T-Mobile's 'Un-Carrier 4.0' Initiative Offers Up to $350 Per Line to Switch Carriers

[roblo64]

Isn't the incentive a cheaper bill and faster upgrades?

Really, the reasons they are targeting families are as follows:

-The savings on a T-Mobile "un-carrier" plan are minor compared to AT&T's family plans for those with multiple lines. When you factor in subsidies, there are cases to be made AT&T is still a good deal.

-60%+ of AT&T's customers are on family plans. Those are the customers T-Mobile needs to get if they are to grow substantially and REALLY disrupt the market.

-And the easy -> Family Plans = high monthly bills and more revenue. You convince the head of the household (or whomever runs the cell phone bill) to switch, you gain a much larger revenue stream versus an individual line.

Cost for ATT mobile family share with 4 devices is almost $1000 more over the course of 24 months than it is on Tmobile. That does not sound like a minor cost in my book!!! Cost breakdown is as follows:

ATT:

10GB of family share data = $100 a month
4 devices = 15 x4 = $60 a month
installment plan for phone = $37.40 x 4 (32 GB Iphone 5s) = $150 a month
Insurance for 4 phones = $6.99 x 4 = 28 a month
total monthly = approx $338

total over 24 months for 4 lines = $8112

Tmobile :

4 lines = $100 a month
10 GB of data = $40 a month (2.5 GB per line)
installment plan for phone = $27 x 4 (32 GB Iphone 5s) = $108 a month
Jump plan cost for 4 phones = $10 x 4 = 40 a month (includes insurance)
total month = approx $288

total over 24 months for 4 lines = $6912
initial downpayment for 4 devices on 32 GB iphone 5s = $100 x 4 = $400
$6912 + 400 =

$7312

$8112 -
$7312
= $800 savings by using tmobile over ATT.....

 

[SomeGuyDude]

$800 savings by using tmobile over ATT.....

Which is great if you're in an area with great TMobile coverage and never leave it.

I eventually went from TMo back to VZW because thanks to all the dead zones I actually wasn't making any use out of my unlimited data plan and in fact got less out of it.

 

[Technarchy]

AT&T nullified Tmobile with their 10gb value plan. With my work discount my bill is only $106.

Saving nearly $60 now

 

[roblo64]

AT&T nullified Tmobile with their 10gb value plan. With my work discount my bill is only $106.

Saving nearly $60 now

sorry that is wrong....your clearly not doing good math. $106 a month is discounted rate and most people wont get that...also remember that tmobile does discounts that are similar to other carriers. typically 15-20% when qualified.

also your plan price with the 10Gb does not include include price for each device...

4 devices on 10GB plan on att = $160 a month.
4 devices on 10gb plan on tmobile = $140 a month so its still less and this doesnt take anything else into consideration like owning or wanting a current device and not one that is 2+ years old...

 

[jrswizzle]

Cost for ATT mobile family share with 4 devices is almost $1000 more over the course of 24 months than it is on Tmobile. That does not sound like a minor cost in my book!!! Cost breakdown is as follows:



ATT:



10GB of family share data = $100 a month

4 devices = 15 x4 = $60 a month

installment plan for phone = $37.40 x 4 (32 GB Iphone 5s) = $150 a month

Insurance for 4 phones = $6.99 x 4 = 28 a month

total monthly = approx $338



total over 24 months for 4 lines = $8112



Tmobile :



4 lines = $100 a month

10 GB of data = $40 a month (2.5 GB per line)

installment plan for phone = $27 x 4 (32 GB Iphone 5s) = $108 a month

Jump plan cost for 4 phones = $10 x 4 = 40 a month (includes insurance)

total month = approx $288



total over 24 months for 4 lines = $6912

initial downpayment for 4 devices on 32 GB iphone 5s = $100 x 4 = $400

$6912 + 400 =



$7312



$8112 -

$7312

= $800 savings by using tmobile over ATT.....

I said "with subsidies". I don't pay installment plans on my iPhone. The new plans may be different than when I wrote that.

 

[roblo64]

I said "with subsidies". I don't pay installment plans on my iPhone. The new plans may be different than when I wrote that.

with subsidies the price per device goes from the $15 a month back up to $40 a month. Meaning $100 more a month overall from the $338...so now yours are $448 a month for 4 devices

subsidies saved you approx 500 per device up front x 4 = $2000 savings but increase in $100 a month for 24 months = $2400 which is an increase of $400

This increases the 24 month cost with subsidies to $8512 cost which is an increase of $1200 over the tmobile prices in 24 months.

