Seamusk you aren't alone. I haven't seen a better deal than 0% financing and free data, which T-Mobile is still promising me as well.
Im sticking to it.
Im sticking to it.
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Carrier T-Mobile Lied - Free Data is $10
- Thread starter TeddyBeher
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Well don't you just win the internet then?
Frankly, your common business sense means nothing here. I'll continue to state that the press release made a statement that simply was untrue. Even if you want common business sense to prevail, it is hard to not look at the press release and think it wasn't going to happen. So off the high horse you go here and please, point out the fine print on the press release because that is what WE had to go on prior to this happening.
Fast forward to today, they obviously require a $10 a month plan for VERY limited data. When I looked two days ago they had required $20 for 500 MB. So it is changing daily.
Now back to your common business sense here. To answer your question, TMO stated if you cancel you will owe the balance due. You ask "cancel what" and let me tell you that your "fine print reading" must have failed you here because TMO calling the balance due was regarding the balance of the tablet, not the "free" plan most people thought they were going to be on. You're never going to pay the balance due on a plan unless you're behind in your billing. It is pretty damn clear that the balance due was regarding the financed tablet, if you financed.
So while you are all up in arms that people were considering you the party pooper of the free data party, it was not that. People were looking at an official press release that had NO fine print and saw an opportunity to get an iPad for zero down and free data for life. If you were rejecting this theory then fine, like I said, you win the internet. No amount of "told you so" is going to change how this unfolded and how potential customers felt come November 1 when the story was completely changed online.
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It makes sense to stick with it I think. I still can't access my account via the i-pad's cellular data settings panel. Has anybody been able to do this?
Here's an independent archive of the press release:
http://www.geekwire.com/2013/tmobile-offer-ipad-air-tablets-zerodown-free-data-200-mbmonth/
I'm curious what particular statement was made that "simply was untrue"?
I agree that the press release is unclear. It doesn't mention the postpaid plan requirement for $0-down financing, so very understandable that people would think there was no such requirement and be very disappointed. T-Mobile very badly mishandled things.
First, who said anything about "I told you so?" Second, I'm far from being on a high horse. I was just into this deal as a lot of other people were. However, after reading a few articles that hinted at the fact that there was more to it for NEW CUSTOMERS than what was being advertised, I started looking into it more. When I first voiced my concern, people bashed it saying "are you going to believe an online article, or TMO's press release and their website".
Okay. I did a bit more research, a few more online articles surfaced saying the same thing about NEW CUSTOMERS needing some kind of plan. I again voiced my suspicions and said the articles are getting this information from SOMEWHERE. It's not coming out dead air. I was again met with the same "believe an online article, blah, blah, blah" thing. I took it a step further, and contacted TMO myself, twice via chat and once via phone. ALL THREE specialist confirmed that a NEW CUSTOMER wanting to get the ipad air EIP, MUST have some sort of monthly plan in order to get the 200mb.
I posted the chat results and this time STILL got met with people telling me it's useless talking to a chat specialist. Then I started thinking to myself what's in it for them to give away free data on top of allowing people to pay for the ipad for 2 years. Not only that, but I kept going on about it because I wanted to know exactly what I would be paying every month. Nothing wrong with that.
My gripe was the fact that no one was willing to consider the fact that there could be something else going on that wasn't advertised simply because they heard the words "free data". I was only trying to give people a heads up about it. I'm not against anybody here, I was just as happy as anyone else was but once it was known there was going to be something extra, I went another route. TMO should have been completely upfront about all three scenarios, new customers bringing their own ipad, new customers wanting the EIP, and current customers bringing their own or wanting the EIP. Thereby eliminating all the confusion.
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Non-T-Mobile customers:
T-Mobile customers:
- Buy the iPad Air outright -- free 200MB, no charge.
- Finance the iPad Air -- $20 data plan required.
T-Mobile customers:
- Buy the iPad Air outright -- free 200MB, no charge.
- Finance the iPad air -- free 200MB, no charge.
So here is my question - is the $20 plan a requirement? Or just a requirement for the 200MB? Wouldn't it be possible to finance the iPad (With no $20 plan and no free data) then swap in a $1 T-Mobile sim with a different account (Prepaid) to get the 200MB on a financed iPad Air?
Just wondering hypotheticals, as I already bought a wifi-only model (I already have tethering on my phone, but would have like to get the financing + free data.)
It is a requirement if you finance the ipad through T-Mobile. If you buy the ipad outright or finance it through some other source (credit card or whatnot) then there's no data plan requirement.
You still get the 200MB free data, that's not related to how you buy the ipad.
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I did, but it doesn't specify if the $20 plan is required for financing (So minimum financing would be the $26 + $20 a month for data), or just to get the additional "free" 200MB data.
I looked it up in the Verge's article and that is the case.
T-Mobile didn't lie: they have bungled the roll-out, is all.
Mine is still shipping, so I haven't accessed it yet.
But I'm spoken with them several times and it always comes down that I WILL be getting 200 MB Free for Life deal. I'm financing at 0% and I'm a new customer.
The requirement for me to have a no contract plan is exactly what I want and according to TMO ~ my On Demand plan will be $0 because of the initial offering and will stay $0 until I go over the 200 MB Free provision of the deal.
They said to make this happen the $10 fee will be 'rolled off' each month.
I understand that it will show as a charge then with an immediate cancel of the charge. They have to do this to make my new account work in the system to accommodate the deal.
I think much of the confusion around this issue is due to an egregious lack of customer service representative knowledge & training. So numbers of people get told slightly different things just out of ignorance. When one reminds them of the terms of the deal as stated by their CEO, then they check twice, call a supervisor, etc, etc, and finally come back, agreeing that what he said is the actual deal.
