$529 for the phone? No thanks. I don’t care how good it is.  $180? I can do that. When I went through Google today and it told me, “your ineligible for an upgrade,” I didn’t take that for an answer.

I called T Mobile and spoke to a very cool dude named Josh. We’re coming from a family plan; two phones, one with data, one without. He switches us to the “even more” plans that you need to qualify for an upgrade. He says that as soon as I get the Nexus One, call them back and ask them to “back date” our family plan before the end of our billing cycle on the 22nd. Sweet. So I order the phone, then switch our plan back to a 1500 minute plan (we never go over 1000) instead of the unlimited plan when I get the phone. I end up saving $7 a month from this process, and from upgrading from the original G1. At the end of the conversation he tells me, “your set…go get your phone.”

Like a little dear frolicking through a field I pounced into my office and onto my computer and headed for http://google.com/phone. Went through the process, only to be shocked and dismayed by the generous discount of $150. Total price for Nexus One including taxes..$417.

So I call back T Mobile and ask what’s up with this. He says that isn’t right, and that they have a note on their system telling them that the site selling the phones are giving the wrong prices. Are you kidding? I wonder how many people paid too much?  He gives me the support phone number for the Nexus One, which is of course HTC.

I call HTC and tell them the situation, only to be told that I am not eligible for an upgrade because you have to be a new T Mobile customer. Yes you heard that right. I was told by HTC that you have to be a new T Mobile customer to receive the discount. We all know (or at least hope) that this isn’t the case.

So I call T Mobile back for a 3rd time, and explain to her what just happened with HTC. She apologizes and says that T Mobile is just the middle man, and that this was bound to happen. She explains to me the note on their system telling them to tell T Mobile customers to just keep trying to order the phone online, and eventually it will display the correct price.

Wow….all of this for a phone.

As of now I am still trying…and it’s still showing $417 including taxes.

*6:58 PM – Still showing wrong discount at $150

*8:47 PM  – Apparently that IS the right price. T Mobile is still saying otherwise. Long story short, T Mobile is mis informed by Google. I just ordered it, and am looking forward to getting it!