Save $100 on a T-Mobile myTouch 3G, thanks to Oprah
By Donald Melanson 
posted Sep 10th 2009 2:34PM
posted Sep 10th 2009 2:34PM
What could possibly cause T-Mobile to knock a full $100 off a successful smartphone less than two months after it started shipping? A lapse in judgment? A freewheelin' new CEO? A brand new Android phone set for release? No, it's something far more momentous: a new season of Oprah. While it's not quite a new car, folks tuning into the show today will apparently be treated to one of the biggest celebrity android sightings to date, and be given the opportunity to snag a myTouch 3G of their own for just $99 (on a two-year contract with data, of course). Can't wait another minute? Then it looks like you're in luck, as the discount code is already up on T-Mobile's website, and is valid until September 24th.
[Thanks, Jeff]
[Thanks, Jeff]
Where'd the chin go?
i believe you're thinking of the htc hero
... and that would have to be a promotion for the Jay Leno show *rimshot*
where are you getting this price at t-mobile has it for 499
Oprah we need you on sprint. send help!
ill take one for 1.99
Too bad TMobile requires a data plan for 24 months.
In Canada remember you are stuck on the Rogers for 36months. So don't complain too much. Though with that, you can get the HTC Dream or Magic for $79.99 regularly.
Unless Oprah is paying for the discount, there's nothing to thank her for. She's just doing a promotion and getting paid for it.
@something clever
knowing how rich she is, she COULD pay for it, but i highly doubt it. half of her shows are giant commercials.
@iClap
you're worthless.
STFU KAmakaze!
If some celebNUB gave us all $100 off the iPHone you all would be lapping that slop up..
I think iClap's original reply was hilarious... Why must people vote it down???
can I pay an extra $100 to deport oprah to syberia?
Syrian Siberia?
This is a brilliant Marketing move on T-Mobile's part. Oppie will move some units!
Oppie? Isn't that a common name for mutts?
no that was Ron Howard's character's name in The Andy Griffith Show.
If it walks like a mutt and talks like a mutt, so be it!
if oprah moves your unit that's your business. but really, that's even too disgusting a thought for the internet.
"Oprah: Guess what, You're all getting MYTOUCHES!!!"
*like, 1 million MyTouch 3G's fall from the ceiling*
That's just I see happening
Precisely how it will go down.
Fewer than 2 months, fewer fewer fewer fewer, not less, fewer.
I seen this up yesterday but I may hold off since the new kid on the block is the Motorola Cliq
I plan to watch parts of the episode on Oprah, to see when she announces it.
Where's the "capacitive" rant?
Eh? This has a capacitive screen...
Still...
fail.
WTF I JUST BOUGHT A MYTOUCH FFFF I WANT MY MONEY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK
Why not call T-Mobile? Can't hurt. They might give it to you if it was recent enough...
You are SOL just bought my MT3G 3 weeks ago and T-Mobile is not offering rebate/refund. I just called them.
Ok, so if I'm not eligible for a full upgrade (not eligible until next August), does anyone think t-mo will give me this along with the $199 pricing on 2 phones on a family plan? I know I'm asking for like 2 different exceptions, but I've been a tmo customer for like 4 years, and would be adding a total of $50 in data per month. Any experts or insiders have any suggestions? I actually really like this phone, but if I have to wait over a year and have to keep using my piece of sh*t Samsung Blast, I'll go nuts.
@JakeMG: you should call tmobile and give them the "i've been a customer for so long, wah wha". They will work out some deal for you, probably not get you the two phones for $200, but you may be able to get a discount on your monthly bill for 6 months.
Yeah, but I'm really just asking them to give me the $199 pricing (it shows up as frickin $399 now). Then, the $100 rebate is just a given, as it's out there for everyone buying this phone, right? I mean, I could technically use it if I upgraded and paid the full $399 price, so I'm really just asking for one exception. Anyone have any experience getting a full upgrade early on Tmo?
Yes - because they just did that for me. Not eligible, but after a little schmoozing, I got it for $199, with an instant $100 credit on my bill. THAT is why I love T-Mobile so much. I'm nice to them, they are nice back to me.
So I called and they will give me the phones for $199 each, but the $100 Oprahbucks is "only for new customers." @Scooby, how did you swing the $100 service credit?
Call them and say "cancel" to the IVR. Regular CSR's can't do deals, but retentions people are really nice - just make sure you are nice back to them.
Mention things like "iPhone" and "Sprint unlimited plans" - if they try to counter with their ETF, and that you'd never want to pay that, just say you don't care about the ETF, you just want good phones. Tell them you really don't want to leave T-Mobile...
Yeah, I was talking iPhone (although I'm totally not interested), but they never offered a service credit. They did override my ineligibility and were ready to give me the phones for $199, though. They made a note that they offered that to me. Maybe if I call back and mention a service credit, and suggest they give me $100 off over 4 months to offset the fact that I can't get the oprah thing. I would be onboard because that would effectively give me $50 off each phone. I could live with that. Think that'll work?
I just did the other day. Been enjoying it for about a day. Was only 10 months in my contract. Too bad about the 100 off though I think it would be pushing it if I called and asked about that now.
I just signed up with T-Mobile yesterday and bought a myTouch. I called customer service to try and get the $100 credit and they refuse to give it to me. They suggest I return the phone, cancel my account, then sign up again to get the Oprah credit. Totally lame customer service, but I guess its worth the $100.
I got a new service with Tmobile not even 2 weeks ago, and bought the mytouch. Im currently on the phone waiting to speak with a manager to see what they can do for me. I have no problems cancelling my account and going and creating a new one to save the $100
I've had the phone for 1 month and 1 day , and they didn't want to honor the discount, nor let me cancel and start over.