Mine is still shipping, so I haven't accessed it yet.
But I'm spoken with them several times and it always comes down that I WILL be getting 200 MB Free for Life deal. I'm financing at 0% and I'm a new customer.
The requirement for me to have a no contract plan is exactly what I want and according to TMO ~ my On Demand plan will be $0 because of the initial offering and will stay $0 until I go over the 200 MB Free provision of the deal.
They said to make this happen the $10 fee will be 'rolled off' each month.
I understand that it will show as a charge then with an immediate cancel of the charge. They have to do this to make my new account work in the system to accommodate the deal.
I think much of the confusion around this issue is due to an egregious lack of customer service representative knowledge & training. So numbers of people get told slightly different things just out of ignorance. When one reminds them of the terms of the deal as stated by their CEO, then they check twice, call a supervisor, etc, etc, and finally come back, agreeing that what he said is the actual deal.
As much as i want to believe this, I have gotten confusing results from their reps. One rep mentioned that I can cancel the 10$ On demand plan and keep paying the Ipad installment for the remainder time period. Second rep told me that a min 10$ fee will apply if you do not choose a plan. The 10$ waiver is only for current phone plan customers. We will find out in a month when the first bill comes.
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just to be clear, t-mobile has said that everyone gets 200mb free. so of course you will get it.
the issue has nothing to do with 200mb free. the issue has to do with whether or not financing customers have to sign up for a plan or not. according to the clarified information, that answer is yes. so, if financing is only allowed with a plan, then you will have to pay $20/mo for the lowest plan which offers 500mb. then of course, you get your free 200mb on top of that, for 700mb total.
now, if a customer rep continues to tell you that you have a $10/mo plan and will be credited, perhaps they have the ability to give you a manual discount or something in the system
however
their FAQ page that was posted earlier is pretty clear on what the normal terms are
Update on the T-Mobile 200mb free deal 
Here it is, 2+ years since buying my iPad Air from T-Mobile with the their deal of 200mb/monthly free.
It actually has worked out that it is free, though I will say I had to call them nearly every month to remind them about the deal. Which was time-consuming, but worth it, to actually get the data at no charge. Amazingly, the 200mb is more than enough for me, because I don't go out and about very much; here at home I just use my WiFi and all is good.
Now that my iPad Air is paid in full the online account shows no charge, though I still get the billing notice email. Their billing system nor online account interface were never changed to accurately show the deal. I do have to check it regularly, just to make sure the adjustment is made every month.
And now I'm thinking I'm just one of very few who insisted that they honour their offered deal. So I'm curious, are there any here who also persevered to receive what T-Mobile offered back when they began to sell the iPad Air? If so, what has been your experience?
Here it is, 2+ years since buying my iPad Air from T-Mobile with the their deal of 200mb/monthly free.
It actually has worked out that it is free, though I will say I had to call them nearly every month to remind them about the deal. Which was time-consuming, but worth it, to actually get the data at no charge. Amazingly, the 200mb is more than enough for me, because I don't go out and about very much; here at home I just use my WiFi and all is good.
Now that my iPad Air is paid in full the online account shows no charge, though I still get the billing notice email. Their billing system nor online account interface were never changed to accurately show the deal. I do have to check it regularly, just to make sure the adjustment is made every month.
And now I'm thinking I'm just one of very few who insisted that they honour their offered deal. So I'm curious, are there any here who also persevered to receive what T-Mobile offered back when they began to sell the iPad Air? If so, what has been your experience?
Update on the T-Mobile 200mb free deal
Here it is, 2+ years since buying my iPad Air from T-Mobile with the their deal of 200mb/monthly free.
It actually has worked out that it is free, though I will say I had to call them nearly every month to remind them about the deal. Which was time-consuming, but worth it, to actually get the data at no charge. Amazingly, the 200mb is more than enough for me, because I don't go out and about very much; here at home I just use my WiFi and all is good.
Now that my iPad Air is paid in full the online account shows no charge, though I still get the billing notice email. Their billing system nor online account interface were never changed to accurately show the deal. I do have to check it regularly, just to make sure the adjustment is made every month.
And now I'm thinking I'm just one of very few who insisted that they honour their offered deal. So I'm curious, are there any here who also persevered to receive what T-Mobile offered back when they began to sell the iPad Air? If so, what has been your experience?
I've been using the free data offer on since they made it available and on a couple of different iPads (need a new sim every time you switch).
I've been very happy and the 200 mb has been invaluable at times. Big win for them on that "uncarrier" initiative.
Mine has been renewing every month automatically - i've never called!Update on the T-Mobile 200mb free deal
And now I'm thinking I'm just one of very few who insisted that they honour their offered deal. So I'm curious, are there any here who also persevered to receive what T-Mobile offered back when they began to sell the iPad Air? If so, what has been your experience?
I think we had/have data on it anyway - I guess I should figure out how to log in and check that (i'm authorized on the account, but it isn't mine). I can hot-spot from my phone if needed, so the 200mb is actually all I really need right now. I think. I should check that too! LOL
Yes, if you do already have a data plan for which you pay, you're probably getting the free 200mb automatically. In my particular case, it was a new account and the reason I bought the iPad from them was because they assured me I could get the free deal without already having a data plan, because I was becoming a new customer.
Thanks for your comment!
I've been getting the free 200 mb every month without having an additional data allotment on it. I've since paid off the tablet I bought when I got this deal which was an iPad mini my wife still uses. I have gone thru a couple of tablets myself including an unlocked Verizon LG tablet and I'm currently using an IPP. Both of our lines have had the free 200 mb throughout this whole time with no issues.
