Cheapest iPhone 5 Got More Expensive, Still Best Deal vs Sprint, AT&T & Verizon

The iPhone 5 on  T-Mobile when all costs are figured was the best deal around for an iPhone and still is after a $50 down payment price hike that started today. The $50 discount can be achieved by transfering a  phone number from another carrier or trading in a valuable used smartphone. (see chart)

The $99.99 down deal is now over the total payments for the iPhone 5 has been increased from $579.99 to $629.  The initial fee to buy an iPhone 5 is now $150. Therefore our chart should be updated which appears below. If you don't buy want unlimited voice from Sprint the T-Mobile iPhone deal is only $50 cheaper.

CompareTMobileiPhone5vsATTSprintVerizon
When all costs are considered over the time, the iPhone 5 is cheapest on T-Mobile vs Sprint, Verizon and AT&T. Click on image to see full size.

The new T-Mobile deals are  $490 cheaper than the AT&T plan we compare and $540 cheaper than the Verizon Wireless iPhone 5 plans we compared.

The plans compared are not all exactly the same. There are no unlimited data plans any more from Verizon(grandfathered plans have to pay full price) and AT&T grandfathered plans are from original iPhone plans, where data is throttled after too much data use.

Comparing plans can be very confusing to make the job easier, we rounded off all plans and prices. We found the most compatible plans across the board the main difference where in the number of voice minutes included. (see chart below).

T-Mobile is still offering a $50 MasterCard rebate if you transfer from another carrier that officially expires on May 31.  You can also get a Trade-in credit Click on Go To Trade In Center to get an estimate of what your current device may be worth. Note that not all devices will have a trade in value or be eligible.

Of course, if you bought a phone from T-Mobile when they were claiming that there were contracts, you can a full refund and buy a more expensive iPhone 5 which doesn't make sense unless you want to leave T-Mobile alltogether.

People who bought T-Mobile service and equipment between March 26 and April 25, 2013, can get a full refund.  There is no ETF and plan days are pro-rated.

We are currently working on a new form of review for smartphones that includes tech reviewers and consumer reviews of the top best smartpahones available.

T-Mobile announced its un-carrier plans in March that were launched on April 12  claiming it was a new deal and did not require contracts however when you buy a phone with payment plan you do enter into a contract.