Still no confirmation on any
all-you-can-eat data plans, but
Boy Genius Report has some convincing screens that seem to reveal some other precepts of T-Mobile's enigmatic (and purportedly company-saving)
Project Dark. Two new plans have emerged, Even More and Even More Plus. The former is the traditional two-year contract, along with options to do data only and get a subsidized phone. Even More Plus doesn't require a contract, going month-to-monthly instead, and subsequently the phone is full price. However, what's gonna be interesting to see is the FlexPay option, which allows you to pay for a device in monthly installments instead of upfront, a plan we've seen before in markets like Germany and Japan. In the example above, a $400 G1 on the non-contractual Even More Plus plan is divvied out to an initial $170 payment and 19 subsequent installments of $12.10, or $33.33 over three months after the related upfront cost. It's no game-changer on its own, but it's certainly an intriguing prospect that's gonna make some (initially) cash-strapped individuals very happy to be able to walk out with a decent
Android device.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
posted October 18th 2009 4:59PM
I remember when I had a 200MHz desktop and was happy with it. Kids these days with their rap music and 800 MHz phones...
Omg.
Let's see I wanna buy a $49 iPhone 3g on 24 monthly installments so $2 on my monthly bill????
Sold!!!!!I'll take 5 iPhones please!!!!!!!!!!!!
I understand we going thru ruff times but I'd u can't afford a $49 iPhone 3g. Hmmh
we got some problems. I know sooo many people on welfare that have a $49 iphone3g here in California.
Thats why this isnt for the 3g iphone....
You should ban this moron again Engadget, we all know you are that idiot called Guru.
Agree?
Nokia n900 $750
12 installments $69 a month on bill
Yikes no thanks I'll stick with $49 nokia. Lol
*shrugs* Generally speaking you get what you pay for.
Where are you getting $750? Nokia has stated $650 for North America.
I think hes considering the falling dollar into the n900s value.
I was offered something like this when I bought my G1 a few months back "since I had been a cusotmer for a few years"...paid $50 upfront and my billing for that month, then each month after another $33.33
Still doesn't make up for the fact that I cannot receive 3G in my area and the other things T-Mo has screwed up with my bill, probably will be canceling after phone is paid off since I'll be at basic.
Here the real question. It sounds like the features of these contracts are pretty damn good. What about those of us on a 2 year contract half through it. Can I get a new phone and do monthly payments or am I fooked until my contract is up. The G1 is nice and all. Its also extremely under powered for those wanting to do several things at once. Pandora alone is pretty damn CPU intensive. Right now my thinking is centered around the rumored HTC Dragon and the 1Ghz snapdragon. If I can buy that and continue my contract. I'm straight and all, but I'd track down the CEO of T Mobile and kiss the dude.
Ummmmm.....if you look at this picture:
http://media.boygeniusreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/project-dark0.jpg
"Individual line rate plans: Unlimited, 1000, 500"
Hear in America we don't do prepaid On smartphones.
Here in California prepaid service is geared for lowincome welfare recipients convicted felons extremely bad credit I live in the ghetto so prepaid I kinda popular at indoor swapmeets. But I guess europeens like prepaid. Hmmmh.
Hear here!
speak for yourself. i live in "America" and i only use prepaid for the simple fact that i don't like being tied down and subjected to bullshit contracts. i have never been convicted of a crime, i live in a nice house in a great suburb, and i have almost perfect credit.
That would be very nice, phones are far too expensive and spreading out payments would help.
By the way, what happened to the best buy article?
Question does anyone think iPhone 4g will shatter it's own zero to million Smartphones sold in 72 hour record ?
When it comes out in June 2010.
No. iPhone most likely won't get 4G until 2012, which should be around the time when AT&T feels like touching LTE.
I hope the radio firmware fries the damn phone and shuts you iTards up.
"I live in the ghetto so prepaid I kinda popular at indoor swapmeets."
You might consider dropping your JesusPhone for a pre-paid and using that extra $100/month towards rent in a decent area.
Project Dark includes a new way to buy phones and plans.
There are 3 levels of phones.
Low, Medium and High. (You will pay the phone in monthly installments)
You buy the phone, and you can use it for 30 days to try out. Or after 30 days, you can move on to a post paid or flexpay plan.
You pick the phone, pick the plan. And they set you up.
The phones will be in a white box. Called T-Mobile Completes.
=) A rep told me this info. Sorry if i don't remember all the details.
