It’s been a big couple of days for T-Mobile. Yesterday, the carrier announced that it will stop offering subsidies on new devices next year – something that could end up having a ripple effect throughout the industry if it succeeds – and now it has confirmed to Fierce Wireless that it has a new pre-paid brand called GoSmart Mobile in the testing stages. Provided this test works out well, T-Mobile may look to take GoSmart nationwide in 2013.
The T-Mobile representative didn’t go into any depth about the service with Fierce Wireless, but promotional documents unearthed by TMoNews presumably give us all the details. GoSmart customers will get to pick from three different plans: there’s a $30 per month plan that covers only unlimited voice and text messaging, so you won’t have any mobile data with that one. Then there’s a $35 per month plan that gives you unlimited voice and text messaging but throws unlimited 2G data on top of that.
While the $35 per month plan is certainly a bit better than that the $30 plan, 2G data still isn’t much to write home about. If you want to take advantage of 3G data speeds, you’ll need to jump up to the $45 plan, which grants unlimited talk, text, and 3G data. It certainly doesn’t sound like a bad service, but now we know that T-Mobile wants to test the waters before committing to a nationwide roll out.
Pre-paid service plans have worked out pretty well for T-Mobile, so the fact that the carrier is pursuing something with this GoSmart brand isn’t some grand revelation. Just as well, T-Mobile’s recent acquisition of MetroPCS shows that the company is serious about tackling the pre-paid space in a big way. T-Mobile didn’t reveal which markets it’s testing GoSmart in, but assuming everything goes well during this test, we should be hearing more about it soon.
This sounds great if you have a basic phone. My wife is looking to downgrade and there aren’t very many options anymore for just a basic phone with no data.
downgrade.. it’s 2012 mang. She needs a smartphone haha.
I know right? I’m only letting it happen because even though she’s downgrading to a basic phone, she wants to get a tablet. Possibly one with a data connection. It fits her style perfectly. So yeah, she’ll be fine.
Love my Samsung S2 no contract phone
Chit Chat Mobile (sprint MVNO) $19.99 Unlimited talk and text is a great option! Add 3G data or 4G WiMAx for as little as $5 for 100MB. With pay as you go data option this is a great deal for customers wanting to cut their bill in half and off load large data to a wifi hotspots.