Choosing a carrier can be tricky. There are so many hidden fees and charges, not to mention different data packages, minutes, amount of SMS sent, and so on that makes it pretty difficult to choose. Then there is also coverage area, where one carrier might offer better coverage but at worse prices, so these are the sort of decisions one has to make before committing themselves to a 2-year contract.
Well as part of Un-carrier 5.0, T-Mobile has officially announced a new program called Test Drive. What Test Drive is about is that it allows customers to order an iPhone 5s via T-Mobile’s website where they will be given the opportunity to “test drive” the device for the next 7 days. The program will kick off the day that the device is signed for, so you’ve basically got a week to see if T-Mobile’s network is truly the one for you.
For now it appears that the Test Drive program will only offer the iPhone 5s, which could be part of T-Mobile’s efforts to push the device. No word on whether T-Mobile will expand the program to cover other smartphones, but we guess the program is more about testing T-Mobile’s network for its speed and reliability, not so much the phone itself.
Those interested in participating will be charged $699.99, which is the price of the phone, but if you decide to return the device and not signup with T-Mobile, the money will be released back to you. How long it takes will depend on your credit/debit card company. T-Mobile will also be charging customers if the phone has been damaged during the course of the week.