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T-Mobile and Walmart have teamed up to provide quite the deal on unlimited 4G data. For only $30 per month, customers can sign up for no-contract coverage with unlimited web and text. Ignoring the fact that we are really dealing with HSPA+ (more akin to 3.5G), what you get is one of the best deals on data you will find. With yearly contracts moving towards tiered pricing, getting anything “unlimited” is a prize in itself. Throw in the pricing and lack of contract and the offer sounds quite appealing. Of course, only the first 5GB of data will be delivered at “4G speeds” and the plan only includes 100 talk minutes, but who uses their phone to talk to people these day? The offer starts October 16th and is only available when signing up in-store at Walmart.
Walmart and T-Mobile Introduce Exclusive No-Annual Contract 4G Offering
BELLEVUE, Wash., and BENTONVILLE, Ark. — October 3, 2011 — With increased consumer demand for both no-annual contract wireless plans and faster data speeds, Walmart and T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced today that T-Mobile will launch a $30 unlimited web and text monthly 4G prepaid service plan — providing customers great value on a no-annual contract 4G data offering. The plan will be sold exclusively in-store at more than 2,200 Walmart stores and online at www.walmart.com and www.T-Mobile.com and is expected to launch Oct. 16.
The new flexible and affordable plan will provide Walmart customers with access to America’s Largest 4G Network™. In a survey of Walmart customers, approximately 60 percent cited that having a high-speed data network was a key factor in the purchase of a wireless service plan. With this new offering, available for $30 per month and no annual contract, customers can enjoy unlimited Web, with the first 5 GB at up to 4G speeds; unlimited text; and 100 minutes of talk, with 10 cents per minute after the first 100 minutes.
In further expansion of this offer, Walmart is increasing its line-up of affordable T-Mobile phones to six, including the addition of Walmart’s first 4G prepaid handset.
“Walmart is proud to offer our customers fast and affordable mobile options, especially as texting and social networking become a regular form of communication,” said Seong Ohm, senior vice president of entertainment, Walmart U.S. “Together with our suppliers we continue to ensure the products our customers want and need — from the latest smartphone and TV to groceries and toys — are available at every day low prices.”
“T-Mobile is thrilled to offer this exclusive, affordable service plan, designed specifically with heavy text and data users in mind, to meet the demand for prepaid, which is expected to double by 2015,” said Amy McCune, vice president of national retail, T-Mobile USA. “Walmart is known for providing consumers incredible value, making T-Mobile an ideal partner, and T-Mobile is delivering great prices, convenient options and a reliable nationwide 4G network, which we know Walmart customers appreciate.”
Monthly4G plans provide access to wireless service for 30 days; capable device required to achieve 4G speeds. After high-speed allotment is used, speeds slowed to up to 2G speeds for remainder of month. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com.
nbd
THIS is why an ATT purchase of T-mobile would be bad.
T-mobile, Please bring this plan to the Netherlands instead of the crap you’ve put out now.
25 euro for 200 minutes Or text messages and 1GB data at 1Mbps..
ya wtb this in europe.
Wait, T-Mobile has 3G and 4G? Where? :D
They have the fastest 3G and 3.5G in Houston and pretty good coverage also.
if the new iPhone 4S is indeed AWS capable… i will indeed be taking part in this action!
This isn’t TUAW.
This is my damn idea. I said this to a t-mobile rep a year ago.
Good idea, Darren.
But I told a T-Mobile rep about an idea for $29/month, no-contract plan that would include 6 GB ‘unlimited’ 3.5G data and 200 minutes of talk time.
Still waiting on that one, I guess. But when it comes it will be sweet. And it will be my damn idea.
That’s a great deal! You can use Google voice for more minutes. For Verizon It’s 30 bucks just for 2gb of data, then you got the calling plan and all. If I wasn’t on sprint I’d jump on this!
This is very tempting. If a carry provided true unlimited data, not throttled, at $30 a month, I would jump to them immediately. They don’t even have to give minutes, or text, only data (Google Voice). Of course, they have to have good coverage in my area.
5GB of data is a lot unless you’re watching netflix/hulu+ on the go and even then you could watch quite a bit before you would get throttled.
