Pre-orders for T-Mobile iPhone 5 go live ahead of April 12 launch
Pre-orders for T-Mobile's version of the iPhone 5 went live early Friday ahead of a rollout next week, finally heralding the introduction of Apple's popular handset to America's fourth-largest wireless carrier.
Source: T-Mobile
In line with its announcement last week, T-Mobile has started accepting pre-sale orders for Apple's iPhone 5 after having gone years without official access to the device. The telecom is the last of the "Big Four" U.S. wireless carriers to ink a deal with Apple, though nearly two million "unofficial" iPhones are currently operating on T-Mobile's 3G network.
The iPhone 5's T-Mobile debut lines up with the company's "Uncarrier" campaign, which drops phone subsidies in exchange for lower monthly rates. Under the new plan, a 16-gigabyte iPhone 5 will be sold for a $99 up front fee, with 20 additional monthly payments of $20 covering the remaining cost of the hardware.
When Apple's phone hits store shelves on April 12, T-Mobile subscribers will be able to use the device to access the carrier's new LTE network in seven U.S. markets: Kansas City, Kan., Houston, Tex., Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix, Ariz., San Jose, Calif., and Washington D.C.
One analyst believes Apple's entrance on T-Mobile will have more of an impact to Apple's bottom line than market watchers speculate, as the carrier is expected to close a merger deal with MetroPCS, growing the number of addressable subscribers from 33 million to 42 million.
T-Mobile first announced it would begin selling Apple products in December of 2012, but at the time did not specify a rollout timeline.
Source: T-Mobile
In line with its announcement last week, T-Mobile has started accepting pre-sale orders for Apple's iPhone 5 after having gone years without official access to the device. The telecom is the last of the "Big Four" U.S. wireless carriers to ink a deal with Apple, though nearly two million "unofficial" iPhones are currently operating on T-Mobile's 3G network.
The iPhone 5's T-Mobile debut lines up with the company's "Uncarrier" campaign, which drops phone subsidies in exchange for lower monthly rates. Under the new plan, a 16-gigabyte iPhone 5 will be sold for a $99 up front fee, with 20 additional monthly payments of $20 covering the remaining cost of the hardware.
When Apple's phone hits store shelves on April 12, T-Mobile subscribers will be able to use the device to access the carrier's new LTE network in seven U.S. markets: Kansas City, Kan., Houston, Tex., Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix, Ariz., San Jose, Calif., and Washington D.C.
One analyst believes Apple's entrance on T-Mobile will have more of an impact to Apple's bottom line than market watchers speculate, as the carrier is expected to close a merger deal with MetroPCS, growing the number of addressable subscribers from 33 million to 42 million.
T-Mobile first announced it would begin selling Apple products in December of 2012, but at the time did not specify a rollout timeline.
Comments
Tmobile has messed up the pre-order. To pre order you must pay full price, NO monthly option. Customer service supervisor "understands my frustration" but there is nothing to be done! They have taken down the Tmobile FaceBook page, which must have been full of angry comments! This is SOME way to treat long time customers!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedGeminiPA
Considering T-Mobile is selling the iPhone 5 for $70 under retail, anyone wanting an unlocked iPhone would be foolish to buy one elsewhere. Yes, pay full-price from T-Mobile, and they will happily submit the unlock for you. That's what I'll be doing when the next iPhone (5S) comes out. Hopefully T-Mobile continues this trend with pricing.
Maybe could it be that the $70 discount is because the iPhone 5 that T-Mo is selling is due to be eclipsed in short fashion by the 5S or 6 or whatever. That is, the price cut that will be fall the iPhone 5 being sold by (AT&T, VZW, Sprint, and everyone else) when the 5S/6 is released is baked right into todays T-Mo's price.
Maybe, maybe not. That's my guess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pingvin
Tmobile has messed up the pre-order. To pre order you must pay full price, NO monthly option. Customer service supervisor "understands my frustration" but there is nothing to be done! They have taken down the Tmobile FaceBook page, which must have been full of angry comments! This is SOME way to treat long time customers!
I'm not able to reproduce this -- I followed the link picked a black iPhone 5 16 GB with Unlimited data and jumped to the final page and was told $99 is what I owe today for the phone. Not going to checkout, i'll wait for the this years iPhone. That's what I got.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedGeminiPA
Considering T-Mobile is selling the iPhone 5 for $70 under retail, anyone wanting an unlocked iPhone would be foolish to buy one elsewhere. Yes, pay full-price from T-Mobile, and they will happily submit the unlock for you. That's what I'll be doing when the next iPhone (5S) comes out. Hopefully T-Mobile continues this trend with pricing.
As I understand it, when you buy on the t-Mobile plan it is locked until you pay off phone. But if you go through Apple and pay full price it is unlocked and after six months on t-mobile they will give you a $70 credit on your account so the cost is the same.
In fact the guy I talked to at t-Mobile was under the impression that its the same there. If you leave before six months you have to pay that $70 but if you stay that long then they take it off the device payments. Doesn't seem to fit with the $579 full price they are offering but who knows. If I decided to switch I'm bringing in phone anyway so I'd just caution folks to read everything.
I disagree. My guess is T-mobile isn't profiting from the sale of the phone. It is charging you it's cost. Retailers pay wholesale prices, which is less than consumers pay. I guess this because T-mobile's full price for phones has always been less.
Curious if T-Mobile will release figures saying how many they sold in the first week.
I may jump to this. The family plan option is amazing in terms of price and I've been very unhappy with Straight Talk for two months.
Considering this is coming in April there will probably be no iPhone roll out in June(apple would have waited 2 months so they get to announce it, but well this is where it comes from.
Originally Posted by trumptman
I may jump to this. The family plan option is amazing in terms of price and I've been very unhappy with Straight Talk for two months.
Oh? These plans are competitive with even Straight Talk price-wise?
The only thing that prevents true competition is the Big Four not having identical coverage. T-Mobile is still worthless where I live (to my knowledge), for example.
I'd call them close enough or even better. Something strange is going in with ST and AT&T. I was throttled last month, I believe for just crossing a state line. My data use showed about 500 MB for the month. They couldn't and wouldn't discuss it in any fashion. They can't tell your what you've used. I don't stream even music. Now the kicker is I renewed on my end data and the throttle never came off. They've been useless on it.
T-mobile is $50 for the first line, $30 for the second and the third and fourth line are only $10. All get unlimited talk and text Ali with half a gig of (high speed) data. After that it is EDGE. An additional two gigs is $10 per line. Covering four paid off iPhones on it for $100-110 is worth a shot to me.
okay so i really am not understanding what do they mean by locked iphone if im paying 99$ upfront... someone tell me!