T-Mobile launches $5 per 5G device plan, making connectivity easier and cheaper
The Uncarrier is also introducing a USB-C stick that can add 5G to your laptop
📶 T-Mobile is reducing the cost of data-only plans for Go5G Next subscribers
🛜 The Uncarrier is also introducing a new USB-C dongle that adds 5G to your laptop
⌚ If you upgrade a smartwatch or tablet with LTE, T-Mo wants to cover the extra cost
📅 These updates will start shipping October 17
T-Mobile wants you to stop overpaying for 5G on your devices. To that end, at an event in New York City, T-Mobile announced that it’s greatly reducing the cost of data plans for 5G devices on its network, as well as introducing an easy solution for adding 5G to your laptop.
Beginning October 17, T-Mobile will only charge $5 per month for extra devices you add to your data plan, such as your Apple Watch Series 10, tablet, and more. Previously, the cost hovered around $10-$20 per month, so this can easily translate into savings of nearly $200 per year on rivals AT&T and Verizon.
The only catch is you have to be on the carrier’s top-tier Go5G Next or Go5G Business Next plan to take advantage of the savings. Still, this is a great deal for anyone who has a lot of data-connected devices in their arsenal (like myself).
To help you save even more money, T-Mobile says it will cover the cost of a cellular upgrade for the device you’re buying. Typically, device makers will charge more for a 5G or LTE version of their product, and the Uncarrier is willing to cover the extra amount up to $200. It applies not just to devices sold through T-Mobile, but also to 5G-equipped laptops (so long as they’re certified to work on the T-Mobile network).
T-Mobile’s new USB-C 5G dongle for laptops
If your laptop isn’t equipped with 5G, T-Mobile wants to help out with the new TCL LinkPort. It’s essentially a USB-C drive that adds 5G to your laptop or other device that only connects to Wi-Fi. While it’s essentially a miniaturized hotspot, it could prove to be more convenient to use thanks to its plug-and-play nature.
The LinkPort will be available beginning October 17. T-Mobile says it, too, will cost $5 per month for a data plan, so long as you’re on Go5G Next or Go5G Business Next. If you aren’t, the company told me that the price will be the same as it is today for a data-only plan: $20 per month. The LinkPort will cost just under $100 when it launches, but for a limited time, you’ll be able to get it half off.
In addition, T-Mobile says it’s adding $0 screen repairs to its Protection360 plan for smartphones, which will come in handy for the clumsiest among us. The T Life app is also being updated to make it easier to add $5 data lines to your plan.