SlashGear Japan
Last week rumors and scuttlebutt started popping up that perennial fourth place wireless provider T-Mobile had a new trick up its sleeve that would shoot it into third place passing Sprint. Exactly what the cryptic Project Black (or Project Dark as it’s also known) was and still is unknown.
Boy Genius Report has received some admittedly unsubstantiated info that points to the devious plan to pass Sprint being nothing more than new clothes for the retail workers and a new rate plan. Seriously, black shirts, gray pants and a discount wireless rate is the plan to oust Sprint from the third spot? Just wait a few more weeks and Sprint will likely oust itself from the spot.
The new cut-rate plan is a $50 unlimited plan including voice, SMS, MMS, and data. It will be called the Everything Unlimited plans and the goal is to grab the low cost shoppers from other carriers. I’m sorry T-Mobile, you really need more than this if you want to run with the big dogs. How about a wireless network that actually covers areas outside of a big city; that would be a great start and go further towards getting you more customers. Not that $50 unlimited isn’t cool, I just don’t think it is enough.
3 Responses to “T-Mobile Project Black only a discounted wireless rate?”
benjitek October 12, 2009
I’d hardly say that’s nothing, or not enough. Over the life of my 2-year AT&T iPhone contract, that would represent an approximately $1200 savings — more than enough to offset early termination fees. Combine that with a carrier-switch account credit and it becomes even more attractive. Regardless of their current 3G coverage, they’re expanding quickly and getting ready to up their bandwidth.
Prior to switching away from the to get the iPhone, I found their 3G coverage here in Seattle to be excellent. During the years of being a T-Mobile customer, I never experienced an issue with dropped calls. With AT&T, I’m extremely familiar with dropped calls. If they had an iPhone, I’d switch back in an instant.
+2sprocket October 22, 2009
Goodbye contracts
Neutralmistermix October 13, 2009
It’s interesting how the gadget blogs have become so disconnected from what the “average” user (or even the less economically advantaged “high-end” user) wants.
$170/month for 1 smartphone, one kid with unlimited texting, and one wife who just wants to call her friends on occasion is absurd. I’m not getting $4,000 worth of value over the life of my cell contract. I’d gladly try T-Mobile’s supposedly inferior network for a while if I could save, say, $100/month (i.e., $2400 over the contract life). I’d tolerate occasional non-3G service, and I’d put up with a few dropped calls. It’s not like my current provider is perfect. Lots of my calls go to voice mail even when I’m showing 3 bars of service. My “3G” service is often slow, yet my smartphone has no wi-fi, so I can’t use my uber-reliable home network when I’m sitting on the couch watching TV. I’ll take the one-week trip to Disney instead.
+4