AT&T offering $450 to entice T-Mobile customers to switch

posted by Alan F. / Jan 03, 2014, 8:55 AM

AT&T offering $450 to entice T-Mobile customers to switch

Maybe it is because they are the two major GSM carriers in the U.S. Or perhaps AT&T executives are still upset that T-Mobile CEO John Legere called out AT&T's pipeline at last year's CES. Or, it could be that there is something to the rumor that T-Mobile's highly anticipated announcement at CES will have to do with the mobile operator paying off the ETF fees of consumers who jump to T-Mobile. Whatever the reason, AT&T is going right after T-Mobile customers with its new promotion.

Switch from T-Mobile to AT&T and the nation's second largest carrier will give you as much as $450. Some of that sum comes from a promotion card that AT&T will give you for trading in your current smartphone. The card must be used for AT&T products or services, and the actual amount you'll receive will be determined by the age, condition and model of the phone you trade in.

The remaining $200 is awarded to T-Mobile customers who jump to AT&T, sign up for AT&T Next and purchase a new device at full price or have a phone activated that they already own. AT&T Next is the plan that offers an early equipment upgrade to customers who make at least 12 monthly payments toward a new phone purchased at the full retail price.

Sounds like at least one major U.S. carrier hears footsteps behind them, and is peering over its shoulder.

source: AT&T

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22 Comments

1. cncrim

Posts: 1590; Member since: Aug 15, 2011

Love competition....... Hopefully sprint an tmobile merge not working out otherwise customer is the one thay will loose, however i hope anyone can buy Tmobile but the big 3 carrier.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 9:05 AM 2

2. Extradite

Posts: 316; Member since: Dec 30, 2013

Tmobile gives more and is much cheaper. Verizon the best, but to expensive, ripoff.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 9:17 AM 6

3. jamesedward318 unregistered

Sorry but as funny as this may sound $450 is not enough for me to come back and worry about data overages. I'll stick with the pink.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 9:28 AM 10

4. hellonerds

Posts: 334; Member since: Aug 27, 2013

Can't wait to go back to tmo.. have tmo note 3 on att and I pay 80$ month for 200 text/450 mins /4500 weekend/ cap at 5 GB data grandfather iphone plan.. t-mo offers 70$ unlimited everything and no throttling. .

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 9:46 AM 6

14. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

I have a Note 3 w/ T-Mo and these 35mbps+ speeds with unlimited everything for $70 a month make me happy I don't have to worry about overages.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 2:43 PM 1

15. Extradite

Great deal you:ve got there. Does thst include 4G or 3G...? I remember few users are on Verizon with old price plan giving unlimited 4G for $90 with no throttling. What a lucky buggers those are. Wish i had that price plan...

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 3:35 PM 1

22. PapaSmurf

3G and LTE.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 10:18 PM 1

5. EnigmaticPsychotic

Posts: 70; Member since: Nov 26, 2013

Dear AT&T, I left you after 7 years of overpriced service for the greener pastures of T-Mobile. I have never looked back with regret.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 9:52 AM 7

6. dcgore

Posts: 234; Member since: Feb 24, 2012

T-mo is doing great things, the problem is coverage even in a city like NYC where i live. Bulding penetration is not the best, i only get 2G inside my office. I am back with AT&T and service is great. I thank T-mo for making them lower their monthly service fees.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 10:05 AM 2

9. Augustine

Posts: 1043; Member since: Sep 28, 2013

Indeed, the AWS band has trouble going through many walls. I myself experienced poor signal in a store in a mall last week. That's probably the motivation behind the spectrum swap with Verizon to get to use the 700 MHz band in some locations like AT&T, which gets more easily through walls.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 12:04 PM 3

17. Ant34

Posts: 193; Member since: Aug 10, 2013

I have T-mobile on one of my phones and AIO (AT&T's prepaid service) on another. When I'm outside both are great but when I go inside a building AIO gets a better signal. If T-Mobile had better building penetration I would get rid of AIO.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 4:53 PM 0

7. wilsong17 unregistered

hmm 70 dollar everything unlimited do you att have this kind of plan NO

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 10:43 AM 5

8. oister85 unregistered

Yeah man at&t is so dammed expensive every time you go over your date they charge you $10 additional.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 11:21 AM 1

10. cripton805

Posts: 1485; Member since: Mar 18, 2012

This is the dumbest plan ever. Only $200 and buying a phone at full price! So dumb. You will lose that and more with 2 months of service with ATT

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 12:44 PM 1

11. ziggiec

Posts: 12; Member since: Feb 21, 2012

Shouldn't att battle Verizon and make them lower their prices. Instead att is in battle with 4th place tmo. Tmo really got to them. Funny.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 1:39 PM 0

18. Ant34

T-Mobile is causing AT&T to lower its prices and it does have an effect on what Verizon does.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 4:55 PM 1

12. mike2959

Posts: 697; Member since: Oct 08, 2011

Tried TMO and still if you're not in s INNER city coverage is challenging. Heck look at their own coverage maps, look at 3rd party maps. The coverage just isn't there. The HSPA+ is awesome, but again when there's coverage.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 1:39 PM 1

13. Gemmol

Posts: 793; Member since: Nov 09, 2011

There are no tmobile towers in New York they could use that line for promotion anyone with tmobile knows once you get inside a building the service goes dead

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 1:59 PM 0

16. downphoenix

Posts: 3165; Member since: Jun 19, 2010

Im really hoping T-mobile pulls through the ETF payouts... I may have to switch over to them. It will be adios to Sprint if so.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 4:47 PM 0

19. bugsbunny00

Posts: 2267; Member since: Jun 07, 2013

KEEP TRYING AT&T, TMO IS WAY AHEAD.

posted on Jan 03, 2014, 6:23 PM 0

20. btbotimtim

Posts: 272; Member since: Dec 08, 2010

If Tmobile pays Verizon customers' ETFs, I will switch. I have 5 smartphone lines (two unlimited data) and pay around 265 a month including tax, fees and discounts... it seems pretty a lot..