T-Mobile Spring Launch Event Liveblog

Mar 26, 2013, 11:38 AM: Looks like Q&A is wrapping up. ANd thus endeth our liveblog! Thanks for joining.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:38 AM: T-Mobile says MetroPCs spectrum will help it boost LTE network from 2 x 10MHz channels to 2 x 20MHz channels. It will eventually move MetroPCS's customers from CDMA to GSM/LTE.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:37 AM: T-Mobile says MetroPCS merger will go through despite the "greedy hedge-fund managers looking to double-dip." Ha!

Mar 26, 2013, 11:31 AM: T-Mobile says "unlimited plan" is truly unlimited, but it has a fair usage clause. The fair usage clause is more about the one person inhibiting the network access of other customers. It says some users hit 50GB to 100GB per month. T-Mobile isn't offering a number at which point it will cut people off, as long as they are not inhibiting the network.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:29 AM: A lot of questions about the plans and why they do/do not include tethering. I think it is pretty well spelled out by T-Mobile on its web site.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:24 AM: T-Mobile "doesn't care" where people get their phones. They can bring whatever they want.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:23 AM: T-Mobile says no problem to accelerate payments and pay off a phone earlier than the $20 monthly installments.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:22 AM: T-Mobile expects a large influx of former AT&T customers. Want to make it attractive for customers to bring their own devices, even those not optimized for its network.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:21 AM: T-Mobile has yet to say anything bad about Verizon, as far as I can recall, throughout the presentation.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:21 AM: Legere says they're having some sport with AT&T for a reason. It's one of the country's biggest carriers and is easy to use as an example.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:19 AM: T-Mobile says it is based on the fair market value of the device, and depends on how many payments have been made and how many are remaining. Bottom line, people will need to cover the cost of the device if they choose to leave T-Mobile before the monthly payment period has expired

Mar 26, 2013, 11:18 AM: It is Q&A time. First question about how monthly payment plans work with respect to those who leave T-Mobile.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:14 AM: Talks about $50 plan plus $20 monthly payment for most expensive devices still totals only $70. Claims the total cost over 2 years is $1000 less than similar services on AT&T.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:13 AM: T-Mobile is calling out its new monthly payment plans as superior to device subsidies.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:09 AM: T-Mobile is picking on AT&T big time, calling its contract plans over-complicated and confusing.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:06 AM: AT&T claims it has 50% more bandwidth than AT&T thanks to its various spectrum channels.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:04 AM: A T-Mo network guy is now on stage to talk about T-Mo's network modernization initiatives.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:03 AM: "Consumers don't need another AT&T."

Mar 26, 2013, 11:03 AM: T-Mobile calls all this stuff "direct and in-your-face." We're not just another phone company.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:02 AM: T-Mobile is also going to offer the HTC One for just $99 (downpayment) when it becomes available. Monthly payments will be added to the subscribers bill.

Mar 26, 2013, 11:01 AM: T-Mobile undercutting AT&T and Verizon on the BlackBerry Z10 with a $99 price point.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:58 AM: T-Mobile USA today revealed that it will offer customers the Apple iPhone 5, 4S, and 4. Preorders for the iPhone 5 begin April 5, and the device will be in stores April 12. The Apple iPhone 4S and 4 will be available in select markets later. The iPhone 5, for example, will require a $100 downpayment, with $20 monthly installments added to the customer's bill. The customer can also choose to pay full price for the device. The iPhone 4S will require a $70 downpayment and $20 in monthly payments, and the iPhone 4 will require a $15 downpayment and $15 in monthly payments. According to T-Mobile, Apple customized the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile's network. It supports T-Mobile's LTE network, in addition to HSPA+ in the 1900MHz spectrum.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:54 AM: Legere: Get this, if we suck this month, drop us! Go somewhere else!.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:54 AM: T-Mobile: Cut the crap on the prepaid/postpaid.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:52 AM: T-Mobile claiming that the prices are what they are, and will never become inflated with overages and fees.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:51 AM: T-Mobile calls the new rate plans the "Simple Choice." It says its plans are the simplest and most straight-forward in the industry.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:50 AM: Legere said 20,000 Galaxy Note II owners have already updated their devices to become LTE-capable.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:49 AM: Legere noted that LTE is being tested in NYC, but the official NYC launch won't happen until about June.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:47 AM: T-Mobile officially says seven cities get LTE today (see news piece).

Mar 26, 2013, 10:47 AM: Legere says T-Mobile's HSPA+ network performs as well as or better than the competition.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:45 AM: T-Mobile says subsidized phones are a "crock of sh@t" that everyone is being screwed by.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:42 AM: Legere decries overages and ETFs, and other penalties.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:41 AM: Legere says contracts are bunk.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:40 AM: T-Mobile wants phone prices to drop, complicated rate plas to go away, and better service to arrive.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:39 AM: Likens himself to Dorothy, an outside who comes in, sees what's going on, and wants to shake everything up.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:38 AM: Legere is full of curse words this AM.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:37 AM: Sorry, correction, CEO is Legere, not Ledger.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:37 AM: Ledger calls out T-Mo site, T-MoNews, for breaking too many stories.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:36 AM: Ledger says the company has been "testing the appetite" for change.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:35 AM: Oh, he's dishing dirt! Sprint is "the nasty guy".

Mar 26, 2013, 10:34 AM: He's wearing a pink t-shirt, by the way.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:34 AM: T-Mobile's CEO Jon Ledger takes the stage to staged applause.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:34 AM: Cowboy wants to usher in change, so he puts on a pink cowboy hat. Um, yeah.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:33 AM: ...and now we're in a westem.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:33 AM: T-Mobile is purporting to uncover "the truth" - which is that people hate cell phone contracts and don't want to be suckers any more.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:31 AM: T-Mobile is asking NYers whether they'd rather have a root canal or a cellphone contract. Unsurprisingly, the respondents are choosing the root canal.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:31 AM: Oh, camp time. Silly "The Truth" episode airing within the T-Mo event, uncovering the truth about cell phone contracts.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:30 AM: Ah, things just got quiet. We're about to begin!

Mar 26, 2013, 10:28 AM: Press and analysts are still filing in. All the seats are taken, and T-Mobile is filling up the standing area behind the seats. Not sure exactly when T-Mobile will kick thinkg off, here.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:23 AM: Oh, and it wouldn't be complete without a pink, circular stage for the presenters on which to stand.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:21 AM: The space we're in is a rectangular room with four screens forming the walls. Each screen has an industrial look with grinding gears, live, sparking wires, and fuzzy, static-y phone conversations.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:20 AM: T-Mobile ushered us through the "Museum of Bill Shock," complete with inflated bills, bitter customers, and such. Campy.

Mar 26, 2013, 10:15 AM: The doors are finally open and we're in. But they're clearly running late here. It seems unlikely this will start on time.

Mar 26, 2013, 9:58 AM: We're waiting for the doors to open.