They say you are not a leader until someone follows you, which now grants T-Mobile US leadership status in the device financing game as today AT&T Mobility rolled out its own version of the model.
AT&T Mobility announced that beginning July 26 customers would be able to purchase a smartphone or tablet with no down payment and agree to pay for the device in monthly installments ranging from $15 to $50 per month depending on the device. After 12 months of payments, customers would then be able to trade in that device, in good working condition, on a new device with similar payment terms. The offer is part of its AT&T Next program.
In addition to making payments on the device the program also relieves the customer from having to extend a contract with AT&T Mobility should they want to upgrade their device.
AT&T Mobility just last month followed Verizon Wireless in altering its device upgrade program announcing that customers would have to wait 24 months in order to receive a new device with a full subsidy. The carrier noted on its consumer blog post that the move “aligns device upgrade eligibility with our standard two-year wireless agreement” and will apply to customers whose contracts expire in March 2014 or beyond. AT&T Mobility previously allowed customers to receive a full discount on a new device with a new two year contract after 20 months of service on an existing contract.
The AT&T Next program follows one launched earlier this year by T-Mobile US that allows customers to put a small amount of money down on a new device while making monthly payments. The carrier updated the offering last week with its “Jump” program that allows customers to pay an extra $10 per month for the ability to upgrade to a new device up to twice per year. The first upgrade has to be after six months of enrollment in the program and requires that customers trade in their old device in “good working condition.” Customers will then be able to select a new device through the carrier’s equipment installment program at the non-subsidized price T-Mobile US offers to new customers, with the remaining balance on the old device is eliminated.
Verizon Wireless has so far merely dipped its toes into the device financing model with a plan to allows some customers to make payments on devices with an included finance charge, though rumors swirl that the carrier is set to unveil a more aggressive financing plan next month. Sprint, which last week rolled out new rate plans, has said it was looking into the financing model.
LTE expansion
In addition to its device plans, AT&T Mobility also announced that its LTE network now covered 225 million potential customers across 328 markets on its way to approximately 270 million pops covered by year end. The carrier has been aggressively rolling out its LTE coverage in a move to catch coverage leader Verizon Wireless, which surpassed the 298 million pop covered mark last month. AT&T announced late last week it planned to acquire regional operator Leap Wireless in a move to bolster its spectrum holdings to further support its LTE expansion.
Bored? Why not follow me on Twitter?
