T-Mobile is doing away with its Free Data for Life program for tablets

By Lulu Chang Published May 9, 2017

apple ipad 9.7 2017 — Julian Chokkatuu/Digital Trends

All good things must come to an end, and in the case of T-Mobile, that good thing is its “Free Data for Life” program. We know — it was just too decent to last forever, and so now, the Un-carrier has quietly ended the promotion. For those of you who did take advantage of the deal when it made its debut way back in 2013, you’ll remember that T-Mobile offered customers 200MB of cellular data every month if they activated an iPad on the network. And while you’ll still be able to keep that pricing if you purchased (and activated) your device sometime in the last four years, those of us who missed the boat will now have to watch it sail away.

In a statement to T-Mo News, T-Mobile explained, “When we launched Free Data For Life in 2013, 200MB of high-speed data was a lot. Today, customers want unlimited and we’re all in with T-Mobile ONE. Customers who have T-Mobile ONE can add unlimited LTE data on a tablet for just $20 a month with autopay. Nothing changes for current customers with Free Data For Life on a Tablet. They can keep it as long as they like.”

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We can’t say we’re particularly surprised that T-Mobile is bidding adieu to the program. What with fierce pricing wars going on among the Big Four carriers, it comes as little surprise that these service providers are looking to make strategic cuts when they can. Besides, T-Mobile stopped promoting Free Data for Life a while ago, even as it continued to push more recent iPad upgrades.

So if you’re looking to get service for your tablet and your tablet alone, alas, T-Mobile may no longer be the best bet for you. But hey, you can always add on unlimited data for $20 a month if you’re already a T-Mobile customer.

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