T-Mobile USA Begins Taking Pre-Orders for iPhone 5 Ahead of April 12 Launch

[Taz Mangus]

This is a shell game. "No contract but sign this contract to agree to pay off your iphone in 2 years."

All carriers will unlock your phone once it is paid for.

Untrue. Sprint will not unlock the phone at the end of the contract. I know because I have been on the phone with Sprint and Apple. Sprint's official company policy is to not unlock phones, period. Interesting thing is I can't see to find anywhere in their fine print that states as such. This really pisses me off and that is one of the reasons I am switching out of Sprint.

Also, with A&T, Verizon and Sprint charges a ETF if you are on a contract. T-Mobile doesn't. T-Mobile is upfront about the price of the iPhone and is even charging $70 less then if you bought the same phone from Apple. Where is this shell game that you stated?

 

[Shanpdx]

If that is an issue,
1) Buy the phone cheaper on T-Mobile through their installment plan.
2) Pay it off immediately and have the phone unlocked.
3) Pay a lower monthly bill without the monthly installment cost.

In any case, I'm not sure how well the phone will operate internationally.

yup, you will save $70. these unlocked phones will work almost everywhere (GSM is mainly used all over the world with few exceptions).

the latest Phones/iPhones has more frequency every revision!

 

[yehudah72]

only sales numbers of iPhone on t-mobile will tell. also there is no overage, after 2.5GB the data goes to EDGE instead of charging you more $$$

there are pluses and minuses ...

Only goes to 2G (EDGE) if you get the 500MB or 2.5GB Plans... The Unlimited Data is Unlimited LTE or 4G (depending on your device's capabilities)

 

[Shanpdx]

Only goes to 2G (EDGE) if you get the 500MB or 2.5GB Plans... The Unlimited Data is Unlimited LTE or 4G (depending on your device's capabilities)

yup, that is $70 plan.

 

[Plutonius]

I thought all the new t-mobile plans were pre-paid.

By pre-paid, I meant pay as you go. The difference is a set monthly cost vs just buying minutes as you need them. On the pay as you go, I'll buy 1000 minutes for $100 and that will last me a long time . I only use my phone for voice and I use my iPod Touch 5 for everything else.

 

[ghostface147]

My AT&T Unlimited everything is $120 per mo

Your throttled unlimited. T-Mobile also throttled, but it seems to follow more of the Verizon model. They'll throttle you when necessary, not the entire billing cycle.

 

[Diode]

No interest and if you want to walk you literally pay what is left.

AT&T etc deduct a bit monthly but it's only like $10 when 1/24 of the subsidy is $18.75

So $450 - $10(12) means you would owe AT&T etc $330 even though by the 1/24 it should be $225

T-mobile math the phone is $580. You paid $99 (plus presumably the appropriate sales tax) off the top. At a year in that $580-$99 - $20(12) = $241.

Correct - you're ETF for AT&T is off though. It's $325 for smart phones with $10 off per month. So you would actually be ahead if you cancel in the first month or two of service.

Factoring in the initial costs of the phone ($99 vs $199) - it's cheaper to cancel with T-Mobile 6 months or more into the contract.

 

[writingdevil]

?..
Yes, but only after the contract is expired or you upgrade. They won't unlock while you are in contract. That is different than the T-Mob model where they will unlock the phone as soon as it's paid in full, be it day one, a year later, or two.

I work in Europe at times, called TM and asked if I could unlock (if the phone being paid out over time) before phone was paid for. Yes, after two months, as long as psyment have been made on time.

 

[Plutonius]

Also, with A&T, Verizon and Sprint charges a ETF if you are on a contract. T-Mobile doesn't.

T-Mobile doesn't charge a EFT but will not unlock the phone until after it is paid off (installment plan). There is no difference between themselves and ATT/Verizon in that they will all unlock the phones after they are paid off. As far as EFT, you still have to completely pay for your T-Mobile phone before it's unlocked and you can use it elsewhere.

