At “Un-carrier Next,” T-Mobile charts what’s next in wireless—announces an end to bogus monthly fees and added taxes, abolishes price hikes & pays customers back for unused data
Las Vegas, Nevada — January 5, 2017 —T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) today kicked off the next phase in its Un-carrier Movement—and unveiled a barrage of new moves aimed at eliminating some of the worst customer pain points in wireless today. Speaking at the “Un-carrier Next” press event during CES in Las Vegas, T-Mobile president and CEO John Legere and COO Mike Sievert announced the Un-carrier is putting an end to all those crazy monthly fees and added taxes, giving you—and only you—the power to change the price you pay, and even putting money back in your pocket for data you don’t use.
“Wireless consumers pay Billions extra every year in added surcharges, taxes, monthly fees and carrier price hikes. It’s reached epidemic proportions! And, the carriers just keep inventing new ways to make their customers pay. So, the Un-carrier’s putting an end to it,” said John Legere, T-Mobile president and CEO. “Today, with Un-carrier Next, we’re laying down New Rules for the Mobile Internet, and with T-Mobile ONE, we’re creating the first unlimited subscription to the Mobile Internet that works for absolutely everyone.”
Carrier customers are subjected to a steady barrage of ads for wireless deals—only to face bill shock and wonder what the hell happened when their Verizon or AT&T bill arrives. Suddenly, that $110 family plan Verizon advertises on their web site has exploded to $210.70 for a family of four on average, because carriers could slap you with up to 75 other surcharges, bogus fees and assorted taxes that jack up the price by more than $100! Every. Single. Month.
Worse, the carriers raised prices on their customers at least 22 times in the last four years and launched at least 11 ‘exploding’ promos to lure customers with a sweet deal that expires down the road, increasing your monthly bill. The result is that the price carriers advertise is never the price you actually pay, and customers end up handing over an extra $17.2 BILLION extra every year in monthly fees and added taxes.
Today’s salvo of Un-carrier moves tackle these customer pain points head on and establish New Rules for the Mobile Internet.
New Rule: What You See Should Be What You Pay – Taxes & Monthly Fees Included on T-Mobile ONE
T-Mobile today went All In on T-Mobile ONE—completely wiping away monthly wireless service fees and even including all taxes on T-Mobile ONE. Now, the price you see advertised is actually the price you pay. When you sign up for T-Mobile ONE and AutoPay for $40 a line for a family of four, your bill at the end of the month is EXACTLY $40 per line for your wireless service. And not a penny more.
New Rule: You Shouldn't Have to Pay for What You Don't Use– Introducing KickBack on T-Mobile ONE
T-Mobile also unveiled KickBack on T-Mobile ONE. In yet another unprecedented Un-carrier first, T-Mobile will now actually pay you back for what you don’t use. When you use 2 GB or less in a month, you’ll get an up to $10 credit on your next month’s bill per qualifying line. So, you never have to guess how much data you’ll use. Just opt-in online, pay your bill on time and get paid back if you use just a little!
With an extra line costing just $20 on T-Mobile ONE (lines 3-8), you can add a line – for a tablet or family member – that could cost just $10 a month after KickBack.
New Rule: Only YOU Should Have the Power to Change What You Pay – Introducing Un-contract for T-Mobile ONE
Today, T-Mobile introduced the Un-contract for T-Mobile ONE – and notched another industry first with the first-ever price guarantee on an unlimited 4G LTE plan. With the Un-contract, T-Mobile signs, and customers hold all the power. Now, T-Mobile ONE customers keep their price until THEY decide to change it. T-Mobile will never change the price you pay for your T-Mobile ONE plan. When you sign up for T-Mobile ONE, only YOU have the power to change the price you pay.
New Rule: The Mobile Internet Shouldn’t Be Sold by Bits & Bytes
Mobile IS the Internet now. So why, in 2017, do wireless companies still start their relationship with customers by asking “how much Internet do you need each month?” when 80% of consumers say they don’t even understand what a gigabyte of data is?!
T-Mobile pioneered a new way with T-Mobile ONE – one simple plan with unlimited talk, text and high-speed data. Today, Legere announced the Un-carrier is going 100% unlimited, and later this month, T-Mobile ONE will be the only postpaid consumer plan available from the Un-carrier – one simple subscription to the mobile Internet with unlimited everything. Of course, existing T-Mobile customers can keep their current plans if they want.
