Service can be activated online at https://metrobyt-mobile.com/resources/activate [metrobyt-mobile.com] as soon as the tablet ships. You'll need your order number, last name, and billing zip code.
To setup the tablet without inserting a SIM card, power on the tablet and wait for the initial "Welcome!" screen to appear. Then press the volume down button for a second, and a "NoSimLock is unlocked!!!" message appears. You can then tap the Start button and continue with setup without a SIM card. (However, if you later insert a SIM card into the tablet, it will initiate a factory reset and you will need to set up the tablet again.)
Item 1 of 6
Item 1 of 6
expiredxlnc posted Apr 25, 2024 12:13 PM
Existing Metro By T-Mobile Customers: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 5G w/ 30-Days Service
$20
$280
92% off
(w/ New Tablet Line Activation)at Metro by T-Mobile
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Steps I took.
1. Signed up for a google voice number using a junk email.
2. Set up a voicemail PIN and then paid $3 to unlock the number. Follow these instructions: https://slickdeals.net/f/17325810-metro-by-t-mobile-port-in-new-number-offers-select-smartphone-30-days-service-from-40-free-shipping?p=1695
3. Signed up for the $30 plan using an eSIM. https://slickdeals.net/f/17143504-esim-bring-your-number-online-25-metro-by-t-mobile-single-line-phone-plan-unlimited-5g-data
4. After paying for $30 plan, I wasn't able to add the tablet initially. It showed an error saying call in (I didn't). I logged into the account with another browser and then was able to buy the tablet for $20. I'm not able to buy more than 1, the second attempt it errors with "Sorry, you are not eligible to add a new line".
Update: Metro won't allow you to add a second tablet to your shopping cart if the first one is already on order but not activated yet. You'll see a message on the tablet product page saying "Sorry, you are not eligible to add a new line." and the "Add to Cart" button is greyed out. You can activate the first order once you get the shipping notification email (even before you get it). This will allow you to add another tablet to your shopping cart. Use this link and enter your order # to activate the first tablet after it ships. https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/r...s/activate This doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to successfully place the order (see update 2 below), but will allow you to add it to the shopping cart and attempt the order.
Update 2: I see a lot of people reporting that after they add the tablet to the shopping cart and try to place the order, they get message to call into customer service and are unable to complete the order. I saw this post mention the likely causes: https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
Suggestions based on what worked for me.
1. Try incognito mode or private browsing mode on your browser.
2. Disable any browser ad blockers or whole network blockers such as pi-hole. Also try using a VPN such as Windscribe to bypass your network ad blockers.
3. Use a virtual credit card number from Capital One or Citi cards so Metro sees a new credit card. Another benefit is you can close it out after your purchase to avoid any additional charges (even though it's unlikely).
4. If the above doesn't work, trying shipping to a different address like a relative or friend. Use the name of person at that address (since you don't live there). You will get some verification questions about that person, so you will need to know some info about that person such as the height listed on their driver's license, past address history, colleges attended, vehicle ownership history. You'll have to answer 3 questions from one of those categories (maybe a few I missed).
I can confirm this tablet works with the $10 T-Mobile tablet line even though hasn't officially been unlocked.
The original instructions for bypassing the SIM requirement was to hold the tablet in landscape mode, then tap the four corners in sequence of upper left, upper right, lower right, lower left. Repeat. Repeat again. (Twelve taps total.) Then press the volume down button for a moment till the message appears.
Someone later remarked the taps were unnecessary and only the volume down button press was needed. I tried that on two tablets and it worked for both.
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your way would be more convenient, but you can just call and they will order it for you.
i'm on hold right now trying to get my 3rd and last a9, will give them all away. the last time, the cs guy semt me the tab tcl 8 le by mistake i guess. it's horrible! as expected. cant even play hd youtubes or yt shorts without hitching. the only one that didnt hitch was a 340P (looks pretty bad even on a 8" tablet) normal yt (not short) as soon as i changed the video quality to high, it lost lipsync and also was hitching iirc. even the worst tablet plays youtubes i thought, lol.
that said i love the form factor and now i want an ipad mini lol
i'm on hold right now trying to get my 3rd and last a9, will give them all away. the last time, the cs guy semt me the tab tcl 8 le by mistake i guess. it's horrible! as expected. cant even play hd youtubes or yt shorts without hitching. the only one that didnt hitch was a low def normal yt (not short)
that said i love the form factor and now i want an ipad mini lol
disable the metrozone app or whatever. it wont let you uninstall but disable will kill it
So far, 3 Tab A9, 1 Nord N30, and 1 TCL 8LE, total 70 (first A9 before they dropped the price)+20+20+20+40(Nord)=170+ tax. Kinda pricy, but compared to anything else worth it I guess. We'll see if the Nord N30 unlocks in 6 months. If it doesnt, I honestly dont mind that much. It still has almost as much value as a wifi phone and you could always use it on metro if you wanted, their plans aren't terribly overpriced or anything. and 6 more months isnt that big a deal. Definitely will not try to order more, tired of it and I'm not flipping them so motivation is limited.
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No idea. They help me but, it is a little annoying. And once the guy sent me the TCL tablet when I wanted the A9. Not sure if he did it on purpose or honest mistake.
So far, 3 Tab A9, 1 Nord N30, and 1 TCL 8LE, total 70 (first A9 before they dropped the price)+20+20+20+40(Nord)=170+ tax. Kinda pricy, but compared to anything else worth it I guess. We'll see if the Nord N30 unlocks in 6 months. If it doesnt, I honestly dont mind that much. It still has almost as much value as a wifi phone and you could always use it on metro if you wanted, their plans aren't terribly overpriced or anything. and 6 more months isnt that big a deal. Definitely will not try to order more, tired of it and I'm not flipping them so motivation is limited.
no need really, it only cost 20. i will give it away too, but it's really garbage makes the a9 look high end. And this with a nominal MSRP of "159.99" on tmobile website lol. thought about returning but dont care to fuss with it. and since the tablet is free and the service is 20, i wasnt really sure how a return would work or if i'm certain to get my 20 back anyway.
i should have caught it earlier, even when i was on the phone with the order, because it was on the order confirmation email etc. i just didnt bother to pay attention.
i'm a benchmark nerd so i wanted to run geekbench on the tcl. play store wont even show me geekbench or antutu when searched. i guess if your device is too low they pre cull it. to what end?
so i tried an old web benchmark called octane. it's defunct now, probably doesnt scale well etc. but it completes in a few seconds. but some of my devices
Ryzen 5650 U PC (6 cores 12 threads IIRC) 67,474
One plus 12 R (SD 8 Gen 2) 53,848
Pixel Tablet (Tensor G2) 47,554
Galaxy A9+ tablet (SD695) 30,214
TCL Tab 8 LE (some awful mediatek IIRC) 4,818
LOL
The A9 doesnt necessarily seem ~6 times as fast, so the benchmark is likely misleading. And too be fair, the TCL functions. Barely.
did not experience anything like that with their cs. the 58 had to be some kind of past due right? i have a supposed balance due (the 30 days charges, some now due in 13 i think), but cs dont mention it.
i should have caught it earlier, even when i was on the phone with the order, because it was on the order confirmation email etc. i just didnt bother to pay attention.
did not experience anything like that with their cs. the 58 had to be some kind of past due right? i have a supposed balance due (the 30 days charges, some now due in 13 i think), but cs dont mention it.
And ordered another one right after.
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I now have 10 total and I'm done.
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