New Phone Help

Hello,
I have been a T-Mobile customer for the past 1 year and my contract is coming to an end. I am very happy with T-Mobile but I would like to change my phone and plan. I see that there are great deals on phones with family plans on amazon.com. But the deals are valid for new activations. So my questions are:
1. Is it possible for me to cancel my membership after contract and resign a new contract and thereby get the T-Mobile new activation rebate? Are there any other options?
2. I would like to get the basic family plan so when I buy 2 phones should I also buy 2 individual service plans and then change to family by calling Tmobile. Or do I need only one individual plan and then change that over to family plan.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

That may or may not be necessary after your first initial plan which I'm not sure what yours was but,most start out with the smart access plan, if thats the case than after your first year if you've had no sespensions of service for 90 days you can be switched to a "normal" customer I found that if you complain enough even if you a regular customer they will give you the incentives that new customers get you don't have business if you lose your customers after one year or whenever their contract is up you'll be suprised how far a little *****ing and an "I want to talk to someone in charge" goes with t-mobile though I usally don't have to strongarm them that much their a great company and will do whatever it takes to keep your business. Call and see. As far as your family plan goes they are more often than not more expansive than just getting two line on one plan again check t-mobiles web site for the plan in your area that best fits you and your needs. Excuse my french.

1. If you cancel and resign, that is called an illegal churn. T-Mobile Direct nor Indirect will resign you with T-Mobile for at least 3 months, maybe more.

2. You're only option would be to go to a T-Mobile Direct store and renew your contract and then add-a-line to make it a family plan. You are still able to get any of the plans available as well as get a discount on a new phone. You might not get a new activation discount on a new phone for yourself but you will get a new activation discount on the new phone for the new line.

hopefully this helps you out.

P.S. I know this because I am a former T-Mobile Indirect Sales Representative.

One extra option which is really shady is to open up a family plan while your existing individual plan is open. This way you can get a new activation discount on both phones. Then after the 2 new lines are activated, go ahead and cancel your individual plan. The only bad thing is you'll have to get a new number.

hopefully i've touched base on all the options.

Another option (I know because I've done it):
T-Mobile will not let you close an account and reopen one so you can get the new activation rebates. HOWEVER, you can open a new account and get the rebates if you use a NEW primary account holder's social security number.

So, if you let the other person who is in your family plan be 'technically' the new account holder, you can get 2 new activation discounts on the phones. You cannot transfer phone numbers, though, so both will be brand new phone numbers.

You should start out with buying the plan you want, no need to start with 2 individuals; we got new activation rebates for 5 phones when we signed up.