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T-Mobile, Walmart Offer New $30 Prepaid Plan
Unlimited (Throttled) Data and SMS, 100 Voice Minutes
T-Mobile today announced that they're offering a new $30 data and SMS-centric prepaid plan in conjunction with Walmart. The $30 no-contract plan includes unlimited Internet access and text messages -- and 100 minutes for phone calls, with each additional minute billed out at ten cents per minute. The new plan is targeting those customers who realize voice is now simply data, and/or those who simply use their phone as an Internet device. Of course by "unlimited" data," T-Mobile and Walmart mean you'll be throttled back -- usually to around 256 kbps or so -- after your monthly consumption exceeds 5GB in one month. The plan will be available in WalMart's 2,200 stores and on both the T-Mobile and Wal-Mart's websites starting October 16.
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tkdslr
join:2004-04-24
Pompano Beach, FL

tkdslr

Member

Hmmm... I wonder if..

I can purchase this plan for my newly acquired(from Walmart) prepaid t-mobile 4g hotspot??

That would give 5x the downloading per month for the same $$$
Then, I could watch a few mp4 movies on top of my normal surfing.
tkdslr

tkdslr

Member

Re: Hmmm... I wonder if..

Has anyone been successful at signing up for this plan..

What phones or hotspots are covered?
Do I have to buy another 4g prepaid to enroll?

lawyerdan
@sbcglobal.net

lawyerdan to tkdslr

Anon

to tkdslr
won't work. They only give one gig if using a hotspot
Phatty
join:2000-05-10
Saint Louis, MO

Phatty

Member

Tempting

This is very tempting, I recently dropped one of my phones to an ATT GoPhone plan and pay per minute, and pay for data as required. Most of the time the device is on wifi, so I am able to 'roll over' a few hundred megabytes every month. Technically this is probably still twice as expensive as what I manage to pay on the Gophone, but the unlimited data has its benefits vs the monitoring every meg I use that I do now with the gophone.

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium Member
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO

tiger72

Premium Member

Hrmm

I use about 100 minutes a month.

Right now they're offering 500min + unl text + 5GB data for $80/mo

I can get this for $30/mo and have less minutes, but the same data and texting?

On the exact same HSPA+ network?

The SGS2 is ~$549 off-contract.
It's $229 on contract.

So over 2 years, if I stick with the T-Mobile plan (or go to ATT) i'll pay: $2150

If i get this plan, I pay more up-front, but my total cost over 2 years is: $1270.

Umm.

I think I would be mentally challenged if I didn't hop on this.

gigahurtz
Premium Member
join:2001-10-20
USA

gigahurtz

Premium Member

This is a great plan.

The unlimited data, whether throttled after 5GB or not, is in itself worth $30 a month. To add unlimited texting and 100 voice minutes to that is even better. Can you bring an unlocked iPhone or a T-Mobile android phone to a plan like this?

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

The new planet?

quote:
The new planet is targeting those customers...
Hold on a second. You mean to tell me that Walmart is now offering new PLANETS? Maybe Walmart really has grown too big.

The Limit
Premium Member
join:2007-09-25
Denver, CO

The Limit

Premium Member

Re: The new planet?

I'll take two, one for data and one for TEXTING.
tom thomas
join:2010-11-04

tom thomas

Member

legit for laptops?

does the TOS limit this to phones only or is this legit for data card and MIFI's?

BUCKEYECOM
@buckeyecom.net

BUCKEYECOM

Anon

Re: legit for laptops?

All TMO TOS/AUP say you MUST pay an extra $14.95 per month to use the built in hotspot or tether it. they do NOT enforce it though. I use mine all the time and never been told to pay anything extra. You're given the option to pay extra for it though when you sign up. I think its more to see how many people would pay it vs not and still use it.

djdanska
Rudie32
Premium Member
join:2001-04-21
San Diego, CA

djdanska to tom thomas

Premium Member

to tom thomas
T-Mobile's system generally blocks data card and mifi's from using standard smartphone data plan. You will get a page telling you your on the wrong data plan. Tethering on the other hand most likely should work. Worse case, change the settings on the phone to internet2.voicestream.com to get past the tethering detection.
GraysonPeddi
Grayson Peddie
join:2010-06-28
Tallahassee, FL
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter PoE
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-AC

GraysonPeddi

Member

Virgin Mobile ($35) vs. T-Mobile+Wal-Mart ($30)

I don't use over 50 minutes of voice, so I do value about $30 for Virgin Mobile instead of $35. That $30/month with T-Mobile+Wal-Mart looks perfect for me, but unfortunately, I'll have to get rid of my LG Optimus V. I'd prefer just a stock Android experience, so Nexus S will be my best bet -- that is, if I can afford it.

Well, that is, if the new $30 plan is available to compete with Virgin Mobile.

BUCKEYECOM
@buckeyecom.net

BUCKEYECOM

Anon

Re: Virgin Mobile ($35) vs. T-Mobile+Wal-Mart ($30)

just go on eBay and buy an LG Opt T. It's the same phone.
GraysonPeddi
Grayson Peddie
join:2010-06-28
Tallahassee, FL
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter PoE
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-AC

GraysonPeddi

Member

Re: Virgin Mobile ($35) vs. T-Mobile+Wal-Mart ($30)

Ugh. I really don't have that much trust in eBay (because I really don't like having my PayPal account), but thanks for letting me know. I'll keep the V as long as I can until I complete my training program on starting my own business in stocking up in vending machines and owning a snack bar. I did a vocational evaluation about more than a month ago.
dplantz
join:2000-08-02
Bradenton, FL

dplantz

Member

Re: Virgin Mobile ($35) vs. T-Mobile+Wal-Mart ($30)

You can buy the Tmobile Opt T at any Tmobile store for 149 no eBay needed.
GraysonPeddi
Grayson Peddie
join:2010-06-28
Tallahassee, FL
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter PoE
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-AC

GraysonPeddi

Member

Re: Virgin Mobile ($35) vs. T-Mobile+Wal-Mart ($30)

Ah, okay. It'll be a waste of money to buy LG Optimus T if I have trouble selling LG Optimus V. I'm very tight on money and I won't necessarily buy LG Optimus T just to pay $30. I'm going to be a businessman next year and will say goodbye to Social Security Income.
mogamer
join:2011-04-20
Royal Oak, MI

mogamer

Member

Great Deal...But!

