credit check with value plan?

Anything that comes with a 2 yr plan agreement will require a credit check. Try the monthly 4g and/or pay as you go options. Same is true with any/all cell carriers

 

You can always get a different phone than the ones that T-Mobile offers with their plans. I have a prepaid plan ($70, 5GB/unlimited, no contract, no credit check) and I bought my Samsung Galaxy S2 from a local fellow on Craigslist. All you need is the SIM card, which comes free when you sign up.

 

Yes a credit check is required for a value plan. You can use any T-Mobile phone, and most unlocked phones with the prepaid plans. Sim card is free like John Jason said. All you will have to pay for is your first month up front, and a phone if you choose to buy one. There is a $50, $60 and a $70 plan for Unlimited Talk, Text and Web. The $50 comes with 100MB of fast data, $60 with 2GB of fast data and the $70 is 5GB of fast data. You don't even need to give them a real name if you don't want to.

 

A corporate retail store will give you one for free guaranteed.