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T-Mobile USA Launches Effort to Attract 'Bring Your Own iPhone' Customers

kvizzel said:
How would T-Mobile unlock your phones for you? That makes no sense...
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macUser2007 said:
LOL! This is a good example of who stays with AT&T and Verizon.... :rolleyes:

(Hint: Why/how would they be unlocking other carriers' phones for you?)
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I keep hearing its relatively easy to unlock an phone, iPhone different?

TechNutt said:
I don't think Tmo has that ability to unlock. It's really easy to unlock iphones ( (most phones, for that matter) and use them on compatible networks.

Tmo has good customer service ... has for years. Sprint is better, but ATT is still bad, imo.
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If its really easy to unlock, why cant T-Mo?


...unless there is some legal liability.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Very simply: Sprint is betting the whole company on iPhone. Maybe T-mobile doesn't want to bet it's company? Apple is rich enough (IMO).
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DT was willing to sell T-Mobile USA to AT&T for a song last year. T-Mobile USA is not doing particularly well. The AT&T breakup fee and licensing deal made them a little bit stronger (they got some money and more spectrum), but they are still losing postpaid subscribers. People moving over old iPhone 4 and 4S models are much more likely to be less lucrative prepaid subscribers.

My guess is that this is a short term move to stem the tide. Until they get their LTE network activated, they will be at a serious disadvantage to Verizon and AT&T once the LTE iPhone comes out.
 
Why not just use Straight Talk cheaper supports locked and unlocked iPhones and you have att postpaid coverage with HSPA+? 95 percent of the users with the 4S would be stuck on edge and everyone with a 3GS and 4 would always have edge with no hope of seeing 3G ever.
 
rcappo said:
Can I tether my iPhone to my laptop on their network?
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Technically, you need a $15/month add-on to tether on T-Mobile. If you have a Nexus Android phone (or other phone with Android's stock wi-fi tethering activated) they generally won't stop you if you tether a little (at least they didn't when I used to use a Nexus One on their network), but the Android phones they sell subsidized lack Android's stock tethering. I'm not sure whether they will be able to block the iPhone's built-in tethering since they won't be an official carrier (and thus Apple won't push out a customized carrier setting to them).
 
KPOM said:
Why not take the release of the iPhone as an opportunity to announce that you'll be carrying the iPhone instead? It will be a hard sell to convince people to purchase an unlocked iPhone for $649 upfront, and there aren't many iPhone 4S models that are out of contract.
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Because t mobile can't afford to subsidize the iPhone like that. Sprint tried it and it has not gone well for it. The CEO is taking a ton of flack for it. T mobile Is better off without it. They would lose money on customers if they subsidized the iPhone.
 
KPOM said:
Why not take the release of the iPhone as an opportunity to announce that you'll be carrying the iPhone instead? It will be a hard sell to convince people to purchase an unlocked iPhone for $649 upfront, and there aren't many iPhone 4S models that are out of contract.
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Apple probably won't let them sell it because their network barely has any 3G coverage compatible with the iPhone. Quality of service will be low, Apple doesn't want that problem.

So why doesn't Apple make them compatible with T-Mobile's network? Increases development costs because they'd need to adjust/tune the antenna and add more chips to support the extra frequencies. This cost would make all iPhones, not just the ones on T-mobile, cost more.

So why doesn't Apple make a special model for T-Mobile (US)? Adding another model gums up the production lines, still requires more engineering work to make two models, and requires testing be done for both variations. It'd be a pain, it'd slow down development, and cost more for manufacturing.

Basically, it costs money and only a small segment of the world's population benefits. But worst off, it costs time and continues to do so once the initial time investment goes in.
 
Pared said:
Sorry, but you guys screaming desperation just don't get it.

I'm happy TMo is doing this. Why? COMPETITION. The more pressure they put on other carriers to lower their rates the better we are off as consumers.
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While I agree with you in principle, this is just a niche group they're going to get, at best. What would really benefit consumers is if they were an official carrier of the iPhone, and still had the unlimited plan. Unfortunately, their preparations and communication would seem to indicate that another iPhone release is going to leave them standing on the outside, looking in.
 
BTW, here is another big advantage for T-Mobile I had forgotten about:

"However, the best part might be the company behind the network. T-Mobile allows its customers to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi when there is no network on their smartphones. The iPhone is no exception. T-Mobile has the Bobsled app for iPhone for making calls. This is fantastic not only when in low -service areas but also when travelling abroad. T-Mobile will release other apps soon for things like live TV, account management and visual voicemail."

