tmobile 2 year contract, do I need to do anything to renew it or it just auto renews

holden j caufield

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 1999
6,324
10
81
Hi 2 years ago I got a tmobile 2 year contract. Reception isn't great but hey it's $70 for 2 lines unlimited except for only about 2gb of data. It's fine for our purposes. Do I need to call in and renew it or does it just auto roll over and start. I'm sure the new plans are probably more expensive so I'd like to keep my old one.
 

Ravynmagi

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2007
3,102
24
81
After the 2 years it should just go month to month with the same service and price, unless you make any changes. After the end of 2 years you don't automatically get locked into another 2 year contract.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
240
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Just don't do anything if you intend to continue using it. Once your contract is up, you are free and clear on a monthly basis. It is possible that T-M may contact you and offer you a "deal" to entice you to start a new contract. As the Beatles once sang, "Let it be!"
 

crashtestdummy

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,893
0
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Just don't do anything if you intend to continue using it. Once your contract is up, you are free and clear on a monthly basis. It is possible that T-M may contact you and offer you a "deal" to entice you to start a new contract. As the Beatles once sang, "Let it be!"

Really? I don't think they plan on even offering contracts anymore going forward.
 

crashtestdummy

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,893
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Nothing has changed, they just stopped calling it contracts and started calling it phone payments for 2 years but that is what it always was.

There are some subtle, but important differences here.

  1. You can buy the phone outright and pay a monthly bill for the service only. This wasn't possible before. You can also buy that phone from someone other than the service provider, making it cheaper.
  2. The contracts are structured in such a way that they guarantee that you spend at least $450 every two years on a cell phone. Since the service charge now scales to the price of the phone, it is possible to save money by getting a cheaper device.
  3. Should you decide to keep your phone past the two years, your monthly rate drops, whereas with a contract the rate doesn't change.
  4. Should you decide to leave T-Mobile, you're liable only for the unpaid cost of the phone, not an arbitrarily-determined ETF.
While it might be fair to argue that all T-Mobile did was introduce transparency, that feature alone is enough to alter the way you approach your service, and provide you with several avenues for savings that weren't there before.
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
3
76
There are some subtle, but important differences here.

  1. You can buy the phone outright and pay a monthly bill for the service only. This wasn't possible before. You can also buy that phone from someone other than the service provider, making it cheaper.
  2. The contracts are structured in such a way that they guarantee that you spend at least $450 every two years on a cell phone. Since the service charge now scales to the price of the phone, it is possible to save money by getting a cheaper device.
  3. Should you decide to keep your phone past the two years, your monthly rate drops, whereas with a contract the rate doesn't change.
  4. Should you decide to leave T-Mobile, you're liable only for the unpaid cost of the phone, not an arbitrarily-determined ETF.
While it might be fair to argue that all T-Mobile did was introduce transparency, that feature alone is enough to alter the way you approach your service, and provide you with several avenues for savings that weren't there before.

1 was definitely possible before. T-Mobile took $20 a month off your plan if you brought your own phone. I know this because I did it with the Nexus One way back when.
 

holden j caufield

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 1999
6,324
10
81
ok thanks. We both have google nexus phones so we don't need a contract. I'm ok with paying $35 a month though I don't use that much, I do text a lot but so far it seems like a fairly cheap plan.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
240
106
Keep it and keep smiling until they make you an offer you can't refuse. :)
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
117
106
1 was definitely possible before. T-Mobile took $20 a month off your plan if you brought your own phone. I know this because I did it with the Nexus One way back when.

The whole Nexus thing was different. They didn't drop your payment normally.