL.

I am annoyed at T-Mobile (but mostly myself for not investigating this more closely).

I decided to keep my iPad 3rd gen w/cellular for another year.
But when I read no money down and 200 free mb, how could I resist?
I sold my iPad on eBay that same day. (Mostly because my AT&T iPad 3rd gen cannot do LTE on T-Mobile (otherwise I would have brought it over to T-Mobile).

Now I have no iPad, and a bad taste of T-Mobile that will be long lasting.

I suppose I will spring for either the wifi only version, or go with an AT&T/Verizon iPad.

Shame on you T-Mobile. And shame on me for not thinking about the old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (especially when it comes to phone companies!)."

Eh, I wouldn't get too worked up. Finance your iPad via a credit card, rather than T-Mobile. If you do out the same payments, over the same period (assuming you put down tax and additional upgrade costs), you only end up paying 50-60 dollars at a rate of 11.99% over a year+. If spreading out the payments over a period of time is important, that's not a huge amount extra to pay. Still far cheaper than getting an actual plan with T-Mobile.

I'm just going to throw a T-Mobile iPad Air on my Chase card and do this. If I feel like paying it off earlier, I will, if not... not a huge deal considering free data.

 

[wigby]

No, it's not. This article is very lengthily worded, but it's basically this: most people could get free data from T-Mobile. You don't get it only if you finance the iPad from T-Mobile--and can you blame them? Paying nothing down and getting a bit of data each month also for nothing seems a bit too good to be true. But even then, you can still get free data if you have an existing T-Mobile plan.

So: buying from Apple? You're paying full price. You can't use T-Mobile's financing offer. You can get free data. Just like it says.

no. you're not getting free data. you're just paying a little bit less per mb. the offer they floated that got people into stores and interested in iPad is completely misleading and wrong. maybe illegal but i doubt you can hold them to a few stupid tweets by a twit ceo.