At CES 2014, T-Mobile CEO John Legere has responded to rival offerings with $650 offer to switch from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon.
Recently, media reported that John Legere was asked to get out of a CES 2014 event hosted by AT&T, big rival of T-Mobile US, showing growing rivalry among American telecom operators.
The maximum benefit to T-Mobile US customers through the AT&T offer is $450. (AT&T offers $200 credit to switch from T-Mobile)
AT&T’s offer was to target T-Mobile US customers. On the other hand, T-Mobile US is targeting all the top telecom operators, showing strong desire to add customers this year. This is despite strong growth in the last quarter of 2013.
T-Mobile US generated over 1.6 million total customer additions and reported strong positive branded postpaid net customer additions in the third quarter of 2013.
Over the past 12 months, 4.4 million customers have come to T-Mobile in response to greater flexibility and choice.
Its 4G will add value to T-Mobile customers. The company revealed the expansion of its nationwide LTE network to reach 209 million people, with 43 of the top 50 markets now served by 10+10 MHz LTE.
T-Mobile says the new initiative will be eliminating one of the last remaining obstacles for individuals and families wanting to switch from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon to the Un-carrier by offering to pay off their early termination fees. With an eligible phone trade-in, the total value of the offer to switch to T-Mobile could be as high as $650 per line.
Starting tomorrow, customers from rival carriers who hand in their eligible devices at any participating T-Mobile location and switch to a postpaid Simple Choice Plan can receive an instant credit, based on the value of their phone, of up to $300.
They then purchase any eligible device, including T-Mobile’s smartphones, now priced at $0 down (plus 24 monthly device payments, for well-qualified customers). After customers get the final bill from their old carrier (showing their early termination fees), they either mail it to T-Mobile or upload it to switch2tmobile. T-Mobile then sends an additional payment equal to those fees, up to $350 per line.
This offer to pay early termination fees provides families with a quick way to escape carrier contracts that have deterred them from pursuing a better and more affordable wireless experience with T-Mobile.
T-Mobile is also making it easier for its longtime customers to migrate to Simple Choice plans as well without incurring any migration fees. To qualify for this option a current customer under contract trades in their current device and purchases a new T-Mobile device and switches to Simple Choice. In addition to waiving the migration fee, T-Mobile will also eliminate the existing annual service contract for that customer’s line.