T-Mobile kicks off preorders for iPhone 5
The carrier is now offering all versions of Apple's smartphone in advance of the iPhone 5's launch on its network on April 12.
T-Mobile subscribers can now preorder the iPhone 5 before it officially hits stores in another week.
The carrier's Web page lists all varieties of the iPhone for preorder -- the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models in either black or white. Consumers will also find their purchase options different from the ones offered by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.
With T-Mobile's new contract-free, subsidy-free plan, buyers have two choices: They can shell out the full nonsubsidized cost of the iPhone up front, or they can contribute a small down payment and then pay off the full cost in the form of 24 monthly payments of $20 each.
Through T-Mobile's new plan, the 16GB iPhone 5 sells for $99 up front or $579 in total, the 32GB edition costs $199 initially or $679 in total, and the 64GB flavor goes for $299 up front or $779 in total.
In return, T-Mobile subscribers can choose from among three different plans offering voice, text, and data ranging in price from $50 to $70 per month for a single line.
Adding more lines under a family plan naturally raises the monthly cost. For example, a plan that provides unlimited 4G access along with text and data would cost $70 per month for a single line and $120 for two lines.
Though the iPhone 5 supports 4G LTE, most T-Mobile subscribers are still stuck with the carrier's HSPA+ speeds. T-Mobile's 4G LTE network just got off the ground last month, debuting in seven markets across the nation. The company has revealed plans to expand its LTE network to 100 million people by the middle of 2013 and 200 million by the end of the year.
