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T-Mobile's 'Un-Carrier 4.0' Initiative Offers Up to $350 Per Line to Switch Carriers
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they also lost me at "pre-paid master card"
I don't want a pre-paid card, I want straight cash money. issue me a check I can deposit.
I don't want a pre-paid card, I want straight cash money. issue me a check I can deposit.
Yeah, technically, I don't know that the Verizon 5s can be used on any other CDMA carriers than Verizon; but if you're in the U.S. and you have a Verizon 5s with a clean ESN, you have a fantastic phone for U.S. compatibility. It works with GSM and LTE on AT&T, T-Mobile, and CDMA and LTE on Verizon all out of the box even on contract. That's a pretty sweet phone.
Forget Sprint. They can have their 5s that's not unlocked out of the box and their lousy network. I'd consider switching to T-Mobile long before I'd consider switching to Sprint.
If I wasn't already on a work discount with AT&T and grandfathered with unlimited data I'd switch to T-mobile. I have noticed that AT&T's LTE speeds have plunged where I live in New York City.
So are you REQUIRED to hand over your device to T-Mobile?
If I were to sign a new two year contract with AT&T and get a phone for $200. Could I then pay the ETF, get the phone unlocked and then have T-Mobile reimburse my $350 ETF and I just use my unlocked phone on T-Mobile for $50 per month?
If I were to sign a new two year contract with AT&T and get a phone for $200. Could I then pay the ETF, get the phone unlocked and then have T-Mobile reimburse my $350 ETF and I just use my unlocked phone on T-Mobile for $50 per month?
Not really - on the trade-in you can get the value before canceling your current plan (I think you can even check online, as long as you didn't trash your phone.) The ETF is "up to" because they aren't going to give you $350 when your ETF is actually $200. It says that they will pay the ETF when you send them the cancelation bill from your current carrier.
Still not a great deal as most people's phones are worth more than the $300 limit, unless you have something like a iPhone 4. But if that is the case you probably don't have a contract in the first place, so no ETF...
No, ATT makes you pay the remaining of the cost of the iphone... been like this for ages.
Yes it is required. They aren't giving you a free phone, they are letting people get out of their contracts with fewer fees.
Because they can't handle the legion of leeches who want the unlimited and not pay much for it. This is why when I see people say "Bye Bye AT&T" I chuckle.
I hope Verizon says 750, then ATT says 850 and then Tmobile says $950
I'm loving this competition. Finally T-Mobile is helping us consumers!
I'm loving this competition. Finally T-Mobile is helping us consumers!
So I just bought my 64G 5S on AT&T for $399.
T-Mobile is offering me $300 for that phone, plus I get to repurchase a new one from them for $849.
And then they'll pay my AT&T ETF.
So I'm basically out $99 on the phone I just purchased ($399 purchase less $300 credit) and I have to buy a replacement from them for $849. So now I'm out $948 to switch over to T-Mobile as the ETF credit is a wash (I don't have to pay it if I don't switch).
IF they offered a superior coast to coast experience compared to Verizon or AT&T, I'd check it out, but I'm not paying a premium to move over to them just because they have an ex-AT&T executive now as CEO who suddenly decided at this late stage in his life to be a hipster.
What am I missing? Is this really another play for the value consumer with the cheap smartphone? I don't get it.
T-Mobile is offering me $300 for that phone, plus I get to repurchase a new one from them for $849.
And then they'll pay my AT&T ETF.
So I'm basically out $99 on the phone I just purchased ($399 purchase less $300 credit) and I have to buy a replacement from them for $849. So now I'm out $948 to switch over to T-Mobile as the ETF credit is a wash (I don't have to pay it if I don't switch).
IF they offered a superior coast to coast experience compared to Verizon or AT&T, I'd check it out, but I'm not paying a premium to move over to them just because they have an ex-AT&T executive now as CEO who suddenly decided at this late stage in his life to be a hipster.
What am I missing? Is this really another play for the value consumer with the cheap smartphone? I don't get it.
Indeed. I've got 5 phones on my family plan. All have unlimited voice and text, 4 have 2 gig data, one has 5 gig with tethering. Tmobile charges me $150/month including all taxes and fees. The coverage is good in cities, not so hot away from them. But since we travel little, $150 per month sounds way better than $450/month. Granted, my plan does not include phone subsidies, we bought all our phones off craigslist.
Yup. People on Macrumors aren't who this is aimed at, anyway... This is aimed at people who just want an easy, quick solution, and who are wary of selling on eBay or Craigslist.
Man, with unlocked smartphones, this is going to get downright nasty between T-Mobile and AT&T!
opcorn:
opcorn:
No, AT&T makes you pay an ETF (which essentially covers their loss on the phone they subsidized for you). It appears to be $325 or less. Link
[edit: *removed horrible maths*]
The deal essentially lets you dump your current contract and then gives you a (low) trade-in on your phone. (Although it's probably close to the subsidized price you paid for it. In some cases the trade-in value might be a little over what you paid, in which case you're getting your unlocked/T-mobile phone for a little cheaper than full price.)
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It's actually up to $650 per line, and it's not just for families. The offer also extends to individual lines.
-ITG
Sounds great for most postpaid plans. Not as great for people who are on those Sprint/AT&T/Verizon monthly phone installment plans. Yeah sure they pay you back the ETF (6-8 weeks later via a gift card), but you're on your own to pay off the rest of the phone from your previous provider.
Excellent. Let these guys fight it out, and we benefit. It's as if AT&T and Verizon were previously in cahoots.
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Don't worry; these kinds of things lead to lower prices for us AT&T customers. I'm not switching either, but let's not make them think that. Pump up that elasticity of demand.
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Don't worry; these kinds of things lead to lower prices for us AT&T customers. I'm not switching either, but let's not make them think that. Pump up that elasticity of demand.
Are you saying an ETF for a brand new 2 year contract + phone subsidy is going to be only $325? That would mean you paid $525 (200 for phone + 325 ETF) for the iPhone and got out of the contract scot-free.
I thought ETFs were usually full monthly price * months left on contract. e.g. if you are paying $100 a month Tmobile would let you terminate 3 months early with no penalty to pay.
Hahahahaha
"T-Mobile and competitor AT&T have been participating ongoing feud in 2013, which began after T-Mobile CEO John Legere called the AT&T network "crap." Most recently, AT&T threw John Legere out of a party hosted by the company at CES 2014."
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At most he's trying to look that way. If you think that he's someone revolutionary, you're falling into his marketing scheme. No, I don't mean that in a tinfoiler way. It's just the public image he's trying to use to gain customers, like how Google tries to appear "good-willed" and RVCA "cool". All he does is bring in more competition, nothing new.
"T-Mobile and competitor AT&T have been participating ongoing feud in 2013, which began after T-Mobile CEO John Legere called the AT&T network "crap." Most recently, AT&T threw John Legere out of a party hosted by the company at CES 2014."
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At most he's trying to look that way. If you think that he's someone revolutionary, you're falling into his marketing scheme. No, I don't mean that in a tinfoiler way. It's just the public image he's trying to use to gain customers, like how Google tries to appear "good-willed" and RVCA "cool". All he does is bring in more competition, nothing new.