T-Mobile Launches 'Go5G Plus' Two-Year Upgrade Plan, Will Help Would-Be Customers Get Out of Device Contracts

[MacRumors]

T-Mobile today announced "Phone Freedom," which it is calling its latest Un-carrier move. Phone Freedom includes multiple facets, such as a new upgrade plan and options to help customers get out of their smartphone contracts when switching.

Go5G Plus is T-Mobile's new wireless plan that includes an upgraded device every two years. T-Mobile says that it ensures new and existing customers will get the "same great device deals" along with $270 "in added value every month" for families that have multiple lines.

The Go5G Plus plan includes 50GB of hotspot data per month and 15GB of data in Mexico and Canada each month. Right now, T-Mobile is offering a promotion that includes a free 5G phone with an eligible trade-in, along with a free third line.

There are caveats, though. Go5G Plus is T-Mobile's most expensive plan at $90 per month for a single line with AutoPay enabled. Prices get cheaper with more lines, with two and three lines both priced at $150/month and a fourth line available for $185/month total for all four lines. It is on par with Magenta MAX at the three line level, but more expensive for four lines. T-Mobile's Magenta and Essentials plans are cheaper, as is the "Go5G, a plan that does not offer unlimited high-speed data.

For customers who want to swap to T-Mobile but who are locked into AT&T with a three-year device contract, T-Mobile says that it will pay off the old phone and give customers a new phone on the T-Mobile network through the "Easy Unlock" option.

There is also a "Go Back Guarantee" for switchers who try T-Mobile and then decide they want to return to their prior carrier.

T-Mobile says that it is making these changes because "millions of people" are locked into three-year device financing contracts with carriers like AT&T and Verizon, which means many people can only upgrade their phones every three years.

The Phone Freedom options will be available starting on Sunday, April 23.

Article Link: T-Mobile Launches 'Go5G Plus' Two-Year Upgrade Plan, Will Help Would-Be Customers Get Out of Device Contracts

 

[coffeemilktea]

Do the plans officially include enjoying a T-Mobile Data Leak every year or two, or is that just a complementary service they add for free? 🤡

Either way, it's all part of the un-secure Un-Carrier™ experience.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This all seems very expensive

I think I'll stick to buying mint preowned phones and paying $10-15/mo for Prepaid

Do people really need new phones so frequently?

 

[ersan191]

Seems to be that you pay an extra $5 a month per line to be able to upgrade every 2 years instead of what will probably become 3 (and get 15GB high speed data in Canada/Mexico instead of 5GB, which is whatever for most people).

So you're paying an extra $120 so you can upgrade one year early - which was what their current plan was. This is just a convoluted way to devalue their existing plans, since you'll have to pay $5 more per month for the same thing you had before.

Edit: Plus for people who aren't customers they are going to require them to get the new more expensive plan to pay off your phone balance now, which they used to do for all plans. It's a bunch of devaluations that they are pretending are good for the customer for no reason.

 

[Yrmmont]

And I will stick with Spectrum for $28 per line with 5G

 

[SDJim]

Two year device upgrades, you say?

LOL

Is this supposed to seem novel? This is how they all used to do it!

Time is circular.

 

[sw1tcher]

Go5G Plus is T-Mobile's most expensive plan at $90 per month for a single line with AutoPay enabled. Prices get cheaper with more lines, with two and three lines both priced at $150/month and a fourth line available for $185/month total for all four lines. It is on par with Magenta MAX at the three line level, but more expensive for four lines.

I'd think most people want lower priced plans, not higher priced ones.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I know this is probably unpopular, and not for everyone - I understand.

Save up for the unlocked phone you want and use the incredibly cheaper and better valued Prepaid plans...and keep your phone for 4-5 years.

Major extra credit if you buy a slightly preowned unlocked phone also.

The value to be had there is staggering.

 

[Sciomar]

Do the plans officially include enjoying a T-Mobile Data Leak every year or two, or is that just a complementary service they add for free? 🤡

Either way, it's all part of the un-secure Un-Carrier™ experience.

That's a feature!!

 

[ghanwani]

All seem priced more or less the same but at least by the looks of it you get much more with T-Mobile for the same price. Smart marketing because they know everyone won't use everything. Another plus is that taxes and fees are included; somehow that part just seems to keep going up.

