T mobile buy two lines get one free

T-Mobile, the second-largest carrier in the U.S., has grown considerably over the last decade, in part by eschewing such wireless-industry traditions as two-year contracts and data-overage fees. T-Mobile has also grown by acquiring other firms, including the prepaid service Metro PCS in 2013 and nationwide carrier Sprint in 2020. The firm now provides 4G and 5G service throughout the U.S., with the latter service benefiting from a swath of midband spectrum that allows both fast speeds and decent coverage. (Rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless have yet to match that with their own mid-band 5G offerings.) Unlike AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile does not provide wired broadband to homes, but it has started offering fixed-wireless broadband to homes on its 4G and 5G networks.

Pros:

• Cost of plan includes taxes and fees

• 100 GB of high-speed data

• Free Netflix basic account with two or more lines

Cons:

• Hotspot data limited to 5 GB

• Streaming resolution capped at 480p

The T-Mobile Magenta plan starts at $70 for a single line, include all taxes and fees. It includes 100 GB a month of “Premium Data,” after which your connection may be slowed if T-Mobile’s network gets congested, and 5 GB of mobile hotspot use, after which you can only share your bandwidth via Wi-Fi at 3G speeds. Streaming video is limited to 480p DVD-grade resolution. Getting more mobile-hotspot data and streaming video up to 4K UHD resolution will require upgrading to T-Mobile’s Magenta Max, starting at $85 for one line.

Magenta includes some extras, such as free unlimited 2G roaming in most areas outside of the U.S. (in Canada and Mexico, roaming is at 4G speed up to 5 GB a month) and weekly freebies from the carrier’s T-Mobile Tuesdays app. Accounts with two or more lines of Magenta also get a free subscription to the basic tier of Netflix.

The network behind this plan continues to be a little thinner than competitors' networks in rural areas, but in and near cities T-Mobile’s 4G and 5G now consistently rank at or near the top in independent tests of network performance. Another plus is that the carrier’s 5G service uses midband spectrum that supports much faster speeds than 4G and allows for impressive coverage. This “Ultra Capacity 5G” now reaches about 200 million Americans, T-Mobile says.

Magenta provides unlimited calling and texting and unlimited 4G and 5G data for one or more smartphones, with 100 GB a month per line getting priority treatment. This plan, however, only lets you share 5 GB a month of that data with other devices via a mobile hotspot. Streaming video is further restricted to 5 GB a month. Magenta offers free texting and 2G roaming in most of the rest of the globe, with calls usually running 20 cents a minute. T-Mobile includes an hour per flight of free Gogo inflight Wi-Fi on compatible planes.

T-Mobile’s Magenta plan costs $70 for one line, with discounts to add more: Two lines go for $60 each, three for $40 each, and four for $35 each. Those rates include a $5 discount for setting up automatic payments. T-Mobile offers its deepest discounts to customers ages 55 and up, who pay $50 for one line of Magenta, followed by military service members and veterans as well as first responders, who can get Magenta for $55 a month. Those groups get comparable discounts on multiple-line plans.

T-Mobile used to charge new subscribers $10 for a SIM card but has since dropped that fee to zero. The carrier does not charge upgrade fees if you buy a new device from it and begin new service.

T-Mobile provides 5G on the same low-band frequencies as its 4G service, making it available across most of its footprint, but it also offers faster 5G on midband frequencies that it advertises as “Ultra Capacity 5G.” The carrier says the combined 5G network now covers 9,100 cities. You can check to see where it reaches near you at its coverage checker.

T-Mobile’s Magenta plan caps streaming video resolution at standard definition (480p) unless you pay $3 a day for high definition. On two or more lines, Magenta comes with a basic Netflix account limited to SD resolution, which you can enhance to HD streaming on two devices at once for $5 a month or upgrade to 4K UHD streaming on four screens for an extra $9 a month. T-Mobile’s cheaper Essentials plan has the same streaming-resolution limit, while its top-of-the-line Magenta Max allows 4K UHD streaming.

