Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart. Where should I get it?

[Robert Lau]

Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

I understand the 640 is less expensive at Walmart then it is online. Will it still work okay on the Tmobile network? I don't have to be using the Wally World Tmobile Service plan to activate the phone do I? (I have an account with tmobile).

 

[Jim Bob4]

Re: Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

You can use the WalMart 640 on tmobil with a tmobile sim. Likewise, I have used the tmobile phone on Walmart family mobile with it's corresponding SIM.

 

[comicalmoodydan]

It will work fine, I picked up my Lumia 640 at Walmart yesterday. I have a T-Mobile post paid account, just put my SIM in the phone and set it up. No issues what so ever, it's exactly the same phone as you get from T-Mobile but you'll of course pay $30 more at T-Mobile vs buying it at Walmart.

 

[libra89]

And also, as far as I know, T-mobile.com is still out of stock (they were yesterday when I called and others have said the same on here as well), and Walmart gets shipments nightly so the choice is yours.

 

[anon(6078578)]

Even though I am on T-Mobile postpaid I often buy the prepaid version of a phone if available. The price differential can often be substantial, ie my current phone was over $100 more buying from T-Mobile as a postpaid version. Not only that, I don't have to deal with sales reps trying to sneak JUMP or some other monthly fee onto my account, as happened the last time I bought one directly from T-Mobile!

 

[libra89]

I just found the listing for this phone on Walmart's website. It's out of stock though, but still.

T-Mobile Microsoft Lumia 640 Prepaid Smartphone - Walmart.com

 

[anon(6078578)]

I just found the listing for this phone on Walmart's website. It's out of stock though, but still.

T-Mobile Microsoft Lumia 640 Prepaid Smartphone - Walmart.com

I saw that earlier too. Apparently none of the Walmarts around my area have it. I guess they must be holding to the 20th date rigidly.

 

[Ryan378]

The idiocy surrounding the release of this has permeated down to the resellers. I passed two Walmart's yesterday in my travels and the first had never heard of Lumia and the second luckily had a smart kid who worked in both electronics and the cell phone store at the front of the store. Even then, I had to find the 640 hangars hidden behind 530's and then ask the kid if he would go look up front. Sure enough, they were locked up in the front cell phone store and had been for almost two weeks according to him. He said the hangars come with the phones and sit on the racks until they are cleared to sell them.

So I ended up getting one for $106 with tax.

 

[PretzelLogix]

Re: Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

I understand the 640 is less expensive at Walmart then it is online. Will it still work okay on the Tmobile network? I don't have to be using the Wally World Tmobile Service plan to activate the phone do I? (I have an account with tmobile).

Just got a Lumia 640 from Walmart yesterday. I took a 3rd party GSM SIM (one of the T-Mobile MVNO/subcarriers) and popped it in the phone. Activated just fine. Had to follow the instructions on the MVNO's website, but it was pretty easy.

The only limitation with the Walmart phone is that it appears to only come in White. If you were hoping for a Cyan-ish Blue, Orange, or Black backplate, then you're out of luck (or maybe you can order the other color backplate online, I think.)

 

[clemgrad85]

Re: Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

Picked one up from Walmart for my wife today replacing a very old Nokia phone. I tried to buy via phone with T-Mobile yesterday and they were totally confused and had a hard to finding it to sell. So, found out that a local Walmart had 3 available for sale today and by the time I got there at 8:30 AM there was only one left! And yes, it was a white one. But, I ended up saving money by going through Walmart rather than buying through T-Mobile, so all good. I have a 1020 so has been fun playing with the wife's phone and seeing some new things. So far, it's a pretty cool phone.

 

[srcpt]

Re: Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

I bought a white one yesterday at Walmart in Canton, Oh.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I bought 2 as gifts (1 for Father's day, and 1 for my son who has a 635). My wife bought 2 as well. One for her and one as a gift.

I was going to buy all 4 but for some reason, I could only put two in the cart. I assumed that was because that store only had 2. Then I ordered 2 more to pick up at a store across town and later got an email saying it was cancelled due to an error processing payment information. My first guess was that the CC security kicked in and thought it was suspicious and rejected pending talking to me. So I ordered them with a different CC and the exact same thing happened. So now I believe its a bogus error reason and the real issue is they are limiting sales to 2 per WalMart account.

And when my wife ordered 2 from her Walmart account using the same CC I originally did, the order went thru.

Another reason to order thru Walmart over T-Mobile is the 2 years insurance for $24! Zero deductible and includes drops and drownings, etc. I've never damaged a phone but even I would pay $1/mo for full coverage.

 

[Sedp23]

Re: Lumia 640: Tmobile.com or Walmart

Didn't know that I would've bought that insurance

 

[comicalmoodydan]

I bought 2 as gifts (1 for Father's day, and 1 for my son who has a 635). My wife bought 2 as well. One for her and one as a gift.

I was going to buy all 4 but for some reason, I could only put two in the cart. I assumed that was because that store only had 2. Then I ordered 2 more to pick up at a store across town and later got an email saying it was cancelled due to an error processing payment information. My first guess was that the CC security kicked in and thought it was suspicious and rejected pending talking to me. So I ordered them with a different CC and the exact same thing happened. So now I believe its a bogus error reason and the real issue is they are limiting sales to 2 per WalMart account.

And when my wife ordered 2 from her Walmart account using the same CC I originally did, the order went thru.

Another reason to order thru Walmart over T-Mobile is the 2 years insurance for $24! Zero deductible and includes drops and drownings, etc. I've never damaged a phone but even I would pay $1/mo for full coverage.

I've had Walmart lock out a credit card twice ordering from their website, it's terrible. I actually stopped ordering anything from them online due to that issue.

 

[libra89]

I've had Walmart lock out a credit card twice ordering from their website, it's terrible. I actually stopped ordering anything from them online due to that issue.

Yeah they are very annoying to order from. I appreciate the security but it really shouldn't be so difficult to order from! I have had a hassle with both my check card and my credit card. Just ridiculous really.

@Sedp3: I agree. You can still buy the plan online but it's 34 dollars over 24. I was suggested to return my phone and then rebuy to get the plan from family members but I'm not doing that. I'm just going to pay the extra 10.