By Jessica Oaks
Anyone who has switched contracts from AT&T or Verizon to T-Mobile knows that the wireless service provider does things its own way. For one, it introduced the entire “uncarrier” phenomenon – the same phenomenon that other companies have tried to emulate in a way to win back customers who have jumped ship. The basic premise is simple: Why not let customers purchase wireless service outside of a contract? Ask a first generation smartphone owner about his or her experience over the last decade, and most will admit to having been locked in for two years at a time. T-Mobile proposed another way.
The cellphone company continues to grow its subscription numbers thanks in part to it being aggressive in its offerings. No two year contracts. No expiration of data. No international roaming charges and no hidden charges. These were offered to clients in a successful bid to climb up from its position at the bottom of the service provider ladder. Not only is T-Mobile benefiting, but the customer is too. People now have greater freedom of choice and greater service options.
Binge On? Indeed.
T-Mobile’s ultimate promise is giving custumers the ability to use their devices more often at lower cost. What it often comes down to is where and when people can use their phones or tablets, and at what cost? Of course no service provider is simply going to give away its wireless service for nothing, but one can think that’s exactly what T-Mobile opts to do.
The company shows this giving attitude by offering programs like the “Mobile Without Borders” plan which provides free 4G LTE data, text, and calling in Mexico and Canada. Prior to the launch of this plan, service providers were known for charging exorbitant roaming fees for anyone crossing outside their service zone. T-Mobile’s “Jump” initiative, which allowed customers to pay just $10 per month for the option to upgrade phones whenever they pleased exemplified their giving attitude. In response to this, Verizon launched Edge and AT&T launched Next, both of which offered similar benefits. If any conclusions can be reached from available evidence, it seems that as T-Mobile goes, so goes the competition.
T-Mobile’s latest promotion is Binge On. A plan that lets users stream music and video without eating up their data. It seems counter intuitive, given that data is what customers tend to pay most for. With T-Mobile’s Bing On plan, customers can enjoy (almost) endless streaming on their iPad Pro. More than 50 video players fall under the plan, including giants like YouTube, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of all videos watched by T-Mobile customers. T-Mobile has innovated a revolutionary way of doing business within the industry. How long until the other carriers follow suit? If they do, customers will benefit most. Imagine watching YouTube on the train and not getting charged excessively for it. The need for WiFi could become a thing of the past.
Why You Can Thank T-Mobile (even if you’re not a customer)?
T-Mobile has revolutionized wireless service. The company’s initiatives have been widely embraced by the public at large, and these promotions have made waves throughout the industry. Even if you are a Verizon or AT&T customer, odds are that you are benefiting directly from T-Mobile and its unorthodox way of doing business. As the saying goes, a rising tide raises all ships, and for the time being at least, it would seem that T-Mobile is that rising tide.
Jessica Oaks is a freelance journalist who loves to cover technology news and the ways that technology makes life easier. She also blogs at FreshlyTechy.com. Check her out on Twitter @TechyJessy.
