[foleydb]

Oops, I just bought a new 8700g from the T-Mobile store last Sunday. I got 1500 minutes a month plus free nights and weekends and unlimited data/text/etc. With a two year contract at $60 ($40 phone + $20 BB fee) a month plus $35 activation fee I paid $295 for the 8700g. Seeing some posts on the forum I went to Amazon and they are offering the 8700g with 1000 minutes a month and no free nights and weekends (I think that's what it means) for the same $60 a month and the phone costs $50. But it also offers for $15 1000 text messages or something. I don't know what kind of a deal this Amazon offer is. With the 8700g and EDGE on T-Mobile does it mean I have to pay extra for each e-mail or something if I don't take the extra $15 package? Any advice from anyone. I don't think forking over an extra $250 makes sense for the unit if I don't have too do it. T-Mobile says I have 15 days to take it back if I want to for any reason. What should I do?

(UPDATE: See bottom of thread where I see that I did NOT get hosed, and that I won't return my T-Mobile 8700g ($300) and get an Amazon 8700g (free).)

[justin.culp]

call t-mo...mention the offer...maybe they'll work with you or give you some mins or something.

[rcbjr]

Well the $15.00 extra from amazon is for SMS text messaging. Email and PINs are Data and not text, so if you don't text you'll be alright. And you might check to see if your plan doesn't have some SMS mess. Included.

Hope this helps.
Rcbjr

[Wishdemon]

I got my 8700g from amazon and didnt include the extra $15 dollar addon but I have unlimited text messaging...Id say call t-mo and check with them about the 1000minutes and mail plan (im almost positive thats what its called).....they should confirm that its unlimited text without any addon plan.

[flexichick]

It's called "Blackberry Minutes and Mail" for $59.99. Includes 1000 minutes (NO nights and weekends free), free unlimited texting and unlimited email.

I got this through Amazon.com. I ended up paying nothing (actually got $50 extra back after 2 rebates) for the BB itself.

Here's the plan info:

BlackBerry Minutes & Mail Rate Plan: BlackBerry Minutes & Mail details

[foleydb]

OK, thanks to everyone for their thoughts. My plan from T-Mobile is 1500 anywhere minutes with no free evenings/nights/weekends for $60 a month and the Amazon plan is the same plan with only 1000 minutes a month for $60.

The Amazon phone comes out free, whereas the T-Mobile phone was $300 (after the $50 rebate).

I also chose the $6/month full insurance through T-Mobile so if the phone is lost or stolen or broken I get a new one. I didn't see this offered on the Amazon site, but maybe it exists.

So my decision is based on two parts:

1) Is it better to have direct T-Mobile service over the Amazon reseller? I hear that it might be better to have direct T-Mobile service, and the insurance thing gives me some peace of mind. Once I start to rely on this thing I won't be able to have it go down for long. It has to work all the time no matter what. So that recommends T-Mobile.

2) More importantly, is the extra 500 minutes a month is worth the $300/24 months? Since the math says that the prorated charge of $300 over 24 months means I am paying $12.50 a month for 500 minutes it means I am paying 2.5 cents a minute for each of those 500 minutes over 1000 whether I use them or not. Since I have no idea how much usage I'll have every month it's difficult to know if I'll need the extra 500 minutes, but I think it makes sense to keep them, since I can bend my long distance friends' ears at the end of each month I guess. Another point for T-Mobile.

So, I will keep my T-Mobile 8700g and I didn't get hosed. FYI, the 1500 anytime minutes offer per month no longer exists since I think I got it near the end of the offer, but that could be wrong.

[flexichick]

Call T-mo and ask about the insurance. I think you can do this as an add-on regardless of where you bought the phone

I originally was thinking "hey, I want that extra 500 minutes", but then I realized that I don't even come close to using the 1000 minutes anyway.

[azbbusr]

I bought thru amazon. They just sell the equipment for t-mobile. So it really is direct. If you don't keep the phone for the length of agreement then Amazon will charge you their disclosed phone discount fee and t-mobile will charge you an early term fee.

I had the 1000 mail and minutes for 59. I switched to get more 1500 and blackberry addon for a total of 59. I do not have any SMS text for free, but I use email anyhow.

So I still have 500 more minutes than the one I pick on Amazon and pay the same amount per month. The only thing I did lose was unlimited SMS.

Good deal anyway you look at it with T-mobile. All my billing is Direct with T-mobile.

Hope this helps. ( I paid $199 for phone with $50- tmobile rebate - $150 amazon rebate = phone is shipping cost only)

[Blackberry_1]

I personally never use my BB as a phone. So I only have 750 minute plan thru tmo.
But I feel tmo offers the best data plans out there. Ive been on tmo for quite awhile now. And I think you got a good deal. The only thing you really need for a BB in my opinion is Unlimited data and text. I have both on a famly plan. And if you will be tethering your BB as a modem, you will really want that unlimited data.

Just throwing my stone in the water for what its worth.

[jdjleo]

ahh....