He's saying he gets the unsubsidized price with the subsidized restrictions (meaning it's locked).
I also am a T-Mo customer (whose contract has expired) and wondered if I would get a good deal by signing up for another 2 years. It turns out it's actually MORE for me to sign up as an existing customer:
Phone $529.00
Service Plan Discount - $250.00
Total: $279.00
(excluding tax and shipping)
This is really stupid and is just insulting. I mean if I just cancel my current plan and get a new one I can get it for $179 but as a current customer who has been with them for years (out of contract!) I have to pay $100 more.
You may get a better deal if you buy unsubsidized but stay with your current plan. You may need to first change some of the options on your plan. For example, I currently have a "feature phone" with $6/month 3G "T-mobile web" access. As far as I can tell, I can get the Nexus unsubsidized and continue with this plan. This would be substantially cheaper than $180 + $80/month over 24 months.
Oh, that's terrible. T-Mobile has been great to me (but I've never been under contract with them, came to them with an unlocked phone) I would say I can't believe that's how it is, but I've learned to quit be astounded by customer abuse by pretty much all telcos.
The blogs were saying that even if you buy it with T-mobile service, you get an unlocked phone. It's only the contract that locks you in with T-mob, not the phone.
I also am a T-Mo customer (whose contract has expired) and wondered if I would get a good deal by signing up for another 2 years. It turns out it's actually MORE for me to sign up as an existing customer: Phone $529.00 Service Plan Discount - $250.00 Total: $279.00 (excluding tax and shipping)
This is really stupid and is just insulting. I mean if I just cancel my current plan and get a new one I can get it for $179 but as a current customer who has been with them for years (out of contract!) I have to pay $100 more.