Upgrading with T-Mobile

[Za Magic]

I have been with T-Mobile for years and currently have a 7105 Blackberry. I recently called customer service to inquire about upgrading to the new Blackberry Pearl. Because I am not in the "window" allowing discounts for upgrading, I was told that the Pearl would cost me $379 - which is $30 more than the retail price advertised for brand new customers. It REALLY makes me angy that T-Mobile typically take better care of new customers than they do current, fathful customers. Any ideas how I can get a Blackberry Pearl for (at least) retail price or LOWER??

[blouhoender]

that sux! well, why not trying to go to a different dealer? I would call the customer service and ask them why your getting threated this way. That's not how it suppose to be. Faithful customers should get all kinds of diffrent kind of discounts (just like in verizon).

But if that didn't work.. I would cancel my my current plan, pay the termination fee and then sign up a new plan at wirelessbuy.com.. They have the pearl for $50 with two year contract!!! That's a great deal. Hope this helps

[Laffy]

~via BB (wap.rabroad.com)~The only way would be to start new contact under a different name(wife, girlfriend, parent, sibling). What flash24 said about cancelling your plan and starting a new one won't work, because if you cancel your account and start a new one through wirelessbuy.com and use the same name T-Mobile will not consider you a "new customer" and you won't qualify for the promo price. Plus, after paying the cancellation fee and the new activation fee you really won't save much money(I estimate $65) and you will have to go through the annoyance of changing your phone # and distributing to all your contacts, which is a major pain in the @ss. I've been in the same situation, I know it sucks, but almost every carrier requires very similar conditions to get the "upgrade" price, and T-Mobile has always had the same rules for upgrades. I think if you go to a retail store you can get the Pearl for either $319.99 or $349.99(I forget) with no contract or just wait it out until the 11th month of your current contract and you can get your upgrade. Anyway, good luck.

[z-OH-ee <8]

oh ok.. i cee now. Thanks for clearing that up

[roman pierce]

I qualified, but before I knew I did I was going to get a plan and phone for my folks. Give them my 7100t and keep the 8100 for myself.

Query: if the cancellation fee is $200, why not get a free phone from Wireless Buy or other vendors by signing up someone else. Get the 8100 free, then cancel the account and keep the phone? Or cancel your old contract and line, pay the cancellation fee and keep the new number.

Don't know if any of that works, but worth a shot?

I can't post URLs yet, but another vendor [whom I have used] that offers a free 8100 is www. usshopwireless .com I used them to get my two 7100ts for free, about 15 months ago. Also referred three friends to them and they all got the 7100t for free too. Based on that I have to say they are a good outfit.

[Natally]

Not sure it's a "promo" thing at all. Mostly, in the UK at least, a 'new' customer commits to a plan that ties them into, say, 12 months of minimum recurring monthly payments. The operators use that to subsidise the phone cost to the consumer, knowing they'll 'get the cost of the phone back in the end'.

If you're an existing customer, not commiting to a new/extended contract at the same time, the operator can't be sure they will ever recover the subsidy - so they charge a 'real' price for the phone up front. Unfortunately, they DON'T offer lower contract prices when you sign up a contract and don't take a subsidised phone with it.

What many don't realise is that in many cases, the operators don't try and make much money from the phones - it's the manufacturers (eg RIM, Nokia, etc) who actually charge quite a lot for the phones. In the UK people assume the phones cost little as all the operators operate these subsidy schemes which gives the perception that all phones are cheap...

[Mlllkm]

If you cancel T mobile service you can not be considered a new customer for 90 days. Weather you cancel or clouse your account. If you go to reopen it, you will be reopening a existing account.

[CindyComesBack]

Well the margin on cell phones isn't as large as one would believe. Wireless carriers do make some money off the actual handset sale, but most of the money they bring in is from other areas like contracts, accessories, features, and data services. One part of keeping customers coming in, is always having a fresh line up of handsets to choose from, which T-Mobile does a pretty good job at. Getting back to the point, it goes overlooked that the retail pricing of these phones are a little high, and for a carriers like T-mobile to offer up a discount for every customer that has been with them for a while, well they need to get something in return to make the up front loss worthwile. This is where tenure comes in. Like a bank, the longer you stay with that company, the better the relationship you will develop. The one problem I think you experienced is; that someone disserviced you in failing to explain how the upgrade program works with these carriers. There are some big upsides to conforming to the upgrade program. If you become eligible, you get about 30% off the retail price to start. Let's not forget about any rebates you can mail in (usually around $50) What does this do for you? It puts you on higher ground in an event you have a REAL problem with your account or phone. Again back to the longer you are in the more worth you develop. This is where the save(retention) department comes in. You can always express your concern and dislike to a save rep and I am sure they will make something work for you, the main reason being that there is little overhead in a call center. There are little to no operating costs that get covered by a call center. In a retail store, there is rent, lights, utilities, etc. Not to mention most carriers' stores are in strip malls where the rent is pretty nominal. Most people have not been informed of why upgrades work like they do. The retail store is set up for one main purpose, to take on new accounts. That is a stores main function. Now if customer service issues arise that can be handled in a retail store, then by all means they need to be handled to the best ability. Other than that, to get an upgrade from a retail store is simply a matter of convenience, all the power in these situations comes from being calm and working hand in hand with a cust care rep. You may be frustrated but, if you take a rational stand, you will win. Thats just my 2 pennies.

[sharkbait_hoo_haa_haa291]

companies really dont make that much off the phone itself - the dealers get money off the customer keeping the activation for X amount of days - and many 3rd party dealers have 181 day service aggreements as well that if you cancel before then you have to pay X amount to cover for losses and such.

[# 2 in december]

ok here's my query how deos one ensure they're getting a "save rep" I mean I've heard in the past that this is a good way to get deals I remember way back when my buddy got the v600 which was the newest phone for free from a what I'm guessin was a save rep but do you just say I want to cancel my service or whats the deal here