This is a great deal. It would be worth it to get two, one for each my wife and myself. We can always keep our "lifetime double minute plan" Tracphones for when we need to use more minutes for calls as a back-up. Too bad T-Mobile will soon be gone after ATT breaks it for merger approval.
tom thomas
join:2010-11-04

tom thomas

Member

MJ or nettalk should built a handset for this

it would be interesting if one of the discount VOIP companies like magicjack or nettalk released a simple inexpensive handset with built in VOIP specifically targeting users of this plan.

while you can certainly do VOIP on a smartphone over 3G/4G a cheap basic phone sold at discount retailers would be interesting and disruptive.

buddahbless
join:2005-03-21
Premium

buddahbless

Member

nettalk... theres and app for that

Yes there is I have it installed on my G2x Nettalk lets toy call unlimited from your android phone and you dont need a Nettalk device you just have to sign up for free service. , the questions now becomes what will happen to tmobiles other prepaid options they can seriously bump that 50 deal with only 100 mb up to 5 GB or more now or else those paying $50 for that TMO plan can actually get the same ( actually better) deal with the new $30 plan. as long as your constantly in a 3G/4G area and can make your calls over the net.
Not to mention Google talk... that kiils all other apps..

PS walmat mobile announced today a new plan A $45 unlimited talk text and web but it was only unlimited web for 3 months, then 5c per MB after that. so lets see how long this plan stays on the market.

compuguybna
join:2009-06-17
Nashville, TN

compuguybna

Member

Re: nettalk... theres and app for that

I must have missed something.........

What phones will this plan work on?

phone included? Must buy phone????

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil

Premium Member

Tempting, But AT&T deal looming in the background.

This sounds really good, but I'm gun shy about T-mo for now. I purchased a few T-Mo pre=paid phones earlier this year, before the AT&T deal was announced. I'm very hesitant to get into anything else with T-mo, until things are resolved. Main reason why is what happens when/if T-mo becomes AT&T or goes poof and is split up and sold to the other cell phone companies?

Will this plan still be honored? Will the T-Mo phones work on another network?
Will who ever gets T-MO accept this plan?
Phatty
join:2000-05-10
Saint Louis, MO

Phatty

Member

Re: Tempting, But AT&T deal looming in the background.

said by Snakeoil:

This sounds really good, but I'm gun shy about T-mo for now. I purchased a few T-Mo pre=paid phones earlier this year, before the AT&T deal was announced. I'm very hesitant to get into anything else with T-mo, until things are resolved. Main reason why is what happens when/if T-mo becomes AT&T or goes poof and is split up and sold to the other cell phone companies?

Will this plan still be honored? Will the T-Mo phones work on another network?
Will who ever gets T-MO accept this plan?

Nobody, including high up executives at T-Mobile know the answer to those questions. But, being that you are not in a contract at least you know you can leave at any time. Any changes that you are worried about would not be instant, so in theory you would get plenty of use out of the phones before you have to worry about those things.

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru to Snakeoil

MVM

to Snakeoil
It's pre-paid, so no contracts. Worst case, you move to a different carrier or stop using the phone.

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil

Premium Member

Re: Tempting, But AT&T deal looming in the background.

If I drop 50 plus dollars on a phone, I'd like to get at least 3 to 5 years out of it.
My current phone was 70 bucks. Phones are to expensive to buy a new one every year.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

unknown quantity

thing is AT&T wants to monopolize GSM.. so that uncertainty of any Tmobile handsets becoming worthless when a company such as AT&T plans to gouge the consumer puts TMOBLE in a damaged market position due to this uncertainty. nevertheless, this isn't that good a deal. data can be found via free wifi in most major metro areas. also, prepaid minutes with a mvno such as tracfone can be in the 2-5 cent range with triple minute and bonus minute deals combined (on certain feature phones).

so, is this really competition? don't think so. more of a copy-cat me too! tit for tat with virgin mobile (sprint's mvno).
leaverussia
join:2011-12-10
Southgate, MI

leaverussia

Member

Re: unknown quantity

Actually, it's because ATT's 4g network is garbage. It's cheaper for them to buy T-Mobile's fiber, than to lay their own. Monopolizing GSM doesn't really do anything, because the largest provider is CDMA. Not only that, but Verizon's network completely trashes all the others combined. Wouldn't be much of a monopoly if you're on a gimped foot and the opposition is just as large as you are.

As to the rest of the comment, my 4g data speeds on T-Mobile are 3x faster than the speeds I get at a typical WIFI hotspot (McDonald's, Java Junction and home) and I'm not even in their major coverage area. You're also missing a couple HUGE points in your T-Mobile vs VM shootout. 5gb of 4g data vs 2.5g of 3g. Unlimited minutes (with T-Mobile Bobsled) vs 300 minutes. $30 vs $35. Samsung Galaxy S II vs HTC Wildfire... lulz

No, it's not a clone. It's superior in every way.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK

Premium Member

This is very tempting.

I'm going to be looking at this.