T-Mobile announces $99.99 unlimited plan just in time to yell "Fifth!"
Clearly not wanting to seem unhip in this fast-paced, modern era of all-you-can-eat cellphone plans, T-Mobile has announced that it will begin offering a -- wait for it -- $99.99 unlimited calling and text message plan starting February 21st. Now the magenta team can join the ranks of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and, er... Helio, in giving customers almost exactly the same plan, though unlike AT&T and Verizon, this includes all the text messages you could possibly type. For those with happy fingers and a whole slew of friends, that might be the deciding factor in this war of nearly-identical calling deals. Can unlimited Faves be far away?[Thanks, Pete]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
chuck @ Feb 19th 2008 5:03PM
ummm, this pretty much IS the equivalent of having unlimited myfaves...
Neil Ellington @ Feb 19th 2008 5:10PM
Sprint?
Hammad @ Feb 19th 2008 5:37PM
Why all the hype around these $99 unlimited calling plans? They are way overpriced. Cricket has been offering an unlimited calling, sms texting, and picture messaging plan for $35 for a while now. They have a plan for $60 which includes long distance, roaming, unlimited web and a lot more. Come on people, wake up. Also, did I mention that Cricket has NO CONTRACTS and NO CREDIT CHECKS? T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all will nail you with a 2 year contract and a cheap phone. Be smart and check out Cricket.
elgee02 @ Feb 19th 2008 5:54PM
Not to mention Cricket has terrible coverage (even in the cities where they are offered), no roaming outside of their tiny markets whatsoever (which for a lot of people, that sucks) and knock VZW's phone selection all you want but Crickets is even worse.
Just like Hammad said, be smart and check out Cricket so you can be even more happy you DON'T have them.
Eric M @ Feb 19th 2008 6:07PM
Yeah Cricket, only unlimited in there EXTREMELY constricted areas of unlimited coverage, and by the way T-Mobile does offer plans without contracts. Cricket is just like the name, a pesky little insect!
MinceyFresh @ Feb 19th 2008 7:43PM
Dude, Hammad, c'mon.
We get it already.
You like Cricket.
That's nice.
You don't have to copy + paste the same comment in every Unlimited Calling Plan article that Engadget posts... >_
MBN @ Feb 20th 2008 11:06AM
elgee et al,
Cricket USED TO have terrible coverage, as did every other carrier during their first 2-3 years of operation. Now they're ranked 1st or 2nd in each of their established markets. You're also wrong about having no roaming. They have extensive roaming agreements with other major CDMA carriers, and enough included roaming minutes for the moderate traveler. Get it right!
I do agree that their phone selection is pretty poor, and their limited data offerings are embarrassing. They're starting to catch up with some pretty nice non-smart-phone models.
If you don't need a smart-phone or data, their offering is unbeatable.
elgee02 @ Feb 20th 2008 12:08PM
MBN:
By no roaming outside their markets I meant "FREE" roaming. I don't want to pay extra per minute just because I visit family in another state. Give me no roaming nationwide.
And I don't know about other cities, but I do know that in no way is Cricket's coverage in Phoenix any good at all, especially in the east valley suburbs. In Phoenix Cricket is a huge joke of a carrier.
Robot @ Feb 25th 2008 9:09PM
Cricket has great coverage?
My friend has had Cricket for years now. About two years ago, his service was somewhat comparable to existing providers coverage-wise. Now, the conversation with him always goes like this:
Me: What's up, man?
Him: Just ... sec... have ... go outsid... kkkh
Him: OK. Sorry, I don't get good reception indoors.
Me: That sucks. Where are you?
Him: I mean, I just don't get reception indoors, period.
Me: That blows...
Brian @ Feb 19th 2008 5:58PM
Cricket shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence w/ any of the major wireless carriers. They have horrible coverage and overpriced phones. Cricket isn't even an available option for most people b/c of their crappy coverage.
Dave @ Feb 19th 2008 8:35PM
agreed...cricket is a ghetto-ass phone company and should only be compared with other prepaid garbage for people who essentially have no credit at all such as (but not limited to) Boost Mobile, the now defunct Amp'd Mobile, and MetroPCS. The two year contracts would be arguable, but guess what? AT&T and VZW also have prepaid.
Juice @ Feb 19th 2008 7:02PM
Cricket? WTF. Haha. Never heard of it.
::cricket sounds
Gib @ Feb 19th 2008 7:11PM
Cricket is awesome when you have even decent coverage. But i have a buddy who works for cricket but still uses a sprint phone....
Will @ Feb 19th 2008 7:14PM
dang, i feel for your friend...works for a company with no coverage and uses a company that has almost no coverage, that would suck
Gib @ Feb 19th 2008 7:46PM
Haha yeah its actually a sweet gig for him. He used to sell sprint and set up a phantom phone on a phantom account. Unlim minutes, texts, ringtones, etc... but crap coverage
Gerry G. Mateo @ Feb 19th 2008 8:03PM
Cricket call quality is like the chirping insect, heh heh heh
Nagoo @ Feb 19th 2008 9:18PM
Sprint only offers their unlimited stuff in select markets. So if anyone will be saying "Fifth", it will be Sprint.
T-Will @ Feb 20th 2008 2:39PM
Does this mean the standard plans will see a price drop too? I doubt it...
Joshua @ Feb 20th 2008 5:34PM
No, we will not see a drop in standard price plans... it was bound to happen, t mobile joining the unlimited bandwagon... as a dealer its kind of a double edged sword, by eliminating the need for the 129.99 plan, with the added t mobile to t mobile, and the added unlimited messaging, as well as the 109.99+ myfaves plans plus addons... i surely hope they are going to find some way of making up the lost revenue/commissions to us... however, being the only one with messaging included, should hopefully drive in more business, hopefully enough to make up for the lost revenue/commissions.... oh, and lol, the writer of this article is not very smart... how does this sound, Unlimited Nationwide Anytime Minutes with Unlimited Messaging, AND FIVE favorite people from ANY network, to talk to UNLIMITED, for FREE! Come on buddy, put a little thought into your article if you're going to post it for MILLIONS of people to critique!! haha... and please, Cricket? you my friend, should be banned from this site for simply trying to compare them to these big time conglomerates, Cricket is not even close to, nor do i expect it to EVER be, comparing to the main four wireless players.... some people....
The D Train @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:43PM
Not the only one to offer unlimited texting with it, just the only one to offer unlimited calling+text at a rate of 99.99 VZW and I'm sure AT-T offer it at 120.00$ for unlimited calling + texting.
Just wanted to clear the air there.
Jeff @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:22PM
This kind of guys never last and tmo will catch on and restrict your access guarenteed...
cwj @ Mar 7th 2008 9:48AM
Um, kids, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the unlimited faves comment was sarcasm....
Calm thyselves.