Completely paying off your unsubsidized T-Mobile phone equals the cost of a subsidized ATT/Verizon phone + EFT cost.

Where you are saving money on T-Mobile is on the cell plan especially if you don't plan on upgrading for a long time.

 

[hoits2000]

Those of you who are saying you aren't under contract, your wrong. You pay $20 a month for the phone which is a 2 year contract. For the first two years you are paying the same amount and under contract either way. And tmobile know in two years you'll want a new phone so you'll buy another phone and pay 20 a month to be locked in again. It's all a gimmick. The only people who are winning are people who are going to buy it straight out and save 70 when compared to apples full price.

 

[nick_elt]

No. Do your local retailers include sales tax in their advertised pricing?

yes they do.

 

[Shanpdx]

I work in Europe at times, called TM and asked if I could unlock (if the phone being paid out over time) before phone was paid for. Yes, after two months, as long as psyment have been made on time.

have to be careful when they promise this when it is not listed on the website.

iPhone unlocking is different than any other phones, simply they do not unlock it unless paid in full or paid ETF or buy the phone at full cost.

we will find out next week.

 

[writingdevil]

Those of you who are saying you aren't under contract, your wrong. You pay $20 a month for the phone which is a 2 year contract. For the first two years you are paying the same amount and under contract either way. And tmobile know in two years you'll want a new phone so you'll buy another phone and pay 20 a month to be locked in again. It's all a gimmick. The only people who are winning are people who are going to buy it straight out and save 70 when compared to apples full price.

Sorry, you're wrong. There is no contract. You are simply buying a product and paying for it over time, interest free. You can terminate TM account at any time with no ETF, but obviously you still pay for the product you bought.
Apple, through Barclay, will offer payment plan as TM does, and refund $80 to your account after 6 or 8 months(forgot which) Manager at the Grove told me yesterday.

 

[Diode]

Those of you who are saying you aren't under contract, your wrong. You pay $20 a month for the phone which is a 2 year contract. For the first two years you are paying the same amount and under contract either way. And tmobile know in two years you'll want a new phone so you'll buy another phone and pay 20 a month to be locked in again. It's all a gimmick. The only people who are winning are people who are going to buy it straight out and save 70 when compared to apples full price.

Yea, but canceling late in the contract with AT&T your ETF + the portion of your bill paying for the subsidy is more then what you would pay for T-Mobile / pay Apple for an unlocked phone.

With T-Mobile you just owe the balance of the phone.

 

[rydewnd2]

It just struck me as to how much profit Apple must make on the 32GB and 64GB models. Since the price differences of SD cards of the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models are nowhere close to the $100 and $200.

Assuming that is the type of memory they use in the iPhone. Which makes sense because of the small size.

They use NAND flash memory not sd cards. But of course there is a price premium in increased storage.

 

[writingdevil]

have to be careful when they promise this when it is not listed on the website.

iPhone unlocking is different than any other phones, simply they do not unlock it unless paid in full or paid ETF or buy the phone at full cost.

we will find out next week.

Yesterday I talked to manager of Apple store at the Grove. Apple has nothing to do with unlocking (unless you buy an unlocked phone) on a TM account.

It's my understanding from many associates who do film work in Europe, ATT, after two months service, will allow SIM card usages in Europe, same policy I was told by TM via phone. Not sure if that's in ATT contract.

 

[Shanpdx]

t-mobile site is slow

looks like they are busy good for them

if they had offered 1Gb or 2Gb with that $50 plan (family of two lines for $80) it would have been killer deal and unlocked iPhone with installment

you cannot have everything.

----------

Yesterday I talked to manager of Apple store at the Grove. Apple has nothing to do with unlocking (unless you buy an unlocked phone) on a TM account.

It's my understanding from many associates who do film work in Europe, ATT, after two months service, will allow SIM card usages in Europe, same policy I was told by TM via phone. Not sure if that's in ATT contract.