I don't care about free phones, but man AT&T's plans are so complex. Even if they make it appear simple on the web, when the bill arrives it looks completely different.

 

[hansmoleman]

Welcome to Y2K.

Verizon Wireless introduces nation's first wireless phone upgrade plan

"New Every Two" frees customers from the worries of equipment obsolescence

www.verizon.com

 

[dannyyankou]

This all seems very expensive

I think I'll stick to buying mint preowned phones and paying $10-15/mo for Prepaid

Do people really need new phones so frequently?

Yeah I signed up for Mint Mobile when they had a Cyber Monday deal, 6 months for the price of 3. Then I referred my brother to sign up and that got me $100 in credits, which I used to buy 3 more months. In the end, I only paid $138 for 9 months of "unlimited" (which really isn't unlimited, it's 40gb of 5G but it's more than enough).

 

[james2538]

iPhone has now gotten to the point where I don't feel compelled to upgrade as often. The feature changes are nothing like the early years. Seems even Apple themselves have moved to a three year major update cycle as evident by their design language (iPhone X/XS/11, 12/13/14, 15+)

 

[xpxp2002]

Two year device upgrades, you say?

LOL

Is this supposed to seem novel? This is how they all used to do it!

Time is circular.

Agreed. Though I'm glad the pendulum is swinging back the other way. Hopefully AT&T and Verizon will follow suit. I have no problem with the two-year commitments; it's a reasonable "price" to pay to get the kind of trade-in values and promotions carriers are offering these days. But 36 months is just too long to be stuck with the same phone and carrier.

 

[siddavis]

Do people really need new phones so frequently?

Yes, the buttons are going to be solid state!

 

[Killbynumbers]

Do the plans officially include enjoying a T-Mobile Data Leak every year or two, or is that just a complementary service they add for free? 🤡

Either way, it's all part of the un-secure Un-Carrier™ experience.

Unfortunately T-Mobile is still the best carrier in my area here inColorado. I tried moving to Verizon once again since trying them in the late 2000s and then again around 2017 and nothing has changed. Still no service at home and spotty service. T-Mobile improved so much over the years that I can't ever leave again. I moved back to T-Mobile last month after porting over my Verizon lines.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I only prefer AT&T and Verizon due to the nationwide coverage.

 

[jz0309]

Getting locked in to any carrier plan for devices, upgrades etc is just bad imho.
Have been getting unlocked phones for the past 6 or 7 years…
It’s just history repeating itself, cell carriers, cable companies, streaming devices… they all offer “deals” that primarily suits them…

 

[MrMojo1]

"There are caveats, though. Go5G Plus is T-Mobile's most expensive plan at $90 per month for a single line with AutoPay enabled."

Not worth it.
Rather buy a newer iPhone unlocked directly, hopefully at a reduced price with a rebate or a rebate refund, via debit card most likely, instead. Upgrade every few years or longer with a newer battery.
My Mint Mobile service is $15/m, unltd talk/text, and it upgraded the 4G/month to the 5G/month data cap for free, using T-Mobile's cellular backbone. Don't need anything fancy as 5G/m is sufficient for me, using wifi everywhere else, when available.

 

[ratspg]

The UnCarrier days are over. Lol. They still have amazing service, but yeah, were back to nickel and dime life!

 

[BrentD]

Who is on a contract? You're under no obligation to stay with a carrier if you financed the phone or took a "deal" that pays for the phone over time. You're just obligated to pay the balance if you leave. That's been my experience with carriers anyway. Tried TMO and loved it for a while until I started to have constant signal issues where I work. Switched to Xfinity Mobile (on Verizon towers) for $30/mo per line and haven't looked back.

 

[zalusky]

I am on the senior plan $90 for 2 lines + Netflix + Apple TV + $10 YTTV discount + International data so really its more like $60 for 2 lines = $30/line

 

[nimitz9]

For 1 line, who's going to choose T-Mo over Verizon and ATT for the same monthly price??

 

[TruthWatcher412]

I'm still grandfathered in on the 2/$100 plan. I'll wait till they make me switch, which I'm sure will be eventually.

 

[MacWiz_007]

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