Google’s new Pixel 2 is finally official, and just like last year, it’s a Verizon exclusive. But boring things like exclusive distribution contracts aren’t going to stop an opportunity for a good troll for T-Mobile. That’s why it’s offering a killer launch deal on the Pixel, despite not even selling the phone.
If you go out and buy a Pixel on your own dime and bring it to T-Mobile, the carrier will pay you half of the phone’s cost upfront. There’s a few terms and conditions attached, but here’s the important part: T-Mobile has a way better offer than Verizon on the Pixel 2, a phone that’s a Verizon exclusive and that T-Mobile doesn’t even sell. That’s some next-level trolling right there.
As always, you have to open a new line of service for at least a month if you want to qualify. Luckily, this time around, existing customers can participate:
“To take advantage of T-Mobile’s limited time offer of up to half off your Pixel 2, simply purchase an unlocked Pixel from Google, Verizon or other original retailer, port in a number or activate a new line of service, sign up for T-Mobile ONE and enter the deets at T-Mobile’s online validation site. Existing customers can get in on the deal too when they add a line of T-Mobile ONE or Simple Choice Unlimited. Your money will be mailed to you in a MasterCard card (for a grand total of $325 or half the cost of a 64GB Pixel 2).”
To really rub the salt into the wound, T-Mobile hired some digital billboards to drive around the Google event in San Francisco today:
REMINDER: #NoVerizonRequired to get that new #GooglePixel! Buy it and bring it to America’s Best Unlimited network, people! #BYOPixel pic.twitter.com/OJ8ojFXhnM
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 4, 2017
There is one piece of bad news: T-Mobile confirmed to BGR that the Pixel 2 doesn’t support LTE band 71, the band used by T-Mobile’s brand-new 600MHz network. That makes the phone a non-ideal buy if you live in an area that will be getting 600MHz support in the near future, or if you’re planning on holding onto your new phone for years, rather than upgrading next year. However, the Pixel 2 does support next-gen LTE features like 3 Carrier Aggregation, 4×4 MIMO, and 256 QAM.
A couple other fine-print notes:
- You have to be the original buyer, so don’t get a device off Craigslist, even if it’s new in box
- If the Pixel 2 goes out of stock, don’t worry — as long as you place a pre-order while the deal is running, you’ll get money regardless of when you activate the handset on T-Mobile’s network
- You have to add a plan to your account within 30 days of activating the device.