 

[jrswizzle]

with subsidies the price per device goes from the $15 a month back up to $40 a month. Meaning $100 more a month overall from the $338...so now yours are $448 a month for 4 devices



subsidies saved you approx 500 per device up front x 4 = $2000 savings but increase in $100 a month for 24 months = $2400 which is an increase of $400



This increases the 24 month cost with subsidies to $8512 cost which is an increase of $1200 over the tmobile prices in 24 months.

Whatever - it's a moot point in my specific case as most of our lines are unlimited $40/month.

Our bill is about $400/month for 5 lines and 2 iPads. 3 unlimited, 2 5GB and the iPads are 3Gb and 250mb.

And we have 7 subsidies we can use.

For me, T-Mobile doesn't represent a big cost savings and AT&T remains the best in terms or overall speed, coverage and reliability.

 

[roblo64]

Whatever - it's a moot point in my specific case as most of our lines are unlimited $40/month.

Our bill is about $400/month for 5 lines and 2 iPads. 3 unlimited, 2 5GB and the iPads are 3Gb and 250mb.

And we have 7 subsidies we can use.

For me, T-Mobile doesn't represent a big cost savings and AT&T remains the best in terms or overall speed, coverage and reliability.

your case is uniqure then and as you said rather moot, but I would argue you could still probably save a good bit by switching...

5 devices on tmobile = $220 a month with your macros ( 5 unlimited data devices)

additional 2 devices = $80 a month with lower data requirements

so a savings of about $100 a month which = $2400 over 24 months. The subsidies probably balance things out on your current grandfathered plan but that depends on what types of devices you are purchasing....

 

[jrswizzle]

your case is uniqure then and as you said rather moot, but I would argue you could still probably save a good bit by switching...



5 devices on tmobile = $220 a month with your macros ( 5 unlimited data devices)



additional 2 devices = $80 a month with lower data requirements



so a savings of about $100 a month which = $2400 over 24 months. The subsidies probably balance things out on your current grandfathered plan but that depends on what types of devices you are purchasing....

Yup - I think when I figured it we would've seen an $80 savings per month but were all on iPhones so think a good $450 x 7 lines over 2 years.

Still the thing it came down to was reliability. My brother lives in Durham, NC and T-Mobile isn't nearly as good there as it is in Dallas or as AT&T is in both places.

Maybe next year.

 

[roblo64]

Yup - I think when I figured it we would've seen an $80 savings per month but were all on iPhones so think a good $450 x 7 lines over 2 years.

Still the thing it came down to was reliability. My brother lives in Durham, NC and T-Mobile isn't nearly as good there as it is in Dallas or as AT&T is in both places.

Maybe next year.

funny thing with all the hype about both ATT and TMO uncarrier initiatives i find the old school family talk from ATT to still be the best value overall....unfortunately its not available to new customers anymore.

All these changes just shuffle around how the phone is paid for along with services...these newer plans from all the carriers are transfering subsidies to the consumer so in the end we are basically paying the same or more than we did 2-3 or 4 years ago but the illusion is one of savings

----------

funny thing with all the hype about both ATT and TMO uncarrier initiatives i find the old school family talk from ATT to still be the best value overall....unfortunately its not available to new customers anymore.

All these changes just shuffle around how the phone is paid for along with services...these newer plans from all the carriers are transfering subsidies to the consumer so in the end we are basically paying the same or more than we did 2-3 or 4 years ago but the illusion is one of savings

point is case...with the ATT rate plan calculator it shows

3 devices under familytalk using 3 GB data each, and having unlimited talk and text to be $220 a month

3 devices under new ATT plan =

100 for 10 gb data
45 for 3 devices
112.50 installment plan for 3 mid grade phones

total = roughly $260 a month so when compared to old family talk so is more expensive but about $40 dollars

 

[Technarchy]

sorry that is wrong....your clearly not doing good math. $106 a month is discounted rate and most people wont get that...also remember that tmobile does discounts that are similar to other carriers. typically 15-20% when qualified.

also your plan price with the 10Gb does not include include price for each device...

4 devices on 10GB plan on att = $160 a month.
4 devices on 10gb plan on tmobile = $140 a month so its still less and this doesnt take anything else into consideration like owning or wanting a current device and not one that is 2+ years old...

That includes my insurance and fees and taxes. It also includes tethering. And my corporate discount is 28%, which t-mobile doesn't offer to the same extent.

I didn't say it was right for everyone, but for me T-Mobile got knocked out of the frame and I have no reason to consider them after the 10gb value plan dropped.