I was reading a blog that stated the fastest growing smartphone in last 2 years has the highest customer satisfaction rate of all times plus highest desirability rate plus is desired more than any other cell bybcollege n high school kids.
@tikiteko
The iphone is cooking their new iPhone 3GS-F. The F stands for Flash in the camera and will charge $$$ again! yay!
Hope it covers the 850mhz range!!! Tmobile service expansion!
WOW ! What an amazing idea !
I just got a new HTC Hero for free on a £30 per month plan which includes unlimited internet, unlimited texts and 700 minutes from T-Mobile UK. You Yanks get screwed by your networks.
True. Shameful but true.
Am I the only one who noticed that T-Mobile already has something called FlexPay? It's a monthly plan that has a contractual agreement that you don't need good credit to get. You pay before you use your services for the month, rather than after, and if you go over your minutes, your phone simply won't work anymore until you pay for the next month's minutes.
I for one know about this when I threatened to leave T-mobile cause I had the G1 when it came out I spent like 300bucks off contract for it cause I don't even know if anyone remembers the false words T-mobile reps said which was "You can put any app on it" which lead me to buy it but I was soon lead to be upset, anyway the Rep I talked to told me I could get any phone I want and they would do monthly installments for it on my bill I still left haha. But this has been possible since December of 08.
Did anyone misread the title as "Perfect Dark" at first? Or do I just play too many vidyagames?
This promotion seems racist to me. Calling an idea for low income people to get luxury perks cheaper and calling it Project Dark makes it seem like they're trying to benefit dark skinned people. Well, hey, I'm as white as they come and I'm broke as a joke so where's my Project Light?
@Raymond:
You're right, but I believe those 300 minutes/line for landlines is enough. At least I certainly don't know many people around me who is always is calling to landlines, specially when families nowadays are cutting off their landline phones for individual cellphones for each family member.
I was actually offered a monthly payment plan when buying a phone today when inquiring about a Cliq. No word on the different plans (the plans I was offered look the same as they always have) but it's interesting that the phone payment plan was mentioned.
This needs to be an option here in the US. I think it's wasteful to purchase a new phone every 2 years, or whatever. My first gen iPhone is fine, but my 2 years is long up. BUT I'm still paying as if i'm paying off the phone. My plan's fee's should have changed once I paid off the phone. Since that's the case, I'm thinking about getting a new phone, really only because I can now. It's stupid.
This goes beyond just more profit for cell providers (locking me in for 2 more years), this is also a "GREEN" issue. I'm not a tree hugging maniac, but that's the cool thing now and one would think that Tmobile, for example, could see some nice PR and marketing advantages by promoting this line of thought.
I don't see whats the big deal. My bank has been selling smart GSM phones on installments for some time you can get an new Nokia for under $20 without any telecom contract. T-mobile needs to think up something new. I'm not impressed.
It IS game changing. Think more about it.
have been a loyal customer for quite a while, but very unhappy with my cell phone quality and service. No attempt at satisyphying customer.
I'm glad to see this, it's big steps in the right direction. What about contract plans is in the public interest? If their service is so great they shouldn't need to lock us down for 2 years.
I'm really looking forward to the day when the telecoms realize they're just ISPs and stop hogging the good phones, start making networks more compatible with each other, and abandon the contract idea entirely.
Not a bad idea love to see this happen .
Haha, this screenshot is from the order form that phone reps use to order their phones. And T-mobile has offered the installment plan for over a year now as long as it;s a customer has good payment history or a prime credit class.
They have been doing this for years. Just gotta ask.
T-Mobile needs better coverage not a cheaper plan. I liked it but I use my phone for business and I had to leave after I was supposed to be roaming and had no coverage.
How does this sales pitch sound?
"Here's the deal. Wireless companies in the US will give you a free phone because they build the cost of it into the plan. You pay that whether you get the free phone or not. With T-Mobile's new system, you aren't paying for anyone else's handouts, so the service is a LOT less expensive. Plus, you get to spread the cost of YOUR phone out over a long period of time with no interest or fees. So basically you're getting more and better service, for less money, and we won't make you sign your life away for 2 years like the other guys. Now why on earth wouldn't you switch?"
Sounds pretty compelling to me...
If were paying the full price are they unlocked ?
This is a game-changer. This should be mandated by law. You can finance your phone, but this idea that the phone company charges you a built-in fee every month even after your phone cost is recouped is BS.
This would also eliminate contracts. If you want to switch providers with your phone, you can do so, but you have to keep paying the payments on your phone to the original financing company.