Associated Press | Wireless carrier T-Mobile plans to give free
phones to customers who sign up for group calling plans at its retail
stores on Saturday — just days before rival At&T will start
selling Apple’s latest iPhone.
T-Mobile said Tuesday that throughout Saturday, beginning at 8 a.m.,
new customers will be able to get free handsets of their choice by
signing up for a “family plan,” which is a calling plan that has at
least two users.
Current T-Mobile customers can convert a single-user plan into a family plan by adding at least one user, or adding lines to a family plan they already have. You can get up to five free phones with a single family plan, though each will come with a two-year contract.
The promotion includes T-Mobile’s newest smart phones running Google Inc.’s Android operating software, such as the HTC myTouch 3G Slide, which usually sells for $180 with a two-year contract and rebate, and Garminfone, which usually costs $200 with a two-year contract and rebate. Some phones will require a mail-in rebate, T-Mobile said.
T-Mobile USA Chief Operating Officer Jim Alling expects the promotion to appeal to both existing and prospective customers.
He said the promotion, which takes place less than a week before the iPhone 4’s June 24 release date, was already in the works before T-Mobile knew exactly when Apple’s latest version of the popular phone would be hitting store shelves. Analysts had expected a new iPhone in June, especially after a prototype surfaced in April on gadget blog Gizmodo.
T-Mobile, which is owned by Germany’s Deutsche Telekom AG, had 33.7 million customers at the end of its first quarter. This includes both prepaid and contract customers.
Cool-KOOL and super cool idea
The phone is free ,but then you have to find a place that it works away from a big city
That’s sort of like getting a “free” laptop computer– when you sign up for a $60./month wireless data plan with a two year contract.
That’s not really a $1440.00 (plus junk fees) laptop that comes bundled with wireless data service. Is it?
I’m surprised no one’s offering “free” cars– just pay the $500./month “service and handling” fee, if you don’t want it repo’d.
Innocent, are you kidding me. The smartphones they are willing to offer for a 2-year contract is a pretty good deal. I don’t see Verizon, ATT, or Sprint running out to offer their top of the line smartphones at $0 for new customers who activate a 2-year contract.