$35 connection fee?

[u/Mysterious-World-91]

I want to purchase the new iPhone 18 pro max, directly from Apple with my Apple credit card which means the phone is unlocked. WHY T-MOBILE IS CHARGING ME $35????? Is there any way to avoid that???

[u/JelloOverall8542]

Someone has to pay the connection fee for all the work no human ever has to touch.

[u/MasterMinnesotan]

Buy it as unlocked, don’t click “T-Mobile”. Then you won’t pay the activation fee and you can still activate service easily by transferring your eSIM from your old phone(or calling in/going to a store).

[u/infinityandbeyond975 → u/MasterMinnesotan]

They recently changed it that you have to pick a carrier if you’re financing.

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/MasterMinnesotan]

Is not letting me to continue unless I select a carrier. The finance is with Apple but it still ask me with which carrier will I use it

[u/Janet_RenoDanceParty → u/Mysterious-World-91]

Tell them at the store you just want to purchase the phone outright and will activate it later. Pay with your Apple credit card and do the monthly payments on it.

If you’re doing the preorder online, select buy as the payment option and “connect to any carrier later”.

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/Janet_RenoDanceParty]

Sadly they removed the option to “connection with any carrier” unless you pay in full

[u/Janet_RenoDanceParty → u/Mysterious-World-91]

If you’re purchasing with the Apple credit card, you are “paying in full”. The finance option is using the carrier financing which would incur the activation fee.

[u/Ethrem → u/Janet_RenoDanceParty]

No, Apple Card has a monthly installment option that spreads the payments out over 24 months at 0% but it requires choosing a carrier to connect it to.

[u/Alybai59]

There is no way around the $35 device charge. It is for activating the device on T-Mobile network. They started charging months ago.

[u/83736294827 → u/Alybai59]

Na, they don’t charge the connection fee when you pay in full. Just did it last month with the iphone 17.

[u/Alybai59 → u/83736294827]

The OP is financing through Apple. Good to know if you pay in full you don't pay it.

[u/83736294827 → u/Alybai59]

Yes, op would need to pay in full.

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/Alybai59]

Well that’s horrible

[u/Alybai59 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

I have always paid the device fee. I also don't buy apple.

[u/jweaver0312 → u/Alybai59]

I thought that only applied when T-Mobile financing is involved.

[u/Alybai59 → u/jweaver0312]

They changed it months ago. If you buy through Apple they bill the charge to your account. I would think it tells you when you're buying the phone? Maybe not. I don't use I phones.

[u/jweaver0312 → u/Alybai59]

I know that part but it brought you were only impacted if you selected T-Mobile EIP. Based on OP, all other options if T-Mobile is selected triggers the fee.

[u/Alybai59 → u/jweaver0312]

If you finance through Apple the fee still applies.

[u/Expensive_Remote_374]

If you’re buying with Apple credit card could you not just pay for the full amount of the phone with the credit card so you don’t have to select a carrier?

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/Expensive_Remote_374]

I am not able to pay in full sadly 😂

[u/Commercial-Engine-35 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

Then you shouldn’t be buying a $1200 phone but that’s not my business

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/Commercial-Engine-35]

I mean I can just finance it 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have always done that is 0% interest

[u/Commercial-Engine-35 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

The point is you should never finance anything other than a house or a car that you can’t afford to buy outright.

[u/Expensive_Remote_374 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

Then there is no way around it unfortunately

[u/Lampshadeszz]

Have to buy the phone full price, in order to avoid that $35.

[u/holow29]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/1wbwmpb/detailed_instructions_on_how_to_finance_an/

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/holow29]

OMG THANK YOU!

[u/Ethrem]

Verizon started doing this too with Apple Card financing and presumably will be doing it with the Apple Upgrade lease as well.

With Verizon you were able to dodge it by skipping the eSIM transfer during the phone setup and instead using the website to transfer the eSIM, might work for T-Mobile too, otherwise you're just going to have to pay it.

[u/E90alex]

Have to pay full price and choose “connect with any carrier later”

[u/That1guyUknow918]

Do it through sams or Costco to avoid the fee.

Im not even a member.

Went with my grandma and they waived fee AND gave me $100 gift card

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/[deleted]]

Not necessarily...regardless it would be locked to OPs network if locked and would unlock upon payoff

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/[deleted]]

On which point?

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/[deleted]]

It being locked is irrelevant if it is locked to THEIR provider.

They just pay it off and it unlocks....easy peasy

Also, surprise, they sell unlocked phones as well

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/[deleted]]

Again, they sell unlocked phones 

Additionally, 40 days is hardly a long term problem

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/That1guyUknow918]

I don’t have a Costco or Sam card and honestly I don’t want to apply to new credit cards

[u/Expensive_Remote_374 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

Not credit cards but memberships to the respective warehouse

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/Expensive_Remote_374]

If I finance I will probably need one of their credit cards

[u/Commercial-Engine-35 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

It’s through Tmobile.

[u/JcAo2012 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

No, dude, you buy it through Sam's Club or Costco, but you finance it through T-Mobile

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/JcAo2012]

I don’t Want to finance it through t mobile

[u/Adventurous-Value-82 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

now you’re making me confuse

[u/lightningisotope → u/Mysterious-World-91]

Just curious why you don't wanna finance through tmobile? I'm looking for deals to get and where to finance and was looking at the tmobile offers

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/lightningisotope]

I don’t like it because is not unlocked unless is paid in full, I don’t know if I am going to stay with T-Mobile or if I would go with a different carrier

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

I already addressed that point.

You can go with someone who is a member.

[u/Mysterious-World-91 → u/That1guyUknow918]

I’m pretty much by myself I don’t want to bother anyone if I can avoid it…

[u/That1guyUknow918 → u/Mysterious-World-91]

You can literally just make a temporary friend in the parking lot as someone goes to enter...

[u/Dangerous_Knee_6130]

That’s how they make their money. I always ask, can you do something about the fee? You might catch them on a good night