It used to be that you had two options when getting set up with a cell phone and wireless service:
- Be approved for a monthly plan, which required a one or two year contract. You might also be eligible for a free or discounted cell phone, depending on the terms and length of your contract
- Buy expensive prepaid phone cards, and pay full price for a cell phone
Because my father was willing to set up a cell phone plan for me in his name back in the summer of 2004, I did not have to worry about dealing with prepaid, which I would have had to otherwise, as I had in the past. Yet another downside of having bad credit – not only do you deal with high interest and higher deposits on loans and such, you are also almost always denied for contract cell phone plans!
Recently my husband and I decided to call T-Mobile and see about paying off an owed balance on my account, one that we had let go in the fall in order to take care of some more pressing financial matters. But because we let the balance go so long, we had to pay it off and start anew with T-Mobile.
I fully expected to hear the spiel about being denied based on credit, but why not take advantage of our wonderful prepaid phone cards?
But I was wrong. Blissfully, totally wrong! T-Mobile has introduced a great new feature called T-Mobile FlexPay. T-Mobile Flex offers people the same monthly plans and benefits and features, but without contracts and obligations! With FlexPay, you can still pick your plan and add-ons, and still have them! The key difference is that your pay period is based on prepaid, rather than postpaid. This means that you pay for your month service ahead of time. For example, I am expecting a bill from T-Mobile within the next week. This bill will cover my services for March. I already paid for my February services when I signed up for them in the middle of January (I paid for January too, but it was pro-rated).
The purpose of T-Mobile FlexPay is to offer customers with shoddy credit the opportunity to enjoy the same plans, features and rates as contract customers, but without the risk of running up large bills that they might not be able to pay. That is why all services must be paid for at the start of the billing period, rather than at the end of one.
There is one downside to T-Mobile FlexPay, and that is that a lot of the shorthand numbers – those five digit codes you see mentioned on commercials and advertisements — are blocked from usage with T-Mobile FlexPay accounts. Again, this is to prevent unforeseen costs being added to one’s bill. It’s a downside for me because Twitter uses a five digit code for updates, as do many other online and offline companies, including Google and MSN. But, there are workarounds, with the use of international numbers, email addresses and applications that can be downloaded right to your cell phone!
Hello, and welcome to In My Bag! My name is Jenn, and this is my product review blog. In My Bag is where I showcase my reviews of many of the products and services I buy and use, as well as the occasional trials, coupons and freebies that come my way. Interested in learning more? 
Beware that on this plan you are not eligible for upgrades on your phone, but rather, have to pay FULL retail price (significent difference on the cost vs a plan discont price.) Also, even if I would be open to paying full retail price on say, the new G1 phone, I was declined that phone altogether. I have had a flex pay my faves family plan with 3 phones, have never been late, and have used this plan for almost 3 years now.Considering evidence that I was consistent and never late on payments, they never would allow me to go from flex pay to a regular account. A sales person was surprised at that, they are told that after a year of good account status on flexpay accounts, they were able to change over to a regular account, provided payment was set up on automatic deductions from an account, the same as the flex pay was. Still couldn’t change over.
My identy was stolen and the person set up an account in my name. She was a friend then, I was at her home when she signed fed express for the newest sidekick that she ordered. I have all the proof of this, and paperwork from her husband then, she used her own address. She was a friend coming with me to my chemo treatments for breast cancer. Apparently she assumed I wouldn’t make it, I had a 50/50 chance, but I did. Explaining all this and showing them proof, they still would not let me transfer to a regular account. With teens on this plan it can become expensive to purchase new phones full price every time. I love my service, but I’m going elsewhere because they have approved me. I could understand if I really incurred previous debt or didn’t have my identity stolen, and could be proven. The’re loss really, after 3 years on a family plan, I’m going somewhere.
Hello everyone.
I have had T-Mobile twice, both times were FlexPay WITH a two-year service agreement.
The first time I had it, it was in my mom’s name (back when they still had the myFaves)
And this time, in my own name. (A strange thing though – I turned 18 January of 2010 and got approved
Just this month… And I should have no credit at all, but apparently my credit’s good enough for a new two-year contract)
Honestly, I was quite shocked when the representitive at Radioshack ran my name and said that I was approved.
I was approved for either 1 or 2 lines; I chose 2 lines (one for me and one for a friend)
I had to pay my first month’s bill up front, plus $30 for my BlackBerry 8520. (A $400 phone without a contract) and my friend’s BlackBerry 8900 was free.
I currently have the 1500 minutes to share, unlimited messaging (all message types) free nights, weekends, and mobile-to-mobile, and my BlackBerry is EDGE so I’ve got fast internet in most places.
Honestly, FlexPay is a blessing; (if you get approved for a two-year contract. Month-to-month is not, you’ll end up paying full price for your phone, plus your first month’s bill up front.)
But like I was saying, FlexPay with a new two-year contract is a blessing – it allows people like me that’s building their credit, to do so with dignity, and allows you to have great service, phones, plans – and good customer service.
I would recomend T-Mobile FlexPay (with new two-year contract) to anyone and everyone who’s looking for something different, affordable, reliable and just cool.
Like I mentioned before, if you are approved for a new two-year FlexPay contract, you’ll only pay your first month’s bill up front, plus you’ll get at least half off on a phone. My Curve 8520 is $439.99 without a contract, and I only paid $30 for it… Wow! See, they’ve got you. Lol
So really, go to a T-Mobile store, and get you a FlexPay contract. You’ll be glad you did.
And just to inform people who might be taking mine, and everyone else’s advice, FlexPay with a two-year contract, gives you an ammount of minutes, e.g., 1500 – which are whenever minutes for that month. If you use those all, you will not be able to make or receive calls, UNLESS — you are making or receiving calls from another T-Mobile customer or your call is during weekends or after 9pm.
This is just to make sure that you get what you paid for, and so that you’ll never see an outrageous charge for minutes on your bill.
Personally, I love T-Mobile. I had Sprint before I came to T-Mobile, and honestly, I’m glad I did.