Way back in October when the Even More and Even More Plus plans saw their unveiling, quite a few readers wondered where the data only plans had gone? It’s important to recognize that a small but important minority of users have no need for voice services and just require a data package. Typically, the Sidekick was the phone of choice for these individuals who saw the Qwerty keyboard device as a one-stop shop for communication. With the Sidekick line (perhaps) ready to meet its disappointing (but on some level necessary) demise given recent troubles, a gap is missing in the T-Mobile lineup for this small yet important minority. Enter Even More 1.5, launching “Mid-March”, which will introduce voice-barred data plans for hearing-impaired individuals. Pricing and exact details are sparse but our ninjas have said we should learn more less than two weeks from now.
Also launching with Even More 1.5 is pay per use web. That’s right, pay per use web! All for the low low price of $1.99 per mb. If your browsing needs are low, this is the package for you allowing you to surf just when you need it without the “high cost” of a monthly package. Flex-pay, smart access and pay as you go plans are not eligible. Upon hitting $10 worth of charges, a free SMS recommending a data feature will be sent automatically to your device. Keep in mind that at the end of every web2go session, this feature will round up to the next kb and, at the end of every month, the next mb. There is a $50 cap on the pay per use web, ensuring this doesn’t surprise your grandmother who might end up with an $11,000 bill.
We’re still clarifying these details and the information is unconfirmed but we trust in our super ninjas to lead us down the right path. Hopefully, more detail will come to light leading up to launch but we applaud T-Mobile for again considering the needs of an under-recognized minority of users who often require specific needs that aren’t usually met in the wireless world.
If you recall, our super ninjas have told us the Dell Mini 10, T-Mobile’s very first netbook, would be launching March 24th. As shown above, we continue to confirm the March 24th launch date (that is, if there aren’t any potential delays). On the very same day the Dell Mini 10 releases, T-Mobile will also be launching the webConnect Rocket, T-Mobile’s first USB modem that can take advantage of HSPA+ 21Mbps. Do keep in mind that the Mini 10 and webConnect Rocket will launch in “Pilot markets only”. Pilot markets for the Mini 10 include Dallas, Miami, LA, and Chicago. Additionally, if you look at the internal image above, underneath the Dell Mini 10 launch date, you will see that Magenta is also planning a “Dark Handset Launch” on the 24th of March. If we didn’t know better, we’d probably say this “Dark Handset Launch” is most likely the upcoming T-Mobile HTC HD2. Stay tuned for more info!
Update: Apparently “eligible” means out of contract, so those still in contract obviously can’t migrate until finished. That makes sense.
Loyal customers, T-Mobile hasn’t forgotten about thee. Starting February 15th “eligible” customers will be able to migrate to an Even More Plus plan without being charged that lovely $35 fee that was enacted last October. Nothing much else to see here, other than the fact that T-Mobile knows loyal customers deserve something and that maintaining those relationships are just as important as gaining new ones. If only every carrier enacted such policies, the world would be a happy place. Not really, but you get the drift.
When we first heard the words back in October, “Dark Project” took on a completely new meaning. What we thought would be a gracing savior rescuing T-Mobile from a spot as the 4th place wireless carrier turned out to be little more than a hype machine. The Dark Project rate plans, while revolutionary in the United States were not capable of meeting all the hype the interwebs had placed on them. We are as guilty as anyone for being a hype machine, but here we are again, faced with a training calendar inscribed with the words “Dark Project Training.” This time we are not certain at all what it pertains to but we have a good guess, or what we would like to think is an educated, well-informed guess. (We should preface this by saying that we now know the words “Dark Project” simply pertains to information T-Mobile wishes not to disclose.) Of course, in reality, it is really none of those things and we are just stabbing in the dark here thinking we know what it is. Therefore, bear with me as I say this training, which starts February 17th and ends March 9th is a possible run up to the launch of the HTC HD2 and/or a Motorola Android (Zeppelin?) launch. What am I basing this on? My super human knowledge of all things. Our confirmed rumored launch date info tells us that a Motorola Android device codename-Zeppelin is launching on March 10th, along with as of yet unknown HTC phone. Coincidence that the training for this “Dark Project” ends March 9th? Time will tell…
One of the T-Mobile claims to fame has always been outstandingcustomerservice in an industry known for anything but that. A JD Power favorite, T-Mobile has seen an increased need for outstanding customer service support with the Sidekick debacle and outage that caused widespread anger against T-Mobile for being so quiet regarding the issue. Either way, Appleinsider points out that T-Mobile, while scoring behind Verizon, was found to be superior to that of AT&T and Sprint, surprise surprise. T-Mobile has terrific customer service; there is plenty of evidence to support that as this article shows, however it’s time to roll that same focus and determination over to marketing ensuring customers see the benefits of the new Even More, Even More Plus plans. T-Mobile, are you listening?
