$98 for Galaxy s3 at Walmart with contract. Cancel contract and pay $200 etf = $300 Galaxy s3?

[finkalicious]

So basically I would be paying $100 for a t-mobile contract phone, $200 for the etf, making it a $300 phone, which is $250-$300 cheaper than I've been seeing it elsewhere to pay for it in full.

The thing is, once I cancel the contract (I'd do it after having it for one month by the way), I would want to stay with t-mobile on one of their prepaid or value plans. I understand there may be some extra fees involved like taxes or activation or new sim card, but even then it would only come out to about $400 right?

What is it exactly that would stop someone from doing this? Other than the ethical implications of course. Would t-mobile prevent me from doing this? If not, why does this loophole exist?

 

[D-U-R-X]

Hello and welcome, finkalicious - thanks for joining!

I would have thought that there would probably be some clause in the small print that wouldn't let you do that. I've moved your post to the T-Mobile section, in the hope that someone else may be able to shed some light on it for you.

 

[Joshb101]

You might only be able to get it for $98 on their value plan contract where you pay an extra $20 a month for 20 months instead of having to pay for the phone outright and the $98 might just be the down payment necessary.

Have to see what the T&C's are.

 

[Fuzzy13]

You might only be able to get it for $98 on their value plan contract where you pay an extra $20 a month for 20 months instead of having to pay for the phone outright and the $98 might just be the down payment necessary.

Have to see what the T&C's are.

Yup.

 

[bergie33]

I was thinking about this as well, but in my case, I am a current T-Mo customer, have an upgrade available, but I am going to Verizon. Can't I get the upgrde price on an S3 which will extend the contract and pay the $200 term fee when I leave?

 

[MT Rotor]

I was thinking about this as well, but in my case, I am a current T-Mo customer, have an upgrade available, but I am going to Verizon. Can't I get the upgrde price on an S3 which will extend the contract and pay the $200 term fee when I leave?

Eww Verizon...

 

[bergie33]

Eww Verizon...

Yeah, I know, but I work from home where I get no T-Mobile service and wifi calling is not reliable.

 

[KOLIO]

You might only be able to get it for $98 on their value plan contract where you pay an extra $20 a month for 20 months instead of having to pay for the phone outright and the $98 might just be the down payment necessary.

Have to see what the T&C's are.

From what I've read/heard, T-MOBILE no longer subsidizes phones. So, this is probably correct, & you more than likely will be on the hook for an ETF + the monthly installments. Otherwise, this seems like a loophole/oversight that's too good to be true.

However, if one could manage to walk away w/only the ETF to pay, I'd take advantage of it before the loophole closes, kinda like the AMAZON PRIME monthly deal only lasting two weeks due to such an oversight & potential loss of revenue.