I've talked with T-Mobile customer service several times, and I've gone in to the local T-Mobile store, and I've gotten a total of 5 different answers to upgrading a phone under the family plan. I've been told I can pay a $100.00 migration fee on my phone and get $20.00 - $25.00 off per month on my plan, then purchase a new phone for $20.00 - $ 25.00 payments per month, (t-mobile recently raised the price on HTC one, so the payment has gone up). I've also been told it would be a $300.00 migration fee between the 3 phones in my family plan in order for me to upgrade my phone with T-Mobile and move to the simple choice plan. Those are the two answers I think are closest to what my options actually are, the other answers, the service representatives seemed to be guessing with their response.
If I try to upgrade my phone online, it does give me the option of keeping my same family plan, pay the $100.00 migration fee, and get a $5.00 discount on my current plan.
Bottom line, my phone is on its last leg, and I need a new one. Calling customer service is an exercise in frustration, and a promised call from a service supervisor never came. I think it's silly to pay migration fees for my sons and wife's phones when they don't need an upgrade. What's my best "real" option here if I don't want to pay for the entire cost of the phone up front?