Last week, T-Mobile announced a new promotion to give away an iPhone SE with the purchase of any new iPhone. It’s an objectively excellent deal, but it does leave Android lovers out in the cold.
So, just in time for Father’s Day, T-Mobile is extending the buy-one-get-one-free to the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, LG G6 and LG V20.
The terms of the deal are nearly identical to the iPhone SE deal. Buy a Galaxy S8 or S8+, and you get a free Galaxy S8 of “equal or lesser value.” The same terms apply for the LG G6 and V20. The “equal or lesser value” part means you can’t buy the cheapest Galaxy S8 and expect to get a tricked-out Galaxy S8+ for free.
There are a few conditions attached. Both phones have to be bought on T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan, which means the devices are paid off over the course of 24 months. You just have to pay the taxes upfront, and then you’ll receive a prepaid card in the mail to cover the cost of the second device. An EIP is not a contract, so you can cancel at any time and just pay off the balance of the device.
The biggest catch is that you have to add at least one unlimited line to your account if you’re an existing T-Mobile customer, or you have to add two lines (one for each phone) if you’re a new customer. Again, you can cancel service once you’ve received the prepaid rebate card, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Even if you don’t need two phones, the deal is still an awesome discount. If all you want is one new device and you’re an existing T-Mobile customer, you can use this to get a new phone virtually for free. You just have to:
- Buy both phones, paying taxes and nothing else up front
- Add a second unlimited line for at least one month, likely costing around $50 depending on your current plan
- Wait for the prepaid card to arrive, cancel your second line, and sell the second phone for nearly the full as-new value.
In total, you shouldn’t end up paying more than $200 for a brand-new Galaxy S8 or iPhone SE. Given that the Galaxy S8 retails for $750, that’s a truly awesome saving.