Unlimited LTE plan tied to T-Mobile US’ LTE network
T-Mobile US announced a new promotion for its MetroPCS prepaid brand that looks to ramp up its efforts in nudging legacy MetroPCS customers to give up their CDMA devices and hop aboard the carrier’s GSM/LTE network.
Through April 5, MetroPCS customers can upgrade to its unlimited LTE data plan for $50 per month, which is presently $10 less per month for that plan. The plan’s LTE service runs across T-Mobile US’ LTE network, with the offer not compatible with MetroPCS’ legacy LTE network. To sweeten the offer, MetroPCS is also providing an additional gigabyte of data for customers with capped plans.
Following its 2013 acquisition of MetroPCS, T-Mobile US has aggressively moved to migrate legacy customers in order to re-farm the MetroPCS spectrum assets to support T-Mobile US’ GSM and LTE network. MetroPCS continues to support CDMA-based services using its 1.9 GHz and 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum holdings, as well as LTE services using 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum. T-Mobile US is looking to tap MetroPCS’ 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum to bolster its LTE network, with the 1.9 GHz spectrum expected to also be re-farmed in support of LTE services. T-Mobile US’ GSM-based operations currently rely on its 1.9 GHz spectrum, although the carrier has said it plans to re-farm some of that spectrum to support its growing LTE business.
As part of the latest MetroPCS promotion, the carrier is also offering deals on the Samsung Galaxy Light ($49) and LG Optimus F60 ($59) smartphones.
T-Mobile US last week said it was set to update its branded prepaid offering with a name change and corresponding price cut. Beginning Jan. 25, the current $50 plan, which includes unlimited voice calling, messaging and 1 GB of high-speed data, will be $40; the $60 plan that has up to 3 GB of high-speed data will be $50; and the $70 plan that offers up to 5 GB of high-speed data will be priced at $60. The carrier’s current $80 plan that includes unlimited high-speed data access will be dropped.
T-Mobile US last year updated its per-minute Pay as You Go prepaid plans to provide for a flat-rate, 10 cents-per-minute for calls or per text message, regardless of the amount of money a customer contributes to their prepaid account. That plan does require a $3 monthly minimum, which includes access to 30 minutes of voice calling or text messaging. Customers can also purchase LTE data passes, priced at $5 for a one day pass of up to 500 megabytes of data or $10 for a one week pass of up to 1 gigabyte of data.
T-Mobile US last summer claimed the nation’s No. 1 prepaid “crown” from Sprint, noting it added 1.2 million net prepaid customers in 2014. T-Mobile US’ prepaid operations also received a jolt from its acquisition of MetroPCS, which brought nearly 10 million prepaid customers to T-Mobile US and continues to be a branded effort for the carrier.
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