T-Mobile eliminates handset upgrade fee

Good 'ol T-Mobile is in a giving mood this holiday season. On Thursday, the carrier announced that it has eliminated the $18 handset upgrade fee for its customers. It applies to all cell phones and smartphones offered by carrier, including T-Mobile G1, and doesn't matter whether you're upgrading your handset in stores or online. To be clear, this is not part of a holiday promotion and there is no specified end date. T-Mobile said it's the company's way of thanking its loyal customers, and we say cheers to that.

[externallain]

Wow, I remember back when I got my first cell phone (like 1997) and carriers would charge upgrade fees. T-Moblie hung onto this one for a long time.

[writteininwaters]

T-mobile's commitment to customer service is unrivaled... which is a huge part of why I've been with them for years and don't want to leave. Now they just need to get some cool new phones--perhaps a sleeker android phone this year (please!).

[bkerrins]

That's cool and would almost make me switch to T-Mobile. I've been a long time Cingular guy and I'm happy to see T-mobile offer this.

[TH61]

Since T-Mobile hung on to this archaic fee all these yrs AND the way things are now and sales are DOWN (way down) for them .... they should think about those who had upgraded their phone and signed on for 2 more yrs... we should also get this $18 credit refunded to us..the current regular users!!

I would like to hear from others who renewed and upgraded with T Mobile...

[mconnect]

i think other carriers charge upgrade fee too. I am KNOW AT&T charge $18 plus 25% tax for upgrade. So, thumb up for T-Mobile. They treat customers very nice.

[Csipa1]

It won't change the fact that T-Mobile has lamest phones ever in the US. In Europe if you sign a 2 year commitment with them they give you an iPhone for like 50 bucks. Here most of their phones have a joker 1.3 MP camera, how sad. I've been with them for 7-8 years now and everytime I call customer service they act like I am some lowlife retard who doesn't know crap. The only reason I don't switch because they still give you the most minutes for your money, plus I think they all suck. Now if I want an upgrade they want you to sign a 2 years extension, that should be illegal. I just go to Ebay and buy a new phone that is cool and does bot have the huge print on it "T-Mobile". I think most phones cost about 20 bucks to make in China, so whats the bigefin deal.

[lexam263]

Have to correct some here. T-Mobile was not holding onto this "archaic" system. For the record for the longest time T-mobile was the only one that did not charge an upgrade fee. They just started charging it last year. So they didn't have the upgrade fee for long at all.

[hkoby]

I totaly agree with Csipa1! u would think by now they would get better phones! i'm gonna get me an ulocked iphone even though i may not be able to use all the cool features i'll get a cool phone!

[jdob2000]

Phones are for making phone calls, this cracks me up that people would shop for a cool phone that they can't use all the features on because it's a cool phone. It is all about the minutes, and T-mobil has some of the best plans I have seen.

[Csipa1]

jdob2000 you're wrong phones are not just to make calls anymore: there is GPS, Internet, decent camera to take videos, music player to listen to your favorites tunes pictures with, games to play when you are bored, etc. Why carry 5-6 different devices, when you can have it all in one unit? To me its not just the minutes, its all of the above and then some. Bottom line, T-Mobile phones are primitive, the good ones are too expensive. Have you visited gsmarena.com lately? Check out all the awesome gsm phones out there, and you'll notice that T-Mobile phones way down in the bottom of the foodchain. I just don't get it, why T-Mobile doesn't want to carry the coolest phones? That is all it needs to become the best company out there....

[DuranDujam]

The "coolest" phones cost more to make and have a limited market.
The vast majority of people - the people T-Mobile USA relies on for a profit - are not buying a phone with a 5 MP Carl Zeiss lens, 3.5" touchscreen, GPS navigation, Dual cameras, fold out QWERTY keyboard and integrated stun gun.
They're buying a phone because they want to buy a phone.

Additionally, the "coolest" phones more often than not fail to support T-Mobile USA's 1700/2100 AWS.

T-Mobile's range of phones, while certainly not the best, are competitive to other US carriers. They have a fair range of RIM phones and a few WinMo phones. They are also the only national carrier with UMA (HotSpot @Home), Android (G1) and Danger Hiptops (Sidekicks).

[cougarfanmatt]

It's about time loyal customers get something, all the carriers off the best deals for new customers and not long time loyal customers.