Port TMO Post Paid to $30/mth 5G Plan?

[tealc]

Hi Fellow Members:

I've been reading up (on as many articles as search can find) on the possibility of essentially taking a TMO post paid family plan (18 months into committment) that I pay about $171/mth and transferring it to the pre-paid $30 month plan. I already know that I will be hit with a $100 per line ETF charge (waiting until I am less than 180 days remaining), but it sounds like I would have issues getting TMO to port this because it would be an existing service, and I really just don't want to play wheel of fortune roulette with CSRs.

It sounds like I "could" port my current TMO numbers to Google, and then forward the new SIM numbers back? I have had these numbers a LONG time, and I don't wish to give them up

Would I be able to then at some point re-port the old number BACK to TMO?

If everything sounds OK thus far, is it possible to use the same MT4G's I have now, just by putting in the new SIMs? The phones are already unlocked running a custom MOD of 2.3. I also will probably look at replacing these phones (at my own cost, no subsidy to avoid future contracts), so would that be a problem? It doesn't sound like it would be, but just wanted to verify with the pros

I have calculated that this approach will save me quite a bit a year over what I am paying now, so even if I pay early ETF, the ROI is a little over 2 months.

Thoughts, suggestions, items I may have overlooked or not considered?

Thanks!

-Dan

[adam1991]

You're on the right path with everything you have in mind.

$171/month? What "family plan" is that? How many phones that ROI is 2 months? That's a *ton* of money.

That $30/mo 5GB plan is only 100 minutes voice, you realize. Just making sure here.

[tealc]

LOL, isn't it though. The plan is just on 2 phones, with 3000 anytime mins (of which a max of all minutes used is no more than say 500/mth) along with 2 5GB "unlimited" data plans for the phones. Since I see no problem with using VOIP in place of the limited 100 minutes, I expect that I should be able to reduce the monthly bill from 171 to 60, thus saving 100 per month over the current plan. Even if I have to buy some extra minutes (I planned to buy 2 100 cards, to give me a nice buffer for each phone), I still come out "way" ahead, unless my fuzzy math has failed me along the way. I am sure I don't have to tell you that nearly 20 of those 171 are taxes and "fees"

I am just sick to death of paying this per month and really not making good use of really the minutes or the data plans. I am sure TMO loves customers like me no ?

Thanks for your feedback.

-Dan

[adam1991]

Congratulations on being the 1% (who are able to do math!).

My research here shows that VoIP over cellular data is not satisfactory; wifi is fine.

Speaking of "taxes and fees," as far as I can tell T-Mo will charge you such junk if you use them to bill your card every month to re-up; me, I'm going to buy the t-mo cards from the grocery store, pay no taxes or fees beyond the $30 or whatever, and get gas points besides. Reverse tax/fees, if you will.

I am a first timer, in the middle of getting my wife outfitted with the $30/5GB plan, so now you know what I know. I got the phone yesterday (used, CL, cheap) and am waiting for the SIM card activation kit.

[PL1]

Speaking of "taxes and fees," as far as I can tell T-Mo will charge you such junk if you use them to bill your card every month to re-up; me, I'm going to buy the t-mo cards from the grocery store, pay no taxes or fees beyond the $30 or whatever, and get gas points besides. Reverse tax/fees, if you will.

Or, callingmart.com. Right now there is an extra 5% off, and you buy a PIN number to refill, with no taxes. I bought $100 the last time they had a sale, and it is still in my TMO Walmart account ready to use for the next three months. EDIT: So, $100 card cost me $95 less the normal 6.25% tax I would have to pay, or a savings of $11.00

[adam1991]

yeah, I love callingmart.com. Been buying my PagePlus PINs from them for some time now.

If I buy two $30 T-Mo cards at Giant Eagle, that breaks the $50 barrier and I get a 20 cent/gallon discount the next time I buy gas there. (20 cents off for every $50 spent, no limit, discount has a 90 day expiration date). So I save the tax, which is $4.05, then I get $5.40 back when I fill the van and a couple of gas cans--total about $10 off the $60, or 16+% savings. I *want* callingmart to do me better, but I know they can't.

Like I said, buying the cards from Giant Eagle and getting the no tax/gas discount thing is like the whole "plus taxes and fees" thing in reverse, to MY benefit. I end up spending about $25/month for the T-Mo thing.

I am also up for the Republic Wireless beta test sometime later this year; it'll be about the same price, but the phone is an unknown and likely will cost much more than the $100 I spent for this Exhibit II. We'll see how I like T-Mo.

[Chop-Chop]

It sounds like I "could" port my current TMO numbers to Google, and then forward the new SIM numbers back? I have had these numbers a LONG time, and I don't wish to give them up


Thanks!

-Dan

Just call post-paid csr when it's time and they will do the port for you. You'll get to keep the number. I did the same in Oct of last year