As anticipated, T-Mobile is announcing free 200MB of data every month for life. With the announcement of the new iPad mini with Retina and iPad Air, the timing couldn’t be more intentional as T-Mobile finally joined the club of LTE-ready iPad cellular data partners. “We’ve been waiting for a while to get in this game and stop this silliness,”said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. “People are afraid of crazily high costs involved in using them.”
I know what you’re thinking, 200MB isn’t a lot of data and T-Mobile recognizes this, but they also want you to know what you can do with that allotment: 60 pictures 2500 emails, 3400 tweets, 540 Facebook posts, 800 Instagram messages. The good news? Every customer will will receive the 200MB of data and existing customers don’t need to do anything, you’ll have it added to your account automatically.
Oh, you need more data? T-Mobile can help with that as their “always-on” iPad plans will start at $10 a month for unlimited data including 500MB of 4G LTE data. Customers can add even more LTE data in 2GB increments for just $10 more per month. If you want flexibility with your data package, that’s ok too as T-Mobile has an offer for you as well with Daily Passes. The daily passes will offer unlimited data with 500MB of LTE data at $5, and a weekly pass includes unlimited data with 1GB of 4G LTE data for $10. That’s it, no overages, just simple value and free 200MB of data every month for life.
“When you buy a product as amazing as iPad, you should be able to connect when and where you want, simply and affordably,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “By offering free data for life with incredible upfront pricing, T-Mobile is un-leashing customers to fully enjoy iPad as it was meant to be enjoyed – mobile and connected.”
Of course all of this is very nice but what’s the upfront and monthly cost of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina? Good question, here’s the official answer:
T-Mobile will offer iPad Air starting at an introductory price of $0 down with 24 equal monthly payments of $26.25* for the 16 GB model; iPad mini with Retina display starting at an introductory price of $0 down with 24 equal monthly payments of $22.08* for the 16 GB model; and iPad mini starting at an introductory price of $0 down with 24 equal monthly payments of $17.91* for the 16 GB model (plus taxes & fees). T-Mobile will also offer a program enabling customers to make their new iPad even more affordable by applying the trade-in value of an eligible tablet, even if that old tablet is Wi-Fi only.
T-Mobile will offer iPad Air at an introductory price of $99.99 down for the 32 GB model and $199.99 down for the 64 GB model, each with equal monthly payments of $26.25*. iPad mini with Retina display will be available at an introductory price of $99.99 down for the 32 GB model and $199.99 down for the 64 GB model, each with equal monthly payments of $22.08*. iPad Air and iPad mini will be available on Nov. 1, and iPad mini with Retina display will be available later in November.
So there you have it, T-Mobile’s UnCarrier Phase 3 Part II as T-Mobile is shaking up the tablet game.
Full Press Release:
| T-Mobile Revolutionizes How Customers Buy and Use Tablets with Free Data for Life |
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T-Mobile Revolutionizes How Customers Buy and Use Tablets
T-Mobile is the only major national wireless provider offering customers free 4G LTE data every month for as long they own their device All tablets start at incredible introductory price of $0 down Revolutionary Simple Choice plan enables tablet customers to enjoy unlimited data worldwide – at no extra charge BELLEVUE, Wash. – Oct. 23, 2013 – If you purchased one of the nearly 90 percent[i] of all tablets that only connect over Wi-Fi because you worried mobile connections would mean big monthly bills, listen up.
Just two weeks after upending the wireless industry with its Un-carrier 3.0 moves, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS), America’s new No. 1 choice in wireless[ii], is at it again. In its latest Un-carrier move, T-Mobile today announced Tablets Un-leashed, a revolutionary approach to make tablets just as mobile and connected as smartphones.
“Tablets are supposed to be un-tethered like smartphones, but it hasn’t worked out that way because people know carriers will charge them an arm-and-a-leg for mobile data,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “Carriers figured out a long time ago that they could make money – a lot of money – by forcing customers into restrictive, overpriced data plans. We changed it for smartphones and we’re changing it for tablets.” T-Mobile is the only major national wireless provider to make tablets affordable, connected and mobile right out of the box. There’s no bait and switch, no trial period and no strings attached. T-Mobile is the only national wireless provider to offer tablet owners up to 200 MB of free 4G LTE data every month for as long as they own their tablet, even if they’re not yet a T-Mobile customer.[iii] It’s really as good as it sounds – 200 MB of free data on T-Mobile’s nationwide 4G LTE network. That means each month customers can send approximately 800 Instagram photos, more than 2,500 emails or stream 200 minutes of music – all for free.
Customers wanting more data can choose from a range of simple, affordable and flexible options – with no annual service contracts, no data overages and a blazing-fast nationwide 4G LTE network. T-Mobile offers daily, weekly and monthly options for adding 4G LTE data. For T-Mobile voice customers, ‘always-on’ tablet plans start at just $10 a month for unlimited data including 500 MB of 4G LTE data each month. Customers can add even more 4G LTE data in 2 GB increments for just $10 more per month. For customers who would rather have the flexibility of on-demand data, T-Mobile offers daily and weekly passes. Daily passes include unlimited data with 500 MB of 4G LTE data starting at just $5. The weekly passes include unlimited data with 1 GB of 4G LTE data for $10. No caps. No overages. Just simple value. Additionally, postpaid customers who add a monthly Simple Choice tablet plan automatically get unlimited data to include more than 100 countries worldwide, at no extra charge. This means that T-Mobile’s home data coverage area for tablets is now larger than AT&T’s and Verizon’s combined. T-Mobile is driving unparalleled value for tablets across its entire line-up. New and existing customers will get affordable and hassle-free access to the latest 4G LTE tablets at the upfront price of $0 down with monthly device payments. With incredible upfront pricing and great value rate plans, T-Mobile has the lowest total cost of ownership among the top US carriers for tablets. In fact, compared to similar AT&T plans, consumers can save up to hundreds of dollars over two years with T-Mobile’s Tablets Un-leashed offer. “By offering free data for life with incredible upfront pricing, T-Mobile is un-leashing customers to fully enjoy tablets as they were meant to be enjoyed – mobile and connected,” Legere said. T-Mobile Announces Tablet Trade-In Program and New Device Tablets in T-Mobile’s portfolio will include:
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