T-Mobile Prepaid Optimus L9 with $50 Airtime Purchase at Target for $210 (+tax)

Saw this sign at my local target. So, the cost for buying an LG Optimus L9 ($200) + $50 airtime card will be $210 (+tax). Use target RedCard to save an extra $10 or get an extra year of warranty provided by other credit cards.

The Optimus L9 on T-Mobile is probably the best prepaid phone deal available, and this offer is almost as good as when T-Mobile gave the $50 airtime card for free. The phone itself would have been considered top of the line a year ago (4.5" IPS 960x540 screen, dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM, 5MP camera, Android 4.0), and has a MicroSD slot and a user-replaceable battery (unlike the Nexus 4, for example). Two of my kids have it on a prepaid plan without a data plan (10 cents/min or SMS). Costs about the same as an iPod Touch 4 (and much less than an iPod Touch 5) and also provides them with a phone for emergencies/friends. It only comes with 4GB flash memory (of which OS and T-Mobile apps gobble up about half), but one can add more via a cheap microSD card.

Offer valid until 3/30. The offer is also valid on some other prepaid phones, but this is the best one.

I bought this deal as my Galaxy Note II just had sudden death syndrome (randomly died, and getting warranty support in US for UK phone is a PAIN).
I used Redcard and Pharmacy program to get another 10% off discount, so even after tax my total was a little over $200 for the phone and $50 card.

It's a decent phone, space is definitely a big problem (just a bit over a gig left) and there's so much tmobile bloatware on the phone that if I keep the phone I'll definitely flash it.
Note it takes 64gb MicroSD but they have to be reformatted in the phone since those are by default FAT-64 and this phone only reads FAT-32. Once I reformatted it it read my 64gb of movies no problem.

The other phone this deal is available on is a Concord (low end Android phone) which is $99, so you get that phone for $80 + $50 gift card, so $130+tax. This deal is $160+$50 = $210+tax.

docjoo said:   Can this phone be used with WalMart's $30 T-Mobile prepaid plan?

is there a T-Mobile phone that CAN'T be used on its own prepaid network?

dvsdimsum said:   docjoo said:   Can this phone be used with WalMart's $30 T-Mobile prepaid plan?

is there a T-Mobile phone that CAN'T be used on its own prepaid network?

I am asking because I have never used T-Mobile prepaid plan before .....wasn't sure if this phone required $50 minimum plan.

I own one of this phone. This is a very good phone for the money. You do not need to have the $50 plan. You can use this with Straight Talk $45 monthly plan and you have a very good 4G speed.

Another T-Mobile network provider is platinum tel.

http://www.platinumtel.com/plans

They have a 5-cent call/2-cent text plan, and their SIM cards work in T-Mobile phones (I bought a micro-SIM for them on eBay for $3). They used to run on Sprint's network, but shifted to T-Mobile. It's a better option for pay-as-you-go plans than T-Mobile's 10-cent plan.

rj51 said:   Another T-Mobile network provider is platinum tel.

http://www.platinumtel.com/plans

They have a 5-cent call/2-cent text plan, and their SIM cards work in T-Mobile phones (I bought a micro-SIM for them on eBay for $3). They used to run on Sprint's network, but shifted to T-Mobile. It's a better option for pay-as-you-go plans than T-Mobile's 10-cent plan.

International Rates
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Call over 40 countries for one penny a minute, including: Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Russia (Metro Moscow), Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and Venezuela

Love the international part!

It would appear that the phone is available from T-Mobile.com for $199.99 *with* the $50 refill card, "right now"...

Can this phone be unlocked to work with AT&T ? What UMTS bands does it support ( 1,2,4,5 ? ) For sure it supports band 4: 1700

Which one are we talking about ? http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4955&idPhone2=5025

How do you get 10% off discount at target? I know redcard can save 5% only.

any idea whether the target one can be white version? tmobile site only have black one.

It's more like 9%, it's 5% off with redcard, and then you get another 5% off that with Pharmacy Rewards which you get after every 5 prescriptions filled.
I've only seen the black one at Target.

The phone CAN be unlocked for a few dollars from most of the large unlock providers.

pitflyer said:   
The phone CAN be unlocked for a few dollars from most of the large unlock providers.

Aren't non T-Mobile authorized unlock illegal now? I also heard that this phone comes unlocked already. Can anyone confirm?

The phone is locked by T-Mobile.

scoot said:   It is not unlocked when you get it. At least not the T-Mobile version. Of course, it's illegal. Now waiting on the White House to respond to the 100,000+ signatures it has now received. We can presume that they will continue to kowtow to the MAFIAA.

T-Mobile will issue unlock codes if you have the phone on active service for >90 days. But without pentaband HSPA, an unlocked T-Mobile phone is pretty useless today.

motsuka said:   Pick up two and returned the the refill cards (was surprised they take back but they said they can tell if they were redeemed and receipt said refund value 41.99) 2 mins after purchase for $41.99 each net $168 + tax if you don't need the refill

Now that's a much better deal. Come to think of it, CA requires that you be allowed to buy bundled items separately, but at SRP. May be worth a try at $168 to see if they'll take a return of just the card.

lemonhead said:   any UNLOCKED (or locked to the specific carrier network)phone that takes a SIM card (and works on either TMobiles or AT&Ts network) will work with any plan on either network - and if you want to use a smart phone on a non smartphone plan, I heard there's a way to do so as long as you activate your SIM on a non smart phone then put it in your smartphone - but of course...YMMV
With the exception of Tracfone, but they are just weird like that.

motsuka said:   asuka said:   motsuka said:   Pick up two and returned the the refill cards (was surprised they take back but they said they can tell if they were redeemed and receipt said refund value 41.99) 2 mins after purchase for $41.99 each net $168 + tax if you don't need the refill

Now that's a much better deal. Come to think of it, CA requires that you be allowed to buy bundled items separately, but at SRP. May be worth a try at $168 to see if they'll take a return of just the card.i'm in ca so that could be it, no hassles at the return at all.
Nice deal. I use T-M0bile's Pay As You Go plan, not their monthly plan, so I have no use for the $50 card. I'm hoping I'll be able to return it like you did if I take part in this deal.

How do reformatt a sd card in the lg9? thanks

Should be a generic prepaid refill card not tied to any plan. Definitely not tied to a specific phone number.

scoot said:   It is not unlocked when you get it. At least not the T-Mobile version. Of course, it's illegal. Now waiting on the White House to respond to the 100,000+ signatures it has now received. We can presume that they will continue to kowtow to the MAFIAA.From what I have been reading it's only ill-eagle if it's a subsidized phone. Prepaid are not subsidized.