$80 T-Mobile Shadow From Microsoft
Little known secret: You can get phones from T-Mobile for a lot cheaper if you qualify as a Microsoft Partner, Developer or IT Pro. Now you can get the new T-Mobile Shadow, complete with its unique Neo frontend and slide-down keyboard, for $80, seventy bucks less than the usual price. You’ll pay $130 and get $50 back by rebate, saving a lot of money on a phone that is only weeks old. Also available: The Wing touchscreen PDA phone for $130 with a free BlueTooth headset, and the Dash for $50, also with a headset.
It looks like existing customers can get the deal, but only by adding a new line of service. I’m a T-Mobile customer, and I’d like to stick with the company when my contract is up, but it looks like I can’t get a good deal on a handset and keep my phone number (the best deals all involve starting a new account, which I can do under my wife’s name, but I can’t port my number from one T-Mobile account to another).
Anybody know how someone can keep their phone number and their phone company, and still get the same deals on a phone that new customers get? There’s got to be a way to convince T-Mobile to keep taking my money, right? Otherwise, I think I’m becoming an AT&T customer, at least for six months.
What’s your experience? Is it always impossible to keep your current carrier and get a good phone, or are there ways?
Anyway, if you qualify, pick up the Shadow for just $80. My wife is demanding I get this phone, so hopefully she’ll get what she wants.
Nathan,
Thank you for that tidbit. While I am not a T-Mobile user myself, several of the folks I work with are. Do you know if the T-Mobile rebate is a program that has been around, or rather is it a limited time promotion?
Comment by Joel Gray | November 21, 2007
As far as I know, this has been around for a while, and shouldn’t be going anywhere. I won’t be using it for another seven or eight months, and I’m sure it’ll still be around then.
Comment by Nathan Weinberg | November 21, 2007
Thanks for the response. I’m certain I won’t be using it soon either as I use a different provider and I’m happy with my HTC P4300. One of my coworkers is jazzed about it though, he’s tired of his Blackberry and is ready to step up to Windows Mobile.
Comment by Joel Gray | November 21, 2007
I’ve been a T-Mobile (formerly Voicestream) customer since 1999. I really don’t understand why a company like T-Mobile won’t honor the same deals they give to new customers to loyal customers. Isn’t it cheaper to keep a loyal customer than to search out new customers?
Comment by Tim Taricco | November 21, 2007
I know! They pay so much money to acquire new customers, and they don’t give a crap about paying a little less to retain current ones. I would expect a simple thing like transferring a number from one T-Mobile account to another would be worth the $70 a month they get from me for another year or so, right?
Comment by Nathan Weinberg | November 22, 2007
I’m currently with Sprint but would love to be able to change. However I was able to get a new phone by talking to their Customer Retention Reps, ask for them when you call support. Explain the situation to them about how you are feeling ripped, etc and see what they can do for you.
Comment by Jeff | December 3, 2007
There is a way to do this. Read through this thread…they explain the whole thing. I used the instructions in this thread this past summer to get a Wing for $100. You do have to be out of contract…
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?catid=18&threadid=733578&start=0
They have the same deal you have listed here:
http://www.fatwallet.com/t/18/777518/
Comment by Adam | February 7, 2008