Upgrade Price ≠ New Contract Price?!?!?!?

[Splitz]

WTF T-Mobile.

I log on to my T-Mobile account to see how much they would want to upgrade from my 9700 to the 9900, and low and behold! $450 plus tax and shipping?!?!? Seriously? This was including a 2 year contract extension. Granted, I'm still 4 months from upgrade (can upgrade @ 22 months) however, seriously?

New 2 year contract with off the street people are getting it for $300?

This is what is wrong with T-Mobile, they should be giving current subscribers discounts to upgrade to KEEP them, not lure in new customers with no payment history to T-Mobile.

My family has been with T-Mobile since 2005 and I feel a bit let down on the pricing scheme for this.

Thoughts?

[valeuche]

Originally Posted by Splitz

WTF T-Mobile.

I log on to my T-Mobile account to see how much they would want to upgrade from my 9700 to the 9900, and low and behold! $450 plus tax and shipping?!?!? Seriously? This was including a 2 year contract extension. Granted, I'm still 4 months from upgrade (can upgrade @ 22 months) however, seriously?

New 2 year contract with off the street people are getting it for $300?

This is what is wrong with T-Mobile, they should be giving current subscribers discounts to upgrade to KEEP them, not lure in new customers with no payment history to T-Mobile.

My family has been with T-Mobile since 2005 and I feel a bit let down on the pricing scheme for this.

Thoughts?

Out of curiosity, why would you buy a subsidized phone? Just buy it outright and then you can upgrade whenever you want and the month to month bill is cheaper on top of it.

[Skidooman93]

There are a couple of reasons for a subsidized phone. If you are in a grandfathered plan you dont want to change out of. Or in my case we have a 20% discount on + plans but not on value plans. So my + plan is the same price as the value plan and I get a bunch of money off a new phone. If I do opt out of my contract I can sell the phone for as much or more than my early termination fee is. Personally I dont see why anyone would do the value plans. The $20 off plan price is $240 for 2 years. And in most cases you get more than $240 off the MSRP of a high end phone. So why not do the +plan take the money off the phone and if you change carriers sell the phone on the auction site and pocket the rest of the money.

I understand TMO position though if you are 4 months from and upgrade you shouldn't get a full discount. If you wait a few weeks or a month or 2 I would be willing to bet that the price of the 9900 will drop at least $100 if not more.

[DrLouie]

Originally Posted by Skidooman93

Personally I dont see why anyone would do the value plans. The $20 off plan price is $240 for 2 years. And in most cases you get more than $240 off the MSRP of a high end phone. So why not do the +plan take the money off the phone and if you change carriers sell the phone on the auction site and pocket the rest of the money.

Skidooman93, I think your math is off. $20 off a month for two years is $480. So there can be savings there, plus if you keep your phone longer than the 2 years it becomes even more savings.

[cwong15]

Originally Posted by Splitz

I log on to my T-Mobile account to see how much they would want to upgrade from my 9700 to the 9900, and low and behold! $450 plus tax and shipping?!?!? Seriously? This was including a 2 year contract extension. Granted, I'm still 4 months from upgrade (can upgrade @ 22 months) however, seriously?

New 2 year contract with off the street people are getting it for $300?

This is not a surprise. Because you are still under contract, you are still not yet eligible for the full subsidy price. I just checked my own T-Mobile account, and it shows that I can upgrade my existing phone for $299.99 with contract extension, the same as new customers. I get the full subsidy because I am off contract. You are too early: just wait a bit if you want a better price.

[Skidooman93]

Originally Posted by DrLouie

Skidooman93, I think your math is off. $20 off a month for two years is $480. So there can be savings there, plus if you keep your phone longer than the 2 years it becomes even more savings.

You are right my math is off. However in my case I have never keept a device longer than 2 years they are usually shot by about 18months. I am hard on devices. Even though the MT4G that I handed down to my wife is almost a year old and in really good shape yet so that will probably make it past the 2 year mark. I guess in some cases you are better off paying the full price for the phone. But it still doesn't make sense if you are on a grandfathered plan or have some kind of discount. There are discounts all over the place if you look for them. Sprint practically gives anyone with ties to local business 20% off. We are not sprint customers because of our grandfathered plans and the discount through TMO.

[fiddysheqel]

Originally Posted by cwong15

This is not a surprise. Because you are still under contract, you are still not yet eligible for the full subsidy price. I just checked my own T-Mobile account, and it shows that I can upgrade my existing phone for $299.99 with contract extension, the same as new customers. I get the full subsidy because I am off contract. You are too early: just wait a bit if you want a better price.

Well, thats interesting. Because I've been off contract for 6 months now, and retentions quoted me $379 for each phone (yes, with a two year contract). I called back, and a different retentions rep quoted me $417.99. Absolute shambles. This is really ridiculous.

[mandony]

Originally Posted by fiddysheqel

I've been off contract for 6 months now, and retentions quoted me $379 for each phone (yes, with a two year contract). I called back, and a different retentions rep quoted me $417.99. Absolute shambles. This is really ridiculous.

Interesting. I am off contract with a grandfathered BB plan. On-line the computer gives me a BB9900 upgrade price of 299.99 (2 yr contract EXTension) or 599.99 (no EXTension)


>>>Granted, I'm still 4 months from upgrade

OP: If you have not completed your old contract obligation, why should TM give you a break on a new phone?
JUST, be patient and wait until your old obligation is finished b4 you ask for a new phone.

[fiddysheqel]

Originally Posted by mandony

Interesting. I am off contract with a grandfathered BB plan. On-line the computer gives me a BB9900 upgrade price of 299.99 (2 yr contract EXTension) or 599.99 (no EXTension)


>>>Granted, I'm still 4 months from upgrade

OP: If you have not completed your old contract obligation, why should TM give you a break on a new phone?
JUST, be patient and wait until your old obligation is finished b4 you ask for a new phone.

Wait, what? How are you off-contract when you have 4 months from an upgrade?

[Splitz]

Originally Posted by fiddysheqel

Wait, what? How are you off-contract when you have 4 months from an upgrade?

T-Mobile allows for early upgrade, but I thought it was 22 months, and not 20 months.

I can wait, just an observation.