ATT does not do it. verizon after 6 months and iPhone 5 is GSM unlocked on verizon.

 

[slu]

This is a shell game. "No contract but sign this contract to agree to pay off your iphone in 2 years."

All carriers will unlock your phone once it is paid for.

No it is not. At AT&T, Verizon and Sprint you cannot buy a full price iPhone and quit after a month and move to a different carrier without penalty. And they will not unlock your iPhone until your contract expires, which is materially different than when the phone is paid for. The tmobile approach is the same as buying the phone on a zero interest credit card.

 

[Taz Mangus]

T-Mobile doesn't charge a EFT but will not unlock the phone until after it is paid off (installment plan). There is no difference between themselves and ATT/Verizon in that they will all unlock the phones after they are paid off. As far as EFT, you still have to completely pay for your T-Mobile phone before it's unlocked and you can use it elsewhere.

Completely paying off your unsubsidized T-Mobile phone equals the cost of a subsidized ATT/Verizon phone + EFT cost.

Where you are saving money on T-Mobile is on the cell plan especially if you don't plan on upgrading for a long time.

A&T ETF, $325 minus $10 for each full month of completed Service Commitment. 16GB iPhone 5 with A&T is $199 + $325 + $240 = $769.

Verizon ETF, $350 minus $10 for each full month of your contract term that you complete. 16GB iPhone 5 with Verizon is $199 + $350 + $240 = $789.

T-Mobile, $99 + $480 = $579.

Apple unlock iPhone 5 $649.

 

[ghostface147]

Untrue. Sprint will not unlock the phone at the end of the contract. I know because I have been on the phone with Sprint and Apple. Sprint's official company policy is to not unlock phones, period. Interesting thing is I can't see to find anywhere in their fine print that states as such. This really pisses me off and that is one of the reasons I am switching out of Sprint.

Also, with A&T, Verizon and Sprint charges a ETF if you are on a contract. T-Mobile doesn't. T-Mobile is upfront about the price of the iPhone and is even charging $70 less then if you bought the same phone from Apple. Where is this shell game that you stated?

If your phone isn't paid off and you leave, you have to pay the rest of the balance of the phone. There's your ETF in a way. Or you can trade it in.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

It means its still quite a time before 5S, probably will come in late august.

So about 4 to 5 months... I'm seriously considering waiting for the newer version, but I don't know if I could handle my current phone anymore.
The p.o.s. HTC Android junk calls out and plays music on its own.

 

[Taz Mangus]

If your phone isn't paid off and you leave, you have to pay the rest of the balance of the phone. There's your ETF in a way. Or you can trade it in.

That is not a ETF that is an interest free loan. If you want to think of it that way, fine but it is not an ETF.

 

[writingdevil]

If your phone isn't paid off and you leave, you have to pay the rest of the balance of the phone. There's your ETF in a way. Or you can trade it in.

Paying off a product you bought has nothing to do with an additional fee (ETF) for terminating service with that carrier early.

ETF is a charge in addition to paying for the phone at ATT.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I was about to buy it, but apparently they only offer the 16GB iPhone, which becomes useless after installing a few apps and taking a few pics and videos...

Does anybody know how to get the other models through T-Mobile?

 

[sparrky]

why would anyone buy the unlocked phone from Apple if it's $70 cheaper at t-mobile?

I plan to buy it from Apple so I can keep my $30 prepaid plan (100 min voice, unlimited text, 5gb of 4G data). If I buy it from TMo, I think I have to get the $50-$70 plan which I don't want. I'm all about texts and data, and the $30 plan is perfect for me (although it's getting harder and harder to find it on their site)

I was about to buy it, but apparently they only offer the 16GB iPhone, which becomes useless after installing a few apps and taking a few pics and videos...

Does anybody know how to get the other models through T-Mobile?

They have the 32GB and 64GB models on their site, too. http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/?capcode=ios