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from AmusedStove7007
im pretty confused, as a new customer, what does this cost exactly
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Sales tax on the MSRP of the phones.
Monthly: $100 w/AutoPay enabled + taxes & fees & surcharges [t-mobile.com].
Regulatory programs / Telco recovery fee: $3.99/line
State and Local Required 911 Surcharges
State and Local Taxes
Federal Universal Service Fund (USF)
Must have all 4 lines stay for 24 months to get all bill credits
Autopay requires debit or bank account
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Top Comments
Community Reviews
This is a 4 line T Mobile Essentials promo that pairs four iPhone 17s with about $100 a month for 24 months, best for families willing to port in and keep all lines active. The strongest upside is the phone value, with no trade in required and Costco or Sam's Club sometimes adding activation fee waivers and gift cards. Taxes, fees, and device taxes still apply, and some orders hit down payments or higher first bills. Port in rules are strict, with prepaid, MVNO, recent T Mobile, and non qualifying numbers often rejected, so the fine print matters.
Common Questions (5)
Yes. The promo requires all 4 lines to be ported in; new lines alone do not qualify. Several comments also say T-Mobile treats prepaid T-Mobile/Mint/Metro-style numbers differently, so eligibility depends on the source carrier and port-in rules.
The advertised $100/month is before taxes, fees, and surcharges. Reported totals range from about $120 to $135/month depending on location, with examples including roughly $5 per line in taxes/fees and a $3.99 per-line recovery fee plus 911 and USF charges.
Not reliably. Keep & Switch and Family Freedom are separate pay-off programs, and the no-trade iPhone promo is often treated as a different offer; commenters were told the two may not stack, especially for existing-customer or winback situations.
No. The device credits are spread over 24 months, and paying off the phone or canceling a line early can stop the remaining credits. If you drop the 4th line, the remaining device balance still has to be paid and the promo can be re-evaluated.
It includes hotspot only in a very limited form: commenters describe unlimited 3G hotspot, with optional high-speed hotspot add-ons. The plan is also repeatedly described as deprioritized, so speeds can be slow when the network is busy.
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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573 Comments
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Did you manage to do everything in a single day, or did it take longer (for example, waiting for Spectrum lines to fully activate)?
Could you please share the exact steps you took (online vs in‑store, eSIM/physical SIM, timing between ports) and any tips or gotchas to make sure the T‑Mobile promo at Costco actually applies and doesn't get denied?
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Four months later "we're sorry, you did not meet the eligibility requirements for your promotional offer and will need to pay the remaining balance immediately".
Really have to look at the packing slip and be like "ok, phone XYZ is associated with phone number ABC, phone UVW with number DEF...."
They got me with that.
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