T-mobile’s Project Dark is now official and the Even More and Even More Plus plans are now available for mass consumption on the carrier’s website. The question is which plan makes more sense for me or more importantly which plan makes the most financial sense. Let’s review a scenario where you are looking to sign up for T-mobile as your new carrier and you are looking to pickup the T-mobile myTouch 3G.
Scenario 1 (Even More 500): The Even More 500 plan requires a 2-year commitment and in exchange you receive your MyTouch 3G for the subsidized price of $149.99. You will add the $39.99 Even More 500 Talk voice plan and the required $40 T-mobile myTouch Unlimited Web + Unlimited Messages for a total monthly service fee of $79.99 plus a one-time $35 activation fee. Compared to Sprint you would have 50 extra anytime minutes, but you would not have 7pm nights and weekends, yearly upgrades (Sprint Premier) or Any Mobile Anytime access. In my opinion from a smartphone user’s standpoint this plan fails to be competitive when compared to Sprint’s $69.99 plan especially if you like having new phones every year.
Scenario 2 (Even More Plus 500): The Even More Plus 500 Talk + Text + Web plan is $59.99, a $20 a month savings over the Even More 500 Plan once you add in the unlimited smartphone data/text. This plan does not require a contract, but requires that you purchase your device at full retail ($499.99). We love the monthly price and no contract and if you compare the total costs over having this plan for 2 years versus Scenario 1 above you are only looking at Scenario 1 $2069.75 + activation fee or Scenario 2 $1939.75. So you actually save a little over $100 over the course of 24 months assuming you stick with the myTouch 3G during that time period and you are not locked into a contract.
Overall I can only see myself recommending the Even More Plus plans for new subscribers looking to pick up a smartphone on T-mobile. Besides the lower net cost over a 24-month period and not having to deal with a contract, the plan only becomes more enticing when you consider your phone options on eBay. If you were to purchase a T-mobile device on eBay or Craigslist, you would only increase the savings. For travelers coming to the US these Even More Plus plans could be a great way to boost revenue and it sure beats the current GSM prepaid alternatives. Sorry T-mobile I just don’t see the Even More Plans enticing customers to leave Sprint even with Catherine Zeta-Jones headlining your TV ad campaign.
