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Prepaid Reviews Blog » T-Mobile http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:21:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Walmart and T-Mobile upgrade Family Mobile plan http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/walmart-and-t-mobile-upgrade-family-mobile-plan-36510/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/walmart-and-t-mobile-upgrade-family-mobile-plan-36510/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:37 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4381 Yesterday Walmart and T-Mobile announced the addition of unlimited data to their Family Mobile plan. This is an infinite increase from the 100MB per line allotment they had in place previously. There is a limit, however, on how much 3G data customers will receive. The general limit is 250MB per line, after which time data gets slowed down to EDGE speeds. But from now through March 16th new customers can get 5GB of 3G data for their first month. The Walmart Family Mobile plan costs $45 per month for the first line, and $35 per month for each additional line. It is postpaid, though it does not require a contract or a credit check. The plan is available at Walmart or on T-Mobile’s website.

Via Phone Scoop.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/walmart-and-t-mobile-upgrade-family-mobile-plan-36510/feed/ 2 T-Mobile strong again with prepaid adds http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-strong-again-with-prepaid-adds-36470/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-strong-again-with-prepaid-adds-36470/#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:22:13 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4207 It appears that T-Mobile’s focus on prepaid services works. If you look back through the T-Mobile archive you’ll see a common theme with its quarterly reports: they continue to add prepaid subscribers while losing postpaid. That helps stanch some of the bleeding from its reeling postpaid side. This past quarter saw more of the same. The company lost 186,000 postpaid subscribers, but gained 312,000 prepaid subscribers. What’s more remarkable is that this gain came amid an increasing churn rate, 7.2 percent in the third quarter, up from 6.6 percent in the second.

While T-Mobile warned of a rough fourth quarter, the company could again see big prepaid adds, thanks to new plans.

With regards to T-Mobile’s prepaid focus, T-Mobile VP of marketing and head of prepaid Mike Katz wrote: “With the economy the way it is, there’s a lot of interest and appetite for prepaid service–it’s a growth area for our industry. However, when we talk to competitors’ prepaid customers they tell us that they feel like they’re making a trade-off in order to be on prepaid. We want to take the compromise out of prepaid, so customers don’t have to make tradeoffs on network coverage, handset selection or data speed.”

We saw that in action already in the fourth quarter. Last month T-Mobile unveiled new prepaid plans, including a data-and-messaging $30 plan, a $60 unlimited plan with 2GB of 4G data, and three new pay-per-day plans. We know that T-Mobile is pushing for prepaid data users, too. All of this could come together to create a big holiday season.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-strong-again-with-prepaid-adds-36470/feed/ 1 T-Mobile introduces Sparq http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-introduces-sparq-36464/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-introduces-sparq-36464/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:45:04 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4193

It was an under-the-radar release, but last week T-Mobile prepaid introduced the Sparq, a messaging-centric phone that features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It comes from Alcatel, a well-known phone manufacturer that has been slow to reach the US. Again, it’s nothing fancy, featuring a VGA camera, music player, and microSD slot. But if messaging, and not data, is your bag, you can find some use from the Sparq. It’s available for $79.99 on T-Mobile’s website.

Via CNET.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-introduces-sparq-36464/feed/ 1 T-Mobile pushing for prepaid data users http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-pushing-for-prepaid-data-users-36456/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-pushing-for-prepaid-data-users-36456/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:52:31 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4171 It appears that T-Mobile has seen the writing on the wall. For the past few years their quarterly earnings reports have featured grim subscriber numbers for the postpaid side. At the same time they’ve consistently added prepaid customers. For the past year or so, we’ve seen T-Mobile acknowledge this trend by creating a whole slew of monthly prepaid plans that feature plenty of 4G data. According to a report from FierceWireless’s Phil Goldstein, T-Mobile is pushing its dealers to promote these prepaid plans. It has started a tiered compensation plan that incentivizes dealers to extol the virtues of these monthly 4G plans.

This isn’t the only trend T-Mobile has jumped in on. They’re also moving in on a market that has little remaining use for big allotments of voice minutes.

Paul Kaputstka of PCWorld brings us this report. He mentions T-Mobile’s $30 plan with Walmart as part of an emerging trend: replacing traditional carrier services with data overlays. While T-Mobile’s plan does include unlimited text messaging, there are a number of alternatives that rely only on a data connection. Since these instant messaging exchanges requires little data transmission, they don’t eat too greatly into a user’s monthly cap. Even if they do cause a user to go over, they can still IM at T-Mobile’s reduced speeds.

This is one reason why many disfavor the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Because T-Mobile is the trailing entity in the Big Four, they have to come up with new ways to bring in customers. They tried this last year with their Project Black initiative. That failed, and it’s probably why they were more open to a sale in early 2011. But because they’re still an independent entity, and because the deal has a legitimate, if slim, chances of falling through, they have to continue trying different approaches to see what works. If they really have hit on something with these monthly 4G plans, then perhaps they can start an industry trend that will favor them, since they’re the only carrier currently willing to try this path.

