UPDATED 15:36 EDT / MARCH 26 2013

T-Mobile Finally Gets the iPhone 5, Trashes AT&T

Even before the UnCarrier event, T-Mobile had already released its new plans for subscribers.  It ditched the two-year contract and introduced flexible data plans which starts at $50 for 500 MB of 4G data.  So what did T-Mobile reveal at the event?

iPhone 5 and other devices coming

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T-Mobile is finally getting the iPhone 5.  After years of being snubbed by Apple and losing subscribers, the iPhone 5 is finally coming to T-Mobile on April 12.  The T-Mobile iPhone will cost $580 up front.  Though some worried that this UnCarrier plan will make phones more expensive and less affordable, T-Mobile came up with a strategy to help everyone get the phone they truly desire.  If you like the iPhone 5 but do not have $580, you can make an initial payment of $99.99 and $20 every month on top of your data plan for the next two years.  The $580 price tag is $70 cheaper compared to what others offer.  T-Mobile is also offering the iPhone 4S for $550 or $69.99 down and $20 per month for 24 months while the iPhone 4 costs $375 or $14.99 down plus $15 per month.

“This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can’t stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one,” said T-Mobile USA Chief Executive John Legere.

T-Mobile is also offering the BlackBerry Z10 for $531.99 or $99.99 down, plus $18 per month for 24 months.  T-Mobile’s offering is way easier on the wallet compared to AT&T’s $199.99 with a two-year contract.  The down side of a T-Mobile Z10 is that it doesn’t support Wi-Fi calling or HD Voice.

And on or before May 1, the Samsung Galaxy SIV is coming to T-Mobile.  T-Mobile chief marketing officer Mike Sievert confirmed the news to CNET.  No news yet as to how much the Galaxy SIV will cost on T-Mobile but some are expecting the cost to come around the same affordable pricing model as the iPhone 5.

AT&T couldn’t care less

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T-Mobile’s event mostly pokes fun of AT&T, hitting the company where it hurts.  Though T-Mobile is late in getting the iPhone, it still managed to swipe at AT&T stating that though many were eager to get their hands on the very first iPhone version, not many were pleased because they were stuck with AT&T’s poor service.  Legere also stated that AT&T had confusing subscription plans that its subscribers tend to pay more and called AT&T Nation “vaguely sinister.”  But AT&T couldn’t care less about the bashing, the only comment it gave with regards to Legere’s words is “whatever.”

Why the hate?  If you remember, AT&T and T-Mobile were supposed to merge but the plan wasn’t approved.  T-Mobile was so hopeful for the merger that it forgot to update its network, leaving the carrier lagging behind the LTE efforts of other networks.  Now that T-Mobile has flushed AT&T out of its system and let MetroPCS take its place, the company has doubled its efforts in the LTE scene.

T-Mobile refarms

As mentioned earlier, LTE is missing from T-Mobile’s menu until now.  In order to be able to offer true 4G LTE, the company has sorted to refarming.  T-Mobile is eliminating EDGE service on its 1900-MHz spectrum and replacing it with HSPA+.  Not everyone will get LTE immediately.  Some of the first to enjoy the faster network customers in Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose and Washington, D.C..  Others will get to experience the “blazing fast” network after T-Mobile refarms in other areas which hopely will happen in the coming months.


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