T-Mobile announces $99.99 unlimited plan just in time to yell "Fifth!"

Clearly not wanting to seem unhip in this fast-paced, modern era of all-you-can-eat cellphone plans, T-Mobile has announced that it will begin offering a -- wait for it -- $99.99 unlimited calling and text message plan starting February 21st. Now the magenta team can join the ranks of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and, er... Helio, in giving customers almost exactly the same plan, though unlike AT&T and Verizon, this includes all the text messages you could possibly type. For those with happy fingers and a whole slew of friends, that might be the deciding factor in this war of nearly-identical calling deals. Can unlimited Faves be far away?

[Thanks, Pete]

[DonatoM3 @ Feb 19th 2008 4:17PM]

I'm taking away the opportunity for someone to comment "first" here.

[phanbouy @ Feb 19th 2008 4:18PM]

second

[Ajay @ Feb 19th 2008 4:29PM]

turd

[Jake @ Feb 19th 2008 5:02PM]

As in "Ferguson?" That's a funny name.

[Frankenstein Black @ Feb 19th 2008 5:07PM]

Please stop calling me Chuck!

[sinai @ Feb 19th 2008 5:08PM]

it's like "first!" but way more pretentious and annoying. way to go!

[Reader @ Feb 19th 2008 7:12PM]

Removing the opportunity by taking it is just a psuedoclassy way to do the same thing. By do the same thing I mean make an ass of yourself.

[phanbouy @ Feb 19th 2008 7:17PM]

hmm, i shoulda been more specific with my "second" comment; i was telling the top poster to shove it. guess it was too oblique =)

[John @ Feb 19th 2008 4:19PM]

Sounds cool. Does this price include the data also? I'm assuming not as it wasn't explicitly detailed. Anybody know?

[bachviet @ Feb 19th 2008 4:19PM]

If it's unlimited, why do you need myFaves?

[Nabil @ Feb 19th 2008 4:50PM]

no kidding...I would be funny to see someone using the fav five thing with an unlimited plan.

[Garst @ Feb 20th 2008 6:01AM]

The MyFav has become a status symbol, like the number you are on speed-dial in that one episode of "Seinfeld." What I'm not good enough for you to spend $10 more to show off I'm one of your favorite people? Why F you man!

[Adam E @ Feb 19th 2008 4:19PM]

So where's Alltel?

[John Johnson @ Feb 19th 2008 4:21PM]

Fifth!

[josh @ Feb 19th 2008 4:32PM]

"One two three fo' FIF!"

-Tron from Chappelle's Show.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Feb 19th 2008 5:14PM]

According your avatar, you're not Fifth, you're Top.

[dude @ Feb 19th 2008 4:25PM]

lol. you americans are something special. we have this in austria since years and it costs only 25 euro/mth. i have no idea how you can be so patient wile you are getting riped off by all those crazy companys from there. i use tmobile in austria and i pay 9 euro per month and i have free in tmobile network + land lines.and i don't pay when somoane is calling me ;). you should start a revolution to ask for your rights to make a mobile-party!

[Dave @ Feb 19th 2008 4:31PM]

yes I'm sure you do, because the ROAMING area in Austria is smaller than the size of Pennsylvania...but while you are feeling special being in Austria let me remind you that I can get a plan like yours that is unlimited voice and texting and limits roaming to a specific area (such as you with Austria) for about $30. $30 < 25 Euros. Have a nice day.

[Eric @ Feb 19th 2008 4:31PM]

25 euros is like $450 now! You lose!

[Eric @ Feb 19th 2008 4:32PM]

Oh, and I meant to add:
G'Day Mate!

[Flyer00 @ Feb 19th 2008 4:42PM]

G'Day Mate? You're thinking Australia, not Austria...

[OSnix*-geek @ Feb 19th 2008 4:43PM]

WRONG AUST Eric!
Austria - Mozart, Freud, and last but not least the Governator (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Australia - Aboriginals, British Colony, and last but not least the crocodile hunter (Steve Irwin).


So to recap... Ich Habe Einen Deutschen Hute... or I Have a German Hat!

[fistpittingnork @ Feb 19th 2008 4:44PM]

That's a lovely accent you have there... New Jersey?

[sitruc @ Feb 19th 2008 4:50PM]

or Eric could be making bad jokes...

[Dave @ Feb 19th 2008 4:52PM]

eric must be a product of public schools, lol

[Derbeste @ Feb 19th 2008 5:04PM]

Dude....tell me...

How much do gaming consoles cost in Europe again?

[Eric @ Feb 19th 2008 5:06PM]

Yeah, I was just joking. Seemed a fitting response to the smug Austrian's remarks ;)

[telepheedian @ Feb 19th 2008 6:25PM]

Reading that reminded me a bunch of Cricket, unlimited sure, but the phones are crap, and roaming is pretty much everywhere

[Dale @ Feb 19th 2008 6:34PM]

@Eric: "Samsonite! I was way off."

[thethirdmoose @ Feb 19th 2008 7:38PM]

Ah! I understand. Choosing cell phone providers is like voting for Hitler! Thank you, o brilliant engadget commenters, for making it so clear to me!