This is all speculative, of course, but it does give T-Mobile a slightly rosier outlook. Chances are they’ll become part of AT&T before long, but if on the off chance they do remain independent, they do have a chance to make some big changes to a glacial industry.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-pushing-for-prepaid-data-users-36456/feed/ 1 T-Mobile rolls out all its new prepaid plans http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-rolls-out-all-its-new-prepaid-plans-36451/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-rolls-out-all-its-new-prepaid-plans-36451/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:26:40 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4156 For the past few weeks we’ve heard many T-Mobile prepaid rumors. They all involved new plans: a $60 unlimited with 2GB of 4G data, $30 plan with 100 minutes plus unlimited text and 5GB of 4G data, and three pay-per-day plans. Those have now gone live. The per-day and $60 plans you can find at T-Mobile stores, while the $30 plan is a Walmart exclusive. They are all available through T-Mobile’s website.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-rolls-out-all-its-new-prepaid-plans-36451/feed/ 1 T-Mobile will introduce pay-per-day prepaid plans http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-will-introduce-pay-per-day-prepaid-plans-36444/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-will-introduce-pay-per-day-prepaid-plans-36444/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:42:24 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4131 T-Mobile prepaid has been quite busy lately. A week ago we learned that they would launch a $60 prepaid plan, and earlier this week they TmoNews.com have brought us yet another development: pay-per-day prepaid plans. Set to launch later this month, the pay-per-day plans, branded PayGo, will come in three tiers.

For $3 per day customers will get unlimited talk, text, and web. Apparently this will cover only 200MB at 4G speeds. I’m assuming that means for a month span, not per day.

For $2 customers will get unlimited talk, text, and 2G web. This works well enough for feature phones with QWERTY keyboards.

For $1 customers will get unlimited text only, with minutes costing 10 cents each.

T-Mobile is really reaching for a niche market with the per-day plans. Essentially, they’re made for people who are not going to pay the fee every day. Either that, or it’s for people who just can’t pony up the $30, $50, $60, or $70 at the beginning of the month for a monthly unlimited plan. How large and profitable is this niche? That’s for T-Mobile to find out.

Also included in the leaked information is further confirmation of the $60 unlimited plan. It appears that everything is lined up for an October 16th launch.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-will-introduce-pay-per-day-prepaid-plans-36444/feed/ 0 T-Mobile and Walmart offer $30 unlimited text and data plan http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-and-walmart-offer-30-unlimited-text-and-data-plan-36441/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-and-walmart-offer-30-unlimited-text-and-data-plan-36441/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:49:45 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4124 Yesterday T-Mobile and Walmart announced the introduction of a $30 prepaid plan that includes unlimited data and messaging. The plan, designed for messaging and web heavy customers, will include 5GB of data at 4G speeds, with additional data coming at reduced speeds. A minimal calling plan that includes 100 minutes, with overages at 10 cents per minute, is also included. Available only through Walmart stores, Walmart.com, and T-Mobile’s website, you can get your hands on this plan starting October 16th. For the best possible phone with this plan, make sure to check out our best prepaid smartphones article.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-and-walmart-offer-30-unlimited-text-and-data-plan-36441/feed/ 4 T-Mobile could be readying $60 prepaid plan http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-could-be-readying-60-prepaid-plan-36438/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-could-be-readying-60-prepaid-plan-36438/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:04:06 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4114 T-Mobile prepaid already has a quality line of unlimited prepaid plans, and they might be adding to it. According to documents obtained by TmoNews.com, the company plans to add a $60 unlimited plan to complement its $50 and $70 offerings. As expected, it comes right down the middle in terms of data allocation. The $50 plan provides 100MB of data at 4G speeds, while the $70 plan provides 5GB. The $60 plan, then, will provide 2GB. This is adequate for many users, but is particularly helpful for those who occasionally stream video and music. The report does not contain a possible release date, but these things tend to develop quickly.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-could-be-readying-60-prepaid-plan-36438/feed/ 2 BlackBerry Curve 9360 could be hitting T-Mobile prepaid http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/blackberry-curve-9360-could-be-hitting-t-mobile-prepaid-36416/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/blackberry-curve-9360-could-be-hitting-t-mobile-prepaid-36416/#comments Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:40:59 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=4039

Click for larger

A new line of BlackBerry phones has launched this year, though that’s usually of little concern to prepaid users. Apparently, however, things have changed this time around. The above screenshot comes from T-Mobile prepaid promotional material. That is, it does appear that the BlackBerry Curve 9360, complete with 3G, will soon be available for prepaid customers. The price isn’t half bad for a brand new BlackBerry, either: just $229.99. The device will drop on T-Mobile next week.

Via TmoNews.com.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

]]> http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/blackberry-curve-9360-could-be-hitting-t-mobile-prepaid-36416/feed/ 0 T-Mobile partners with Family Dollar http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-partners-with-family-dollar-36404/ http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/t-mobile/t-mobile-partners-with-family-dollar-36404/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:30:43 +0000 Joe http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/?p=3984

Pictured above is the LG GS170, a basic flip phone that is now available through T-Mobile‘s new prepaid partnership with Family Dollar. As we learned when T-Mobile announced its second quarter results, it’s pretty reliant on prepaid adds to keep numbers up. Family Dollar gives them another avenue for distribution. While T-Mobile prepaid cards have been available through Family Dollar since 2003, this new deal places a greater emphasis on T-Mobile’s services. It also adds the GS170 as a device option, for those who would like to start their prepaid service through Family Dollar.

The handset itself is a perfect fit for Family Dollar, as it’s cheap and has basic calling and texting features. It also has a VGA camera, a basic but nice add-on.

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This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for Tracfone Prepaid information on the web!

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