One of T-Mobile’s first self-styled “Uncarrier” moves to set itself apart from competitors was to include free slow-speed roaming throughout most of the world. That continues to be part of the Magenta plan, in which you get unlimited 2G data roaming and free messaging in more than 210 countries, plus voice calls at 20 cents a minute. Essentials leaves out the free 2G roaming, while Magenta Max doubles the free 2G roaming speeds to 256 Kbps – still not great, but enough to allow maps to download faster. Magenta and Magenta Max also include 5 GB of 4G data in Canada and Mexico, while Essentials limits the free roaming there to the standard 2G speed of 128 Kbps.

T-Mobile includes automated robocall screening on its plans but sells an upgraded Scam Shield Premium for $4 a month. Customers can also buy an extra 10 GB of 4G mobile-hotspot data for $10 a month on Essentials, Magenta, or Magenta Max, although the 40 GB of mobile hotspot use included on Max means few people should need to buy more. T-Mobile also sells add-on plans for such connected devices as tablets or smartwatches at prices ranging from $10 to $20 a month, depending on your smartphone plan.

T-Mobile beats most of Verizon’s prices while offering a faster 5G network, and its rate plans are also much simpler than Verizon’s – there are fewer to consider, and most of them include all taxes and fees instead of leaving them as a surprise. Frequent travelers will find added advantages in T-Mobile’s free hour per flight of Gogo inflight Wi-Fi as well as its slow-but-free international roaming, which allows you to get off the plane and take your phone out of airplane mode without worrying about running up your bill. But you may find that T-Mobile’s coverage can’t match its older rival’s, especially if you live or work in rural areas. And fans of streaming media may find that Verizon including a bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ on its Play More Unlimited plan makes that combination a better deal overall, assuming they were already set on paying for those services.

Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network while substantially beating its prices. Mint sells an unlimited data plan for $30 a month on one line – half the cost of T-Mobile Essentials. The catch with Mint is that this $30 rate requires signing up for a 12-month term. Mint also provides only 35 GB of 5G data while limiting this plan to 5 GB of mobile-hotspot use and 480p video streaming. Mint’s 15 GB plan, at $25 a month on a 12-month term, has no streaming resolution limit or separate mobile-hotspot cap. Bargain hunters will want to watch out for Mint’s frequent sales, while world travelers should be wary of Mint’s much pricier international roaming. Customers looking for in-person support should note that Mint’s help is limited to phone and online channels, while T-Mobile has 7,500-plus retail locations.

How do I sign up for T-Mobile service?

T-Mobile was the first nationwide U.S. carrier to discontinue the two-year contracts that pushed people to buy phones from carriers, and it remains particularly welcoming to customers who bring their own devices. Any U.S.-market smartphone sold today should work on its network, requiring only the SIM card that it will provide for free. It also sells the same variety of smartphones as its competitors. You can check your phone's compatibility on T-Mobile's website by entering its 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity number.

T-Mobile has also been exceptionally generous with promotions for people switching from different carriers. Its current deal offers up to $1,000 to pay off any remaining installment-plan payments on a device you bring from another carrier.

Does T-Mobile Offer a Trial Period?

T-Mobile offers a 30-day free trial of its network that doesn’t require buying any new hardware. On an unlocked iPhone XS or newer iPhone, you can download a T-Mobile eSIM to activate this. Otherwise, the carrier will send you a Wi-Fi hotspot. Both come with 30 GB of free data.

Does T-Mobile Offer a Money-Back Guarantee?

T-Mobile has a 14-day return policy that lets you return a device purchased from the carrier for a full refund up to two weeks after purchase. However, you may have to pay a restocking fee of $20 to $70, depending on your device’s original price.

How Do I Cancel My T-Mobile Cell Phone Service?

You’ll have to talk to a T-Mobile rep on the phone to cancel service, although its website allows you to schedule a callback. If you still owe installment-plan payments on a device you bought from T-Mobile, you’ll have to pay off the balance with your last bill.

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How much does it cost for 2 lines on T

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