I think it might be intensional on T-Mobile's part, but people seem to think they're getting credit for the value of their trade-in in addition to monthly credits for the new phone, but I read it that T-Mobile is giving credit for the trade-in as the monthly credits. That makes more sense since people want the new phone so much they forget that their current phone is still valuable. The amount T-Mobile is paying for your phone is $270 which is less than gazzelle which is much less than fair market value.
How did you get that number??
$270 is what you have to beat to get a better deal. $20/month without a trade in; $5/month with trade in; $15x18=270!
let me try to reply to both. :/
So i am currently on Jump so i have my current equipment plan. Since i have been on it for 12mths my current equipment balance is about $320. This is what i need to pay if i want to keep my phone. (buy out price)
Because i am trading in they will wipe off the $320 from my equipment plan "bill". Also because the trade in value of my current phone is about $330 they will give me a bill credit of $10 to make up the difference of the trade in. then i roll into the JoD program with the new iphone6s 64gb.
$27 monthly equipment charge
$(22) monthly credit back (which gets back to the $5 bucks you quoted)
$8 insurance (if i keep it)
40$ family plan
gets me to 53 a month. if i do 12 months 53x12. it equals $636 plus 100 for down payment total is $736.
Now IF i don't trade-in then i would have to pay the equipment balance of $320 and i get to keep my iphone6 space grey 64gb which i can resell like you suggested.
because i dont trade-in my cost or my bill would be with the JoD promotion:
$27 monthly equipment charge
$(8) credit back for the JoD promotion without trade-in this gets you back to the $19bucks
$ 8 insurance
$40 family plan
gets me to $67 so if i do 12 months 67 x12 = 804 plus 100 for 64gb is total of $904
the difference between $904 (No trade-in) and $736 (Trade-in) is $168 (additional cost to me if No trade-in)
so i would need to pay off the equipment of $320 and resell for $488 (320+168) just to break even. this excludes any additional fees, taxes or cost that might come with keeping my phone and unlocking it that i have missed.
Quantum