Though 4G tablets have been heavily marketed over the past two years, the devices still make up a relatively small portion of the overall tablet market. This is largely due to U.S. wireless carriers, which charge consumers extra device and subscription fees for adding a tablet onto data plans they already pay for.
Today T-Mobile announced new tablet policies geared toward getting more tablets onto its network.
The new initiative, dubbed “Operation Tablet Freedom” will allow customers to purchase 4G-capable tablets at the price point of less-expensive Wi-Fi-only tablets. For example, T-Mobile will allow customers to pay a total of $499 for a 16GB iPad Air with 4G instead of the $630 the device would normally cost.
Of course, this isn’t simply charity on T-Mobile’s part. Customers will have to sign up for a T-Mobile data plan to use the tablet on. Also, that plan will have to be at least the 1GB data tier that the company offers.
In addition to the new 4G tablet prices, T-Mobile has also announced a $10 off deal for its data plans through the end of the year. Starting on April 12 existing and new customers that sign up for a new T-Mobile data plan will receive the discount until the end of 2014.
“With this announcement, T-Mobile’s launching a full-on assault against the restrictions and pain points that keep tablet owners from experiencing life beyond the Wi-Fi zone,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “The Un-carrier is all about solving pain points, and today we’re eliminating every reason to be stuck on an unconnected Wi-Fi-only tablet. There’s no longer any need to limit the use of your tablet because you’re intimidated by Big Blue, Bad Red, or Bumbling Yellow.”
T-Mobile’s tablet announcement comes just one day after the company announced a new lowest-priced plan that comes with unlimited voice and text, but a hard 500MB data cap. The company will reveal a third initiative tomorrow that it says is part of its ongoing “uncarrier” initiative.
Image via T-Mobile