Whatever, T-mo.
I plan on taking full advantage of that unlimited data plan, so I'll squeeze that $100 out of them, one way or another :)
D
Dimitri, sucks to be you.
A whole lot smarter than giving away a damn coupon for Some Chicken and sides to KFC. At least she wont have to worry about being an uproar. No1 wants to go to TMobiles shitty service.
Too bad it is T-Mobile.
Guess what? If its like the car give away fiasco beware.
any gift or promotion like this may be liable for taxes that could end up being more than the value of the product.
When GM and Opraj gave away the pontiacs the recipients ended up paying taxes equal to the wholesale value of the cars.
This was a boon for Oprah and GM but not so for the recipient.
If it looks too good....
@ Sugar, sit down before you hurt yourself.
The Oprah audience members that got cars had to pay taxes because under the U.S. tax code, the cars Oprah "gave" her audience were considered income to the audience because they got something (a car) for nothing. Here, Tmo customers are getting something (a phone) for something ($99), so there is no income... it's just a change in price.
If you were right, and this could be considered income, then every time a company dropped the price on a product, everyone who bought the product from now on would owe income taxes on it. Similarly, anyone who ever used a coupon would have to pay taxes on the coupons. But, not even our bass-akwards tax system requires that.
Don't be an Oprah troll. Or maybe you're an income-tax troll.
@ Mikey M.
While I think SUGAR GROVE is exaggerating a bit, your response was a bit off.
I had a struggle getting the $100 discount from Oprah, so in the end, customer service managed to keep me on board by offering free express shipping for the phone, waiving the upgrade fee (one I've never had to pay before but I guess I'm just unfortunate this year with all the attempts on me), and giving me $100 off the phone.
But I payed $137-something. $37 in taxes didn't sound right, and even after:
$200 + $17 + $21.03 + 24.99 = $263.02, * 1.0875 (or 10.75%, they wouldn't specify the rate over the phone or break it down), I'm still a little skeptical and will have to wait for my bill to bring it up.
Bottom line, I ended up paying tax on the original price, and then the $100 from Oprah was applied. So as my favorite Econ prof. always liked saying, "it depends."
Scratch the 24.99 in my math. That shouldn't have been charged immediately/taxed then since the rate wasn't going to be applied until a few days later. So yeah, I ended up paying mystery taxes that won't get resolved until I get my bill.
So is that the only promo code? I can't find it anywhere on the big O's site, tmobile is willing to work around the deal since I haven't even had the mytouch for a whole week yet, but they still need the code.
Nevermind, I didn't RTFM, code wasn't on Oprah's site. *slaps forehead*
I just ordered mine on tuesday so I haven't even received it yet. I called customer care to see if they could do anything and I got nothing, not even talking to a supervisor for 15 minutes, I even mentioned canceling. Such crap. I really wish I wasn't part of a family plan with multiple contracts so I could cancel all of them.
Sorry to hear that man, I'd try calling back and talking to someone else. I received my mytouch 3g less than a week ago and was able to work out a deal with them. I have to send my phone back in to them, and then call back in to re-order my phone with the promo code to get the $100 off, its a pain in the ass but worth the discount. Don't take no for an answer, but don't be an ass about it either. Good luck to you.
Early adopter tax.
It sucks, but we've all been there.
I got the MyTouch last Friday and got the $100 credit just like that. I love you Tmobile. I was on the phone no more than 8 mins. Folks..the key is this..when they ask you what the reason your calling for say. I want to cancel my account. You are sent to Customer Retention Department. No returning of phone necessary for me.
Or even easier, when the autobot lady asks what you're calling for, just say "customer retention." The system sends you directly to that dept. However, Engadget should note that this offer is technically for new lines of service only. Even customer retention wouldn't give me, a customer of 4 years the Oprahbucks. New customers or lines of service only. No biggie. I negotiated a free month of service instead. Also they did let me upgrade when I was only like 11 months into a 2 year contract. They really go out of their way if they think you're really going to cancel and not just fishing for a deal. Goodbye crappy samsung blast! This is a major upgrade for me.
So what happens if you just got the phone like 4 days ago. Am i just out of luck?
Works for upgrading too...my step dad just got his for $99. Just FYI :)
I like to read this thread about people moaning about how they aren't eligible for upgrade and how do I get T-Mobile to give me stuff. You're asking for the opportunity to pay the minimum 600 for the data (25 x 24) and 200 for the phone. I hope they give you all one for $199 if you aren't eligible. Be glad you got the data for less than an iPhone plan, and enjoy your myTouch with MMS.
I called back today after never getting the call back from the supervisor yesterday, and after getting the run around from 3 different departments, I finally got to talk to a very sweet lady who was able to give me a $35 dollar credit (the price of the unlimited data/messaging plan) towards my next months phone bill.
It isn't $100 dollars, but I'll take it.
To anyone whos already got the MyTouch (especially if you're like me and just recently switched over to tmobile), I definitely say give it a shot. If you're persistent enough you will get something. And saying you want to cancel your service helps too (but be nice)
My wife got this deal with an upgrade. Most T-Mobile CSRs are willing to help. They're a good company. I can't wait to see the phone in action. She's already bragging that she'll have a better phone than my Blackberry 8900. We'll have to wait and see. Touch screen isn't everything but the MyTouch does look pretty slick.
i just called and got 100$ off...... i bought the phone 2 weeks ago..........mad props 2 t-moble 4 that one!!!!!
I got this phone with the Oprah deal and I love it! Read my review here: http://www.magnatecha.com/2009/09/review-t-mobiles-mytouch-3g.html