T-Mobile Stretches Payment Plans to 3 Years for Tablets and Smartwatches

T-Mobile has officially rolled out 36-month payment plans for tablets and smartwatches, ending its run as the only major carrier offering shorter payment terms. If you're shopping for a new smartwatch or tablet on T-Mobile's website, you'll now pay monthly for three years instead of two—or buy the device outright.

According to The Mobile Report, the change went live this past weekend and affects all smartwatches and tablets sold through T-Mobile. The longer payment period means smaller monthly bills since the cost spreads out over more time, but there's a downside: if you leave T-Mobile or pay off your device early, you'll forfeit any promotional credits the carrier offered when you signed up.

This matters because most people finance devices through T-Mobile specifically to take advantage of those promotions. The credits reduce what you actually pay for the device, but they're applied monthly over the full payment period. Leave before those 36 months end, and you'll owe the remaining balance without the discount.

T-Mobile had been the holdout among the big three carriers. AT&T switched to 36-month phone payments back in 2022, and Verizon followed suit in early 2023. For now, T-Mobile's change only applies to tablets and smartwatches—smartphones still have 24-month payment plans. But signs from earlier this year suggest phones could be next. The carrier briefly listed 36-month terms on its website in June before reverting back to two-year plans.

The irony isn't lost on industry watchers. Just weeks ago, T-Mobile's president criticized competitors for using longer payment plans to discourage customers from switching carriers. Now T-Mobile is using the same strategy, which effectively keeps customers locked in for an extra year if they want to keep their promotional savings.

Source: The Mobile Report