I think its a really good deal as long as your getting anything than 1mbps speed ofcourse more the merrier. Its awesome and i really think it might be better than Virgin Mobile since its better than 3G speed. I am in West San Jose so I would like to check it out. Does anyone knows what phones are bring offered with this deal?? Any nicer androids???
You say: “The offer starts October 16th and is only available when signing up in-store at Walmart.”
They say: “The plan will be sold exclusively in-store at more than 2,200 Walmart stores and online at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.T-Mobile.com and is expected to launch Oct. 16.”
Huh?
100 minutes per month? Are you joking? That is how they will make their money. Now it makes sense if you get a card with your tablet… but for a phone… you would waste your minutes telling the people you will call them back on a land line… then go find one…
Ughh,
Lox
This is good for me, I usually use less than 100 minutes a month but if I happen to go over thats when Google Voice comes into play, same with texting over the 4g data, thats also free.
Wifi calling doesnt use my mins either
I have a sensation, USA TMO, and when I connect to WIFI, it tells me that minutes used on WIFI can count toward my plan’s minutes… but since I am on the unlimited plan, I know this stipulation doesn’t apply to me.
Ya me too…..
I hope the merger with AT&T doesn’t go through. This sounds like a good deal even though it’s only 100 minutes of talk time (Google Voice will definitely be a good option especially with 4G web service.) Keep up the good work!
I wonder if you can just use any Tmo 4G phone, and just drop this prepaid sim card in it…anyone know if this is possible with this plan?
According to Tmonews.com apparently you can use any Tmo 4g phone, they asked if they could use the upcoming Galaxy S2 and the answer was yes! I may have to swap my number to this prepaid plan.
I’m guessing this is going to be part of “Family Mobile”. So you can use
T-Mobile phones but you would need a family mobile sim.
This is awesome. I have EMP 500 minute now ($60) but I only use around 250 minutes a month. If I get the new plan at 10 cents a minute overage, it’s like a 400 minute plan ($60 total if I go over by 300 minutes, same as current plan) but I only get charged for the minutes I use. I know I can cut down on talk minutes too by using office phone more and google voice.
Am I missing anything? Sounds like a no-brainer.
I wonder if we have mobile to mobile and free nights and weekends? Oh well, I only talk to my mom for like 30 min a month.
This is my kinda plan. This would reduce my bill by more than half!! Oh I need to just quit my contract now. :P
I do not like going back to the days for charging by the minute to talk… Especially after 100 minutes is all you get.
I’m not so sure about the whole “ONLY AT WAL-MART” claim. This weekend, I visited a Best Buy & found a T-Mobile branded Huawei Comet on the shelves that had a pricing sticker that claimed users could procure unlimited internet access for $30/month. That surprised me a bit, since I thought I was up-to-speed on all the non-contract Android plans out there.
I imagine this will be part of T-Mobile’s plan to sway users from committing to an iPhone 5 & the correspondingly expensive data-plans. If I wasn’t still on a $25 plan with Virgin & hadn’t just upgraded to the Triumph, I’d definitely consider this plan. I just wonder if this will allow users to bring over unlocked GSM phones, or if subscribers will have to buy a phone programmed specifically for the non-contract plan. If we’d have to buy a Huawei Comet for that speed, I think I’d root it right away & just use it as a hotspot. Screen’s too small & doesn’t come with a QWERTY slider.
“Ignoring the fact that we are really dealing with HSPA+ (more akin to 3.5G)”
Glad to see Kevin is still a little bitch
No Joke, and here I thought everyone was over this whole issue. The ITU was who created the whole “this is not 4G issue” and they have now said that all the technologies were 4G.
Maybe we should start referring to LTE and Wimax as 3.5 G as well. While we are at it lets call Sprints and Verizons “3G” 2G cause that is what it actually was.
UPDATE:
So I talked to my friend at tmobile and she said DO NOT drop my Even More Plus no-contract plan for this because pre-paid plans are the only plans that will not transfer over if the AT&T merger goes through. Deal-breaker.
So just so I get this right, This plan is unlimited data(5gb really) unlimited text, and 100 minutes for 30 bucks? That sounds awesome, however can you use any tmobile phone?