“The Internet wasn’t meant to be metered in bits and bytes, so it’s insane that wireless companies are still making you buy it this way. The rate plan is dead – it’s a fossil from a time when wireless was metered by every call or text,” said Legere. “The Internet was meant to be unlimited, and at T-Mobile, we believe that everyone should have unlimited mobile Internet. With the moves we’re making today, T-Mobile ONE is now the one plan that works for everyone.”
Get a 2nd Tax Rebate This Year
People hate taxes, but they love tax rebates. So, T-Mobile’s giving carrier customers a way to get a 2nd rebate this year and get paid back for all that money they’ve been wasting on the carriers’ overpriced, fee-heavy plans. Starting tomorrow, get $150 per line – that’s $600 for a family of four – for every line you switch to T-Mobile ONE up to 12 lines, for a limited time. There’s no trade-in or equipment financing required, and you can spend your rebate however you choose. It’s like getting a 2nd tax rebate!
Setting the Pace for the Wireless Industry
As part of today’s Un-carrier Next event, Legere also announced another record-setting year of growth at T-Mobile. During the 4th quarter, the Un-carrier reported 2.1 million net customer additions, including 933,000 branded postpaid phone net customer additions and the best ever fourth quarter branded postpaid phone churn at 1.28%. Over the course of 2016, 8.2 million customers in total joined the Un-carrier including an expected industry-leading 3.3 million branded postpaid phone customers.
As he has in years past, Legere also laid down his predictions about the future of the wireless industry, touching on everything from industry structure, competition and leadership to the future of TV and network technology. Check out his latest blog with a summary of those predictions.
#FeeFace
To pressure the carriers to follow T-Mobile in ending bogus monthly fees and added taxes, the Un-carrier is inviting customers to join the movement by posting their #FeeFace – a selfie of their reaction to their inflated wireless bill – on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. The best Fee Faces will be entered in a daily #FeeFace off, with each winner walking away with a sweet T-Mobile ONE prize pack – a smartphone of their choice from T-Mobile, a free year of T-Mobile ONE and a pair of Beats headphones. And, every winner has a chance at the grand prize of a four-night, five-day trip for two to Vegas with first-class airfare, deluxe accommodations, a private driver, tickets to the hottest shows at T-Mobile Arena and cold hard cash to party the night away, courtesy of T-Mobile!
To go All In starting January 22, existing T-Mobile ONE and Simple Choice customers simply need to switch to the new T-Mobile ONE with taxes and fees included. Customers can also opt-in to KickBack in the T-Mobile app or their T-Mobile account online. Customers will see the changes take effect beginning with their February usage. In the future, if customers already have a monthly device credit on the line with specific requirements, they may need to choose whether they want either the existing credit or KickBack. For more information, visit www.t-mobile.com/all-in.
# # #
Video typically streams at 480p; tethering at max 3G speeds unless you add ONE Plus Int’l. On all plans, during congestion the top 3% of data users (>28GB/mo.) may notice reduced speeds until next bill cycle due to data prioritization. $40/line for 4 lines when using AutoPay; see web or store for additional pricing. Limited time offers; subject to change. Sales tax and regulatory fees included in monthly service price. Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky: see in-store materials for specifics in your state. Kickback: Must make on-time payments; must be active/in good standing when credit applied. Max $10 credit: promo lines priced <$10 will receive <$10 credit; free lines ineligible. May not be combinable with all bill credit device offers. $150 Offer: Via Prepaid MasterCard Card issued by Citibank, N.A.; may take 6-8 weeks. No cash access. Submit rebate request within 14 days & be active/in good standing when processed. Not combinable with some offers (e.g., Carrier Freedom). FeeFace: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; open to all residents of the United States, Puerto Rico and D.C. who are at least 18 years old. Ends 1/24/16. See rules at www.t-mobile.com. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by T-Mobile. See T-Mobile.com to learn more about Un-contract.
About T-Mobile
As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company's advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 71.5 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. For more information, please visit https://www.t-mobile.com.
Media Contacts
T-Mobile US Media Relations
MediaRelations@T-Mobile.com
Investor Relations
investor.relations@t-mobile.com
