T-Mobile is hoping to attract consumers interested in Apple’s latest tablets by offering them free monthly data.
A day after Apple’s announcement of the new iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display, T-Mobile said it will give users with tablets capable of connecting to cellular networks 200 MB of free data, starting Nov. 1.
If users run out of the 200 MB of free data, T-Mobile Chief Executive John Legere said there wouldn’t be overages. The service will simply stop. Customers can buy additional data in various increments.
Legere said he hopes the free sample of data would persuade those users to purchase more batches of data, starting at $5 for a one-day pass of 500 MB. Users can also pay $10 for a one-week pass of 1 GB.
Users who want a monthly pass can pay $10 for 500 MB. After that, users can add 2-GB increments for $10 more each month. However, customers who don’t have a voice plan with T-Mobile and want a monthly plan for their tablet will have to pay an additional $10.
After users hit their limit, there are no overages but data speeds become throttled. T-Mobile said the data plans also work overseas in 115 countries at no additional cost.
T-Mobile also said that users could bring in their old tablets and smartphones to trade in for credit that would be applied toward the purchase of a new iPad or other LTE tablets. The trade-in value varies on the quality of the device, the demand for it and other factors.
Additionally, the Seattle carrier said it would sell the base models of Apple’s new iPads at $0 down, as well as several other tablets, including the Google Nexus 7.
Starting Nov. 1, customers can get the 16 GB LTE iPad Air for 24 monthly payments of $26.25, which add up to its full retail price of $630. The LTE-enabled iPad mini with Retina display will go on sale later in November, and it will require monthly payments of $22.08, which adds up to the device’s retail price of $530. Customers can also get the non-Retina iPad mini for 24 payments of $17.91, or a total price of $430.
Los Angeles Times
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