[aahatimy @ Feb 19th 2008 8:02PM]

OSnix*-geek @ Feb 19th 2008 4:43PM

WRONG AUST Eric!
Austria - Mozart, Freud, and last but not least the Governator (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Australia - Aboriginals, British Colony, and last but not least the crocodile hunter (Steve Irwin).

And don't forget most importantly Hitler :p

[Akhan Almagambetov @ Feb 19th 2008 8:56PM]

Russia is the same way.. I was genuinely impressed with the choices that mobile carriers over there offer their customers, all for much cheaper than what we see in the US (and you can't use €25 = $450 excuse here). Aside from unlimited texts and data plans, free incoming and nights/weekends, they also offer free roaming on other networks across the CIS space and relatively cheap roaming anywhere else in the world. As of now, the competition between Vympelkom (Beeline trademark), MTS, and MegaFon is so fierce that the rates have dropped dramatically over the past year or so. For the short time that I was there, my signal did not drop below 4/5 bars, even going across Russia by train. Now compare that with US GSM coverage and the all-too-frequent "Network Busy" messages in densely populated areas. No wonder that the Russian cell operators report such large earnings.. the sheer size of their customer base is astounding, to say the least; this is something that will take US cellphone companies years to catch up to.. provided they realize what they are losing. I have faith in T-Mobile, as it is an international company.. the problem is that people are willing to put up with the high rates and pseudo-unlimited plans offered by current cellphone market competitors in the US.. In addition, Europe has no monopoly on the GSM band (as we all know, AT&T and T-Mobile are the only companies that offer GSM network-based plans) and the bands are not as tightly regulated by an agency, such as the FCC.

[Matt @ Feb 19th 2008 10:27PM]

I can't believe how many people seem to have no knowledge of Dumb and Dumber! Eric's "G'Day Mate" comment is getting such a raw deal. Though I'm now wondering, is there something wrong with me for even caring?

... don't answer that.

[Organic_Shadow @ Feb 19th 2008 4:26PM]

When is someone going to do a REAL unlimited plan and cut the crap? Unlimited should include unlimited voice, text, AND data. Paying for ringtones and downloaded games is fine, but just to have incoming and outgoing data, be it text, internet, or someone talking, should REALLY be what unlimited is all about.

[Neoprimal @ Feb 19th 2008 4:44PM]

Sprint has unlimited voice, text and data for 120. Too bad their service is crap.

[Nabil @ Feb 19th 2008 4:57PM]

Ya, and include all regulatory fees, and taxes.

I just want to see $99.99 on my bill. nothing else.

[letstakeawalk @ Feb 19th 2008 6:04PM]

Helio offers unlimited voice and data over 3G for $99.

[Scott @ Feb 20th 2008 9:46AM]

"Paying for ringtones and downloaded games is fine."

Paying for ring tones was NEVER fine. This is something you can do yourself with a Google search and about 5 minutes of your time. Try developing your own game in 5 minutes and you'll see why one is worth paying for and one isn't.

Not to mention you can buy a REAL SONG for 99 cents but a ring tone is $2? WTF?

[Matt B @ Feb 19th 2008 4:27PM]

"1,2,3,4,FIFTH!!!!"

[doobster @ Feb 19th 2008 4:37PM]

about time they bring such plans... the US is lagging behind when it comes to mobile plans.. i guess this is the only country where incoming calls and messages are charged! gud to kno there's change in the air...

[Joseph Singer @ Feb 19th 2008 9:09PM]

The US is not the only country where you pay for incoming calls. Canada for one is also. And just FYI if you haven't figured it out in caller pays countries people calling you are out and out gouged to call you and pay up to ten times as much to call your mobile number as they would to call either a domestic or even an international call.

[Matt @ Feb 19th 2008 4:39PM]

I am officially pledging to switch to the first company to offer a $98 unlimited plan.

[Nabil @ Feb 19th 2008 4:53PM]

sound like "7 minute abs" from "there's something about Marry"

[telepheedian @ Feb 19th 2008 6:27PM]

I sure would hate to be you if Tracfone or Net10 (same company anyway) started doing that...

[Neoprimal @ Feb 19th 2008 4:46PM]

I'm with you. Except I want unlimited everything for $100, and then add a line for unlimited voice for 20 more, or something. I need an unlimited (voice at least)Family plan under 150 dollah.

[bethel03 @ Feb 19th 2008 4:54PM]

I have been a T-mo customer for 5 years now and I must say, even though they do not offer 3G yet and sometimes not the greatest phones, they do know what plans to offer to get the right audience. T-Mo rocks!!

[Nabil @ Feb 19th 2008 5:02PM]

have to admit that fav five was a great idea.

[Long @ Feb 19th 2008 4:56PM]

I guess everybody forgot about the $39.99 from MetroPCS that is unlimited calling. I dont use them, but it would be nice for a site like engadget to get the facts right. Tmobile would be six.

[bachviet @ Feb 19th 2008 5:01PM]

MetroPCS is only a regional carrier.

[Neoprimal @ Feb 19th 2008 5:20PM]

MetroPC isn't a national carrier. And for the record if you've ever USED or called someone with the service you wouldn't compare it to the likes of these 5 services.

It's like having a DSL line and not being able to play online games because you keep getting disconnected. Calling people with MetroPC is frustrating at best.