T-Mobile reported third quarter 2009 results this morning and the numbers are less than impressive. Let’s just get right to the chase and mention they reported that in the third quarter of 2009, total customers declined by 77,000, compared to net additions of 325,000 from the second quarter of 2009. Comparatively, the third quarter of 2008 was met by net customer additions of 670,000. The number of contract customers declined by 140,000 in the third quarter of 2009. The report claims the losses are due to an increase in the higher churn of contract customers, specifically from FlexPay customers. Contract customers compose 80% of the T-Mobile subscriber base, down from 81% in the previous quarter of 2009.
Churn was at 2.4% in the third quarter of 2009, up from 2.2% in the second quarter of 2009. T-mobile states that the reason for high churn was ” due in part to competitive intensity, including handset innovation, and the seasonal impact from the “back-to-school” window.”
That’s the bad news and really, it isn’t good. We’re T-Mobile cheerleaders around these parts but a net subscriber loss is a net subscriber loss, spinning that in a positive light is in a word, tough. With the introduction of the Even More and Even More Plus plans T-Mobile is gambling once again that lower rate plans are enough to attract the customers and frankly, they might succeed to some extent. To really make it happen though, to really get back in the game it’s going to take one thing, marketing. “It’s the marketing stupid” is a phrase that should be rife in Bellevue right about now. T-Mobile has what it takes to succeed, it just needs a better way of showcasing that it does, and current marketing isn’t cutting it. I love Catherine Zeta Jones but she hasn’t really been hot since Entrapment, so it’s time for a new spokesperson, a new ad campaign and a serious push toward serious business people. An unclogged, reliable, less expensive 3G network can make for a good case to business users and high dollar consumers so it’s time to give them the handsets to boot.
I hate to see negative numbers knowing the inevitable gloom and doom comments they will bring across the interwebs, never mind the certain comparisons to (shuddering)…Sprint. The fourth quarter is where it’s really at, where the Even More and Even More Plus plans really need to shine, we heard a big marketing campaign is coming and it had better be big, loud and with some chest pounding.
On that note, it’s time for some highlights:
On August 13, 2009, T-Mobile USA achieved the highest ranking in a tie for the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Wireless Customer Care Performance StudySM – Volume 2. Since 2004, T-Mobile USA has received the highest ranking, including two ties, in nine of the last 10 Customer Care Performance Studies conducted by J.D. Power and Associates.
In August T-Mobile USA’s products and services started being offered in more than 4,000 RadioShack stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, almost doubling our national retail distribution network.
On September 17, 2009, T-Mobile USA received the highest ranking among national wireless carriers in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Wireless Retail Sales Satisfaction StudySM – Volume 2. The award further reflects T-Mobile’s continued achievements for overall customer experiences, whether in-store, online or on the phone.
