Unveiled with plenty of fanfare yesterday (coincidentally or not, just as many long-time T-Mobile subscribers were being informed about yet another imminent price hike "fee update"), the Better Value plan will be available starting next Wednesday, January 14.
That should you give you just enough time to analyze not only the plan's aggressively advertised perks and benefits, but its fine print as well before deciding if this is truly a "better" option for you and your family compared to what you currently have on your T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T account.
Let's start by highlighting the strong points again
Unlimited "premium" data;
Unlimited hotspot data (250GB at "high" speeds every month, 600 kbps after);
Unlimited North America data (30GB at top speeds in Mexico and Canada every month, 600 kbps after);
Unlimited international data (30GB at high speeds abroad every month, 600 kbps after in "over" 215 countries and destinations);
Satellite connectivity with unlimited text and data via "satellite-optimized" apps;
Netflix and Hulu on Us;
Apple TV for $3 a month;
Five-year price guarantee (talk, text, and data only);
$140 monthly price for three lines (with AutoPay), $170 for four lines, $200 for five lines.
Are you impressed by the new plan's outstanding value? If not, the "Un-carrier" has obviously put together a neat chart emphasizing its clear and important advantages over Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate and AT&T's Unlimited Premium PL plans, both of which are significantly costlier than T-Mo's Better Value option for three, four, and five lines.
Recommended For You
If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, the temptation to switch to Magenta might have just become too strong to resist. | Image Credit -- T-Mobile
The Unlimited Ultimate plan, for instance, starts at a whopping $195 a month instead of $140 for three lines with only a three-year price guarantee, no streaming freebies, and naturally, no T-Satellite included.
That's a very damning comparison for Big Red, but before you rush to jump ship and especially before you decide to change your current T-Mobile plan, you should keep in mind a few equally important things.
These are some of the Better Value "catches"
Yearly Upgrade, free lines, and "other service discounts" such as Insider or Hometown Discount will not transfer to your new plan if you switch from an existing Experience Beyond plan;
If you switch from a different carrier, you need to bring at least two of your current numbers to T-Mobile within 30 days of signing up for a Better Value plan;
Existing T-Mobile customers need to have at least five years with the "Un-carrier" under their belt to qualify for the "limited-time" promotion;
This is not as much a plan as a deal available for a "limited time" only (no expiration date mentioned just yet);
The five-year price guarantee does not apply to taxes and fees (of course!);
No yearly upgrade allowed;
No 55+, Military, or First Responder options available;
The differences between T-Mobile's best plans right now may seem marginal, but they're definitely important. | Image Credit -- The Mobile Report
What's curious about the Better Value deal is that it targets long-time T-Mobile subscribers specifically while threatening to remove many of the benefits acquired by such customers over the years. If you've amassed a few free lines on your account, for instance, you should probably steer away from this new plan, and at least according to the always well-informed folks over at The Mobile Report, you should also not expect to get any free lines down the line if you do decide to go down the Better Value route.
So is this really a good deal when everything is taken into account?
That clearly depends on how much you're currently paying a month and exactly what you're getting for your money. If you're on an Experience Beyond plan, for instance, you'd probably be wise to not make any changes for the sake of change.
Will you get the Better Value plan after considering everything?
Yes, it still looks like the best option for me
9.38%
I'm... no longer sure
9.38%
No, I don't want to give up my free lines
40.63%
No, I don't want to switch from my current carrier
3.13%
No, this plan is too darn complicated for me
37.5%
If instead you're on Verizon or AT&T and feel like you're being overcharged for your services, T-Mobile will objectively deliver better value... as long as you don't mind starting your new account with at least three lines, two of which need to be ported in from your existing mobile network operator. Ugh, why does every phrase relating to this new plan have to be so incredibly convoluted?
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: