T-Mobile is expected to officially launch its UNcarrier initiative and full-on Value plan switch in just a couple of days, but it appears that the magenta operator couldn't wait any longer to share its new rate plans with us. The refreshed Value plans are now live on T-Mobile's website, and as previously leaked by our pals at TmoNews, the offerings start out at $50 for a single line or $80 for a two-line family plan. Included in that base plan is unlimited talk and text as well as 500MB of high-speed data, after which customers will have their data use slowed to 2G speeds for the remainder of that billing cycle. The plan also includes smartphone mobile hotspot.
Any subscribers that want to add more high-speed data to their plans will be able to do so at a rate of $10 for an additional 2GB, all the way up to 12GB for $110 per month for a single line. Family plans will be able to add additional high-speed data in 2GB increments for $10 per line as well. There's also an unlimited high-speed data rate plan that can be added for $20 per month per line. However, that plan includes only 500MB of mobile hotspot usage.
As I noted previously, these new Value plans are part of T-Mobile's move to a new UNcarrier identity. Also part of that switch is the elimination of the standard two-year contract and subsidy model that most U.S. wireless subscribers are accustomed to. Instead of signing customers up with a subsidized device and two-year commitment, T-Mobile will allow users to make a down payment on a new phone and then pay the handset off through monthly payments that will be added to their usual bill. Once the device is payed off, the customer's bill will be lower than it was previously.
T-Mobile is hosting an event on March 26 at which it's expected that the carrier will make its UNcarrier launch official, and T-Mo's 4G LTE network is rumored to be going live on that same date. Until then, we can look over the various configurations of T-Mo's new Value plans using its website. What do you all think of T-Mobile's new rate plans?
