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Leaked T-Mobile doc reveals it's launching data-only plans
T-Mobile is preparing to launch six new Simple Choice plans on March 30th, according to a leaked image obtained by TmoNews. Based on the info in the image that we've embedded below the fold, these upcoming plans are tailored for subscribers who rely on VoIP and chat apps or who only ever use their phones to go online and text. They're data-only plans that come with unlimited text messages, see, and they have absolutely no voice minutes included.
Sprint counters T-Mobile with 10GB of shared family data
The battle between Sprint and T-Mobile for the hearts and phone lines of America's families is heating up. T-Mobile recently updated its Simple Choice family plan to give a family of four unlimited calling and text, as well as 10GB of data to each of them for $120 a month. On Wednesday, Sprint fired back with a revamped Family Share Pack. This package offers four lines, unlimited talk, text and 10GB of shared data for $100 to families that switch from another carrier. And if 10GB isn't enough, Sprint also announced that it will sell a 40GB plan for $20 more per month, $120 in total. [Image Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP]
T-Mobile's latest family plan gives everyone 10GB of full-speed data
You knew T-Mobile wasn't going to let Sprint's sweet family plan go unanswered, didn't you? Sure enough, the magenta network has trotted out an upgraded Simple Choice family plan that gives two people unlimited calling, text and 10GB of full-speed data (each, not total) for the same $100 that Sprint is asking. That's not as alluring if you regularly consume gigs upon gigs of internet content (Sprint's data is also unlimited), but T-Mobile is also charging just $20 for every additional line instead of Sprint's $40. If you have phone-toting kids, that could add up. This is also cheaper than what you'd get at AT&T or Verizon, where you're looking at $140 or more to give a family of four 10GB of shared data. You'll have to wait a day (until July 15th) to change plans if you're already a T-Mo family subscriber, but it's probably worth the short wait. Just don't tell Marcelo Claure that.
T-Mobile lets you roll over your unused prepaid data
T-Mobile's Data Stash is helpful if you want to save unused bandwidth on a regular plan, but wouldn't it make more sense if you're on prepaid service, where every gigabyte is precious? Apparently, the carrier agrees: as of March 22nd, it'll let you use Data Stash with prepaid Simple Choice phone plans. Like before, you'll start out with a 10GB reserve of full-speed mobile internet access. Once that runs out, you'll bank any leftover data for up to a year. While this probably won't be big enough to get you to switch carriers (not when AT&T and others are improving their no-contract data options), you'll at least have a better reason to choose Magenta's network if you're still on the fence.
T-Mobile's new family plan gives everyone unlimited data
With the exception of Sprint, the big four US carriers tend to cap your data on family plans. T-Mobile's current offering only gives one person unfettered internet access, and even Sprint's $100 per month promo asks you to split a finite amount of data with your kin -- not so hot if Junior likes to marathon YouTube shows. Things are looking up, though. T-Mobile is launching a new (if "limited time") Simple Choice family plan on December 10th that gives everyone unlimited data. The base plan starts at $100 per month for two lines that also include unlimited voice and text, plus 5GB of data tethering per line. That's only half as many included lines as Sprint, but it's a better value if you're willing to pay extra to avoid limits. It beats the stuffing out of what you'll get at AT&T and Verizon, at least. The two carriers respectively start at $130 and $100 for 10GB of data on two lines, and you'll have to pay both for more capacity and more lines.
T-Mobile offers more data to tablet users and the budget crowd
T-Mobile isn't about to stop tweaking its phone plans any time soon; in fact, it just overhauled three of them with data in mind. To start, you'll get twice as much full-speed data on your phone plan if you add a tablet to the mix from September 3rd onward; if you currently get 3GB, for example, adding the $10 monthly tablet access fee will give you 6.2GB (including the 200MB of free tablet data) to play with. It's potentially a much better deal than what rivals offer if you intend to use your tablet a lot while on the road. On Sprint, you'd be paying $75 per month for both phone service and 4GB of shared data.
T-Mobile will sell the US' first Windows Phone 8.1 device on July 5th for as little as $99
If you've been waiting for a US-friendly device that ships with Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, you can stop twiddling your thumbs. T-Mobile is launching Nokia's Lumia 635 (aka the Lumia 630 with LTE) this month for $99 up front at MetroPCS, or $7 per month ($168 total) on a T-Mobile installment plan -- not bad for a phone with Cortana and other features that aren't officially available elsewhere right now. Just when you'll get this spiritual successor to the Lumia 521 will depend on how you like to shop. Your first chance to buy the 635 is on July 5th, when you can tune into the Home Shopping Network to get one on a prepaid Simple Choice plan. After that, you'll have to wait until July 9th to order it online, or July 16th (the 18th for MetroPCS) to find it in a store. It's not the Lumia 930 that many power users crave, but it may fit the bill if you're looking for the cheapest way to get into Microsoft's latest mobile ecosystem.
T-Mobile's tweaked Simple Choice plans come with more data, unlimited international texting
T-Mobile's customer-friendly "Uncarrier" schtick seems to be changing people's minds about the country's 4th largest wireless provider, and it's not done fiddling with that formula just yet. The folks in magenta just announced a slew of tweaks to its Simple Choice plans that make them worth yet another look.
T-Mobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th
Coming August 26th, T-Mobile will make its Simple Choice plans available to business customers, effectively severing the tie between the cost of devices and mobile service. The pricing structure is geared to customers with six lines or more, with rates that start at $20 per line for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of overage-free / throttled data. Keeping in line with its approach on the consumer end, business users can then pay for additional data, starting at $30 for an extra 2GB and going up to $50 for unlimited 4G data (and 2.5GB of limited hotspot use). T-Mobile is hoping its new approach will be popular with the BYOD crowd, but it's also performing a balancing act with a subsidized Simple Choice Classic plan that runs an additional $20 per month. Meanwhile, companies with less than six lines can tap into T-Mobile's small business plans, which parallels the pricing that individuals pay.
