After a long wait the iPhone has finally come to T-Mobile, according to InformationWeek.com.
The No. 4 mobile network company will sell the iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, and iPhone 4.
According to the T-Mobile website, the company will sell the iPhone 5 with varying memory from 16 gigabytes, 32 gigabytes, and 64 gigabytes. Consumers can put down payments of $99, $199, and $299 on each phone, respectively. The iPhone 4 will require a down payment of $18 and the 4s will require a down payment of $69.99.
Compared to AT&T, T Mobile’s iPhone 5 price is slightly lower. However, with T-Mobile’s new payment plan, there are some major strings attached. After a consumer pays $199 for the 32-GB iPhone 5, they must then make 24 monthly payments of $20. The consumer is allowed to pay more than $20 per month, or pay off the rest of the phone’s price, at any time.
AT&T sells their 16-GB iPhone 5 for $199 dollars. However, payments in the two-year contract cover the rest of the phones cost.
T-Mobile must charge full price for the phone because of their new, no-contract, service plans. If a consumer wants to leave the company before the 24 months are up, they must pay off the rest of the phone’s price.
The company has left the two-year contract model to pursue a monthly model. The cheapest plan, $50 a month, offers limitless voice, messaging, and 500 megabytes of data.
Chief Executive John Legere announced T-Mobile’s new plan last month at a news conference.
He called the T-Mobile the “uncarrier”, in an effort to display the mobile networks service’s move away from the traditional two-year contract model.
“Do you have any idea what you’re paying,” said Legere in March, according to The New York Times. “I’m going to explain how stupid we all are because once it becomes flat and transparent, there’s nowhere to hide. You pay so much for your phones, it’s incredible.”
For a limited time, through June 16, customers will be able to get the iPhone 5 with no down payment.
T-Mobile offers the no-down-payment deal by trading in an old iPhone 4s or iPhone 4. The consumer can get up to $120 in credit with the trade-in.