On October 21, 2009,T-Mobile USA announced the fourth quarter of 2009 availability of the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700 with Wi-Fi Calling from T-Mobile. It will be the first 3G-powered BlackBerry smartphone available through T-Mobile USA, adding to the holiday lineup of 3G converged devices such as the T-Mobile® myTouchTM and recently announced Samsung Behold®II. Additionally, on November 2, 2009, T-Mobile USA launched the national availability of the MotorolaTM CLIQTM. This is the first AndroidTM-powered device with MOTOBLURTM, a solution developed to manage and integrate communication sources together on the home screen.
On October 25, 2009, T-Mobile USA unveiled its new ‘Even More’ and ‘Even More Plus’ rate plans. These plans respond to customers’ needs for affordable nationwide calling, texting, and data plans; while providing new ways to get new phones and data devices with equipment installment plans.
As you may already be aware (its only been on the blog a few hundred times) T-Mobile officially launched its newest rate plans as of Sunday, October 25th 2009. T-Mobile announced a new approach to truly show itself as the cheapest carrier compared to AT&T and Verizon. Yesterday during the “So You Think You Can Dance” show, T-Mobile aired its newest T-Mobile ad to explain the Even More Rate plans. And I have to say I’m impressed with T-Mobile. I believe the ad was a very effective way to introduce and educate people with the new plans that aren’t exposed to forums like TmoNews. Enjoy the video above and feel free to express your thoughts in the comments. If you watched the ad yesterday, do you think it was effective? Why or why not?
Sat at the keyboard all morning wondering how best to word this article. We’ve been talking about Project Dark for almost a full two weeks, and after all speculation, hype, and confusion and questions still remain. We have concluded however, that we really don’t what kind of impact these plans will have. We’ve been a little rough on the magenta lately, yet let there be no question we want the Even More and Even More Plus plans to succeed. Not only because we are fans, but because we are customers as well. Basic economics says competition is a good thing and hopefully will continue to drive down prices. I think we can all agree they are already higher industry-wide than we would like. T-Mobile took a big gamble on the Even More/Even More Plus plans and we won’t know if it paid off for some time. We did learn, however, that first day numbers weren’t shabby as word has it that T-Mobile did 14k activations this past Sunday alone. What remains is if they can keep that number constant, or exceed it.
With my rambling above in mind, MocoNews has an article up this morning discussing how T-Mobile could have started a price war, but didn’t. They quote Verizon as saying they didn’t see a “need to respond to them” in reference to T-Mobile’s new pricing. MocoNews points out that T-Mobile needs to shift focus on keeping its high dollar customers.
I’ve tried to keep up with your comments and I know some of you who originally thought the worst, fared a little better in the end. Some of you saved money, a few of you saved a lot of money and some of you see no reason to change plans at all. So what say you on this MocoNews article?
Many people are saying project Dark didn’t quite take the wireless world by storm like we had all hoped, speculated or hyped. That being said, T-Mobile did introduce some “game-changing” features by moving away from the typical wireless practices the big 4 continue to deliver. How the industry receives these practices is a question that may not be answered for some time. Until then, we at Tmonews want to ask your first impressions of these plans. We’ve read your comments and we know they are mixed with disgust, angst, happiness, frustration and a desire to sing a song. So vote in our poll and sound off below, how do you feel about Even More and Even More Plus? Yay, nay?
After all the speculating, “Project Dark” is officially a go. The pricing is up on the T-Mobile website and it is exactly what we hoped feared. At first glance I’m not seeing any changes whatsoever from all the leaks, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know if anyone can really make that determination yet. Marketing is of course going to be the key factor here and we look forward to whatever T-Mobile brings to the table as they ramp up advertisements to the rumored tune of 40% this holiday season. Regardless of whatever marketing may come, we’re still super happy to see a new standard in the wireless industry with a no contract offering. It’s about time that the European style way of doing business made it over to US shores. Love it or hate it, it works quite well everywhere else in the world. So without further ado, we present to you, Project Dark. Time will tell today, as it’s just barely 9am in South Florida, if there are any more surprises in store–handsets, 3G, 4G or otherwise. We aren’t holding out hope for anything but we do love surprises!
