dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
4125

skytom
join:2012-10-18
Northampton, MA

skytom

Member

[T-Mobile] T-Mobile phasing out Prepaid? Links removed from webs

With the transition to new postpaid plans, T-Mobile has removed any reference to prepaid plans on their website t-mobile.com. Instead, one has to conduct a web search for 'prepaid T-Mobile' in order to find their site prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com.

Is T-Mobile phasing out prepaid? The cost differences between unlimited minutes, txt, and web between prepaid and postpaid is $20/month. With T-Mobile's creation of GoSmart Mobile (gosmartmobile.com), seems like they may spin off their prepaid division.

Any one able to provide additional details?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

Re: [T-Mobile] T-Mobile phasing out Prepaid? Links removed from

I went to check this out for myself... and you are indeed correct. I did find 1 reference to it on their website, on the support page... but it does appear that they are trying to hide it away doesn't it?

Cabal
Premium Member
join:2007-01-21

Cabal to skytom

Premium Member

to skytom
They just launched a new "in-house MVNO" prepaid network 2 months ago, maybe they're trying to focus people on that.

»www.gosmartmobile.com/

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby

Member

Go here: »www.t-mobile.com/shop.aspx Click on PrePaid.
toby

toby to skytom

Member

to skytom
Or go here: »prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/

skytom
join:2012-10-18
Northampton, MA

skytom

Member

@dib22 - Their website certainly makes it appear that a re-branding for the prepaid division is upcoming.

@toby - Some prepaid phones; but for your later link, point is that going to t-mobile.com will reveal no information regarding prepaid.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

Pirate515 to skytom

Premium Member

to skytom
I guess in light of the latest developments at T-Mobile, pre-paid probably no longer make sense.

Come to think of it, pre-paid was designed for those with poor or no credit. Carriers would not risk selling subsidized phones to those individuals, instead making them pay for phones upfront.

Given that there is no more contract on plans, service can be canceled at any time with no penalty. And since service is paid for upfront for the month, it's essentially same idea as pre-paid; if bill isn't paid by the due date, customer gets no service past that, so there's no risk to T-Mobile. So they are simply making pre-paid folks switch to one of their plans. Those who already have phones can continue using them with a new plan.

In regards to phones, credit plays a role when it comes to financing. Those with bad credit will be denied and will have no choice but to pay for the phone upfront. Everyone else can make monthly payments for the phone if they so choose.
dumpav
join:2002-08-06
Brooklyn, NY

1 recommendation

dumpav

Member

but some people like me, don't use up $100/1000min in 3 years!

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

said by dumpav:

but some people like me, don't use up $100/1000min in 3 years!

Same here, my tmo lines have cost me less than $100 a year for many many years... I don't think they are shutting down our plan (aka the "Pay as you go" plans) but they are sure trying to get people to pay $50 a month instead

TmobileMe
@clearwire-wmx.net

TmobileMe to Pirate515

Anon

to Pirate515
Actually, those with not so stellar credit are required to pay a larger deposit (about $200). This, I know from experience.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

3 edits

Pirate515

Premium Member

said by TmobileMe :

Actually, those with not so stellar credit are required to pay a larger deposit (about $200). This, I know from experience.

I thought deposits also applied to postpaid. Basically, it was a way for carriers to secure themselves while offering postpaid to those with not so stellar credit instead of refusing them outright or making them go with prepaid. I think deposit was comprised of ETF plus 1 or 2 month worth of service fees, so if one turned into deadbeat, they would terminate the account and use deposit to cover ETF plus unpaid balance, this way not losing anything on the subsidy. If that customer's account remained in good standing during the contract, they would refund deposit at the end.

I never knew what T-Mobile deposit was as my credit is good and I never had any problems getting approved for postpaid on any carrier. However, back in the days when I was with AT&T, when I once went to their store for something, I witnessed a guy try to sign up for postpaid. After they checked his credit, they asked him for $400 deposit and he walked out.

klally143
@fuse.net

klally143

Anon

What do you think coverage will be like? There was a big difference with pre-paid vs postpaid for me. Pre-paid was useless when traveling thru eastern KY, no roaming, no data. Since the new plans are also $ 50 unlimited, will all coverage be postpaid?

RobNyc
Premium Member
join:2002-03-06
New York, NY

RobNyc to skytom

Premium Member

to skytom
GoSmart Mobile does not provide Micro SIMs or Nano SIM

Irun Man
Premium Member
join:2002-10-18
Millsboro, DE

Irun Man to skytom

Premium Member

to skytom
T-Mobile recently made it much less profitable for resellers of their airtime refill PINs.

That being said there are PLENTY of MVNOs that resell T-Mobile service. If you like the network there will continue to be alternatives. Heck, IIRC Sprint never marketed a prepaid service of their own (unnecessary as they have interest in Boost, Virgin and resell service to a plethora of MNVOs and MVNEs.

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

1 recommendation

dib22

Member

said by Irun Man:

Heck, IIRC Sprint never marketed a prepaid service of their own (unnecessary as they have interest in Boost, Virgin and resell service to a plethora of MNVOs and MVNEs.

Just to clear this up...

Sprint branded pre-paid: »sprint.com/asyougo

Sprint owns 100% of Boost and Virgin Mobile USA.

RobNyc
Premium Member
join:2002-03-06
New York, NY

RobNyc

Premium Member

said by dib22:

said by Irun Man:

Heck, IIRC Sprint never marketed a prepaid service of their own (unnecessary as they have interest in Boost, Virgin and resell service to a plethora of MNVOs and MVNEs.

Just to clear this up...

Sprint branded pre-paid: »sprint.com/asyougo

Sprint owns 100% of Boost and Virgin Mobile USA.

Sprint & T-Mobile are like a hit or miss!

I've noticed the past year lots of dropped calls & super slow network on my Sprint service myself w/ blackberry bold 9930, mom/dad/sis/neighbors with iPhone 4, 4s, & bb's.

Been using iPhone 4s on StraightTalk (ATT side) for 2yrs now and their signal in the tri-state area is better than Sprint + I've seen myself having better signal than my cousin's who are ATT postpaid customers.

Just got the T-Mobile iPhone5 w/ a prepaid plan and don't know how I did 1gb of cellular data in a matter of 4 days LOL. But their service is better than Sprint in my place & mom's place in NYC. But there's places where Sprint has signal and tmobile has no signal. Which is why I say they are both on par.

Hopefully there's an affordable LTE MVNO offering soon for ATT or VZW. That'll be the deal for me.