Wednesday, August 13, 2008

MetroPCS Updates and Giveaways

In the meanwhile, metroPCS is cooking up a thing or two...

First, they're giving away a $25 Shell gas card to anyone who buys a Samsung phone (including the MyShot and the new Messager) between the first and the 30th of this month. Or you might be one of the 48 people who gets a $2000 gas card ("one year's worth of gas") instead of a mere $25. Or, if you're really lucky, MetroPCS might give you a 2009 Toyota Yaris (but no gas; they figure it's fuel-efficient enough that you'll be happy with just the car). There's only one of the last price, but it sure is a nice prize.

Second, lately I've been putting in the zipcode of a normally-1900 MHz market and getting only 1700-MHz capable phones (34947...I have relatives there). This means one of two things: either MetroPCS is actively advancing their agenda of making all markets of theirs 1700-MHz capable on both a phone and service level in the near term (a good idea so all phones will have coverage network-wide), or they're running out of 1900 capacity in the market and have 1700 up to bleed off the overcapacity with these new phones. I'd tend to think it's the first of these two options; customers get confused when they see MetroPCS coverage on a map yet, after roaming not too far from home, find that their new non-AWS-capable phone won't work in the place they're going without charging a pretty penny for the service.

Third, on plans of $35 or more, calls to Puerto Rico are unlimited. Cool, though this doesn't apply to a ton of people.

Fourth, Loopt (the social network of sorts that's built around "where you at", first seen on Boost Mobile) is now available on MetroPCS. The coolest thing is that it's included on the $50 plan. Otherwise, it adds $4 to the $40 or $45 plans (hint: get the $50 plan if you want the $45 plan and Loopt). So you can now go Loopt-y with your friends on Sprint, Nextel, Boost Mobile and...with certain phones...Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. The "select phones" requirement also applies on MetroPCS; as of yet, only the Motorola Razr v3a and v3s, the Rokr z6m, the Samsung u520 and the r430 (MyShot) are compatible. Nothing yet about the Messager.

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