From http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/10/t-mob...ng-your-unlocked-iphone-and-save-1200-vs-att/
 
macUser2007 said:
BTW, here is another big advantage for T-Mobile I had forgotten about:

"However, the best part might be the company behind the network. T-Mobile allows its customers to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi when there is no network on their smartphones. The iPhone is no exception. T-Mobile has the Bobsled app for iPhone for making calls. This is fantastic not only when in low -service areas but also when travelling abroad. T-Mobile will release other apps soon for things like live TV, account management and visual voicemail."

From http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/10/t-mob...ng-your-unlocked-iphone-and-save-1200-vs-att/
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Without the ability to call you on the bobsled app it's no better than other third party apps that let you call out. It's not true Wi-Fi calling like T-mobile has for other phones.
 
chrmjenkins said:
They're doing everything short of offering bill credits to customers who bring their own iphone and sign up for a two year contract. (which I think they should do IMO).
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Why should they offer bill credits?

The T-Mobile value plans are plans where you bring your own phone. That's why they're so cheap....you're not paying for your subsidized phone over a two year period.....

Unlike with every other major network where no matter if you bring your own phone to the network or not, you have to pay the same high price.
 
GoreVidal said:
Jesus Garth...seriously? The ONLY carrier still offering legit unlimited is "desperate"? I think they got balls and they're likely getting my business for it.
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why not just stay on your att unlimited plan? there not taking it away..
 
TechieGeek said:
Why should they offer bill credits?

The T-Mobile value plans are plans where you bring your own phone. That's why they're so cheap....you're not paying for your subsidized phone over a two year period.....

Unlike with every other major network where no matter if you bring your own phone to the network or not, you have to pay the same high price.
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We're talking about the same thing. I just think they should advertise it differently to attract iPhone customers.
 
jtp098 said:
Honor what... They would breach my contract and take my unlimited plan away without a problem and probably give me and everyone else a billing credit or something dumb if they really wanted to get rid of all the unlimited plans.

As a consumer of course I feel entitled in the end I am the important one. Just as every other consumer.

Don't you think? If I am not happy why should I not breach my contract and go to t-mobile/Verizon/sprint.

It really depends how you look at it. I really evaluate it, as of now I can cancel for much less then $650 and go to another company.


But hey this is just me..:D
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Well there are limits to customer entitlement and I think you need to know those limits. I wouldn't say they're breaching anything if your 2 years is up. They're only obligated to do anything until the contract is up.

Of course they'll make exceptions to keep a customer though. I'm just not one to overstep known contractual boundaries to get exactly what I want.
 
iEnvy said:
I'm all for carrier diversity but T-Mobile just seems desperate. Their commercials are already annoying
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Yeah, even the lady's voice hurts my ears. Why would someone want to unlock and go to T-Mobile? Is it faster since it's not bogged down with smartphone customers?

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rcappo said:
Can I tether my iPhone to my laptop on their network?
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Yes. Jailbreak :)
 
Sometimes the US is a bit old-fashioned, I think the US might be about the only country where sim-locked iPhones are still being sold.
 
This strategy *is* selling against the iPhone.

It's a clever move, given the relatively small scope of upgrade in this hardware update. Will be interesting to see if it catches on.
 
Airforcekid said:
Why not just use Straight Talk cheaper supports locked and unlocked iPhones and you have att postpaid coverage with HSPA+? 95 percent of the users with the 4S would be stuck on edge and everyone with a 3GS and 4 would always have edge with no hope of seeing 3G ever.
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Seriously!!!! Why are more people not doing this?!!! I started 2 years ago with the Nokia e71 SIM swap. Then, a few months ago, they started selling standalone sim cards for $15, which i swaped out for again. been paying $50 total for the past 2 years. I recouped my unlocked iphone cost over a year ago.
Add cydia's tetherme for $10 one time fee, and i have native iOS hotspot feature too.
All there is to worry about is a soft cap of 2 gigs, but its best thing ever.
 
TC03 said:
Sometimes the US is a bit old-fashioned, I think the US might be about the only country where sim-locked iPhones are still being sold.
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Not old-fashioned. Just that anti-trust regulation has been destroyed by successive administrations.

Broadband is even worse.
 
You know the sick part?The fact that the baseband chip in the 4S supports the AWS band its just not active
 
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