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T-Mobile Hometown focuses on opening brick and mortar retail stores in small town and rural areas traditionally underserved

The Un-carrier celebrates America’s hometown pride — because many of us were raised with it.

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Small towns and rural communities are essential to our national identity. Whether rural and remote or suburban and growing, America’s hometowns are the fertile ground where millions of Americans put down roots, stretch their legs and live their dreams.

From coast to coast, hometown pride holds America together, and T-Mobile is proud to join in.

We recently <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobiles-next-un-carrier-move-5gforall">announced our latest Un-carrier move</a>. We call it 5G for All. With it, we’re rolling out America’s most expansive 5G network, spanning 1.6 million square miles — with 1.45 million of that coverage in <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/betting-big-on-brick-and-mortar-small-town-rural">small town America</a> — an area the size of the entire Midwest … plus Texas!

AND we’re bringing high speed internet to 10 million households in small towns and rural areas across the country, many that currently have limited access to broadband or none at all. We’re also offering to upgrade everyone in America with a working cellphone to a <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/deals-hub">5G phone FOR FREE</a>! Because we mean it when we say #5GForAll.

Team Magenta has a lot of hometown pride — and that’s particularly true for our leadership team, many of whom come from unsung places across America. With all the support we get from the farthest corners of the country, we figured we’d give some back. Below you’ll find shout-outs from some of our executives to the hometowns that raised them. As you can see, we’re literally all over the map with a lot of love for our roots.

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Mike Sievert, Chief Executive Officer Hometown: Canton, Ohio Population: 69,837 Best thing about my hometown:  The friendliest people Town’s claim to fame: <a href="https://www.profootballhof.com/">Pro Football Hall of Fame</a> Unofficial mascot:  Did I mention footballs? Must-visit spot: Hey, have you been to the football museum with the football-shaped roof? Celebrity: Not really Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: Anything Greek or Italian Only locals know: It’s called “pop.” Soda is that clear, bubbly stuff you put in vodka. Closest road trip destination: <a href="https://www.cedarpoint.com/">Cedar Point</a>, greatest roller coaster park on Earth What you will find: Locals aren’t nosy, they’re friendly, OK? What you won’t find: Mountains. Or oceans.

Bonus: Follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSievert">Twitter</a>, where I’ll be asking followers to “tell me you’re from a small town without telling me you’re from a small town.”

Peter Osvaldik, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer  Hometown: Bellingham, Washington Population: 96,014 Best thing about my hometown: Great outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, biking, boating Town’s claim to fame: The annual <a href="https://skitosea.com/">Ski to Sea</a> race Unofficial mascot: Rain? Must-visit spot: Chuckanut Drive Celebrity: Hilary Swank, Ryan Stiles Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: Potato burrito at <a href="https://www.casaquepasarocks.com/">Casa Que Pasa</a> Only locals know: <a href="https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/teddy-bear-cove">Teddy Bear Cove</a> Closest road trip destination: Mount Baker What you will find: Laid-back people who love nature (and beer) What you won’t find: Easy parking

Jon Freier, Executive Vice President of Consumer Markets Hometown: Odessa, Texas Population: 129,928 Best thing about my hometown: The people are incredibly friendly and brutally honest. Town’s claim to fame: Odessa is known for its cowboys and roughnecks and is at the center of the Permian Basin, which pumps out 4 million barrels of oil A DAY. Unofficial mascot: Jack Ben Rabbit (see below) Must-visit spot: Our replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the <a href="https://www.odessa.edu/community/GlobeTheateratOdessaCollege/index.html">Globe of the Great Southwest.</a> Also, our high school football stadium, Ratliff Stadium, was in the movie Friday Night Lights. Celebrity: Kelly Schmedes, who last played forward for the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer and was a member of the U.S. women’s national team. Roy Williams, former NFL wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. And First Lady Barbara Bush and former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. H.W. Bush was quoted as saying, “At Odessa, we became Texans and proud of it." Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: <a href="https://www.odessabarndoor.com/">The Barn Door</a>, <a href="https://odessamenus.com/johnnys-barbecue-menu/">Johnny’s Bar-B-Q</a>, <a href="https://www.labodegamexicanrestaurant.com/home">La Bodega</a>, <a href="http://www.dosamigos.com/">Dos Amigos</a>, Big Daddy's Catfish and Chicken (Somebody can’t pick just one!) Only locals know: Odessa was supposedly named by railroad workers who thought the area resembled their home in Odessa, Russia. Closest road trip destination: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm">Guadalupe Mountains National Park</a>, which you pass when going through Loving County, Texas, the least-populated county in America. What you will find: The world’s largest jackrabbit, named <a href="https://www.oaoa.com/news/jack-ben-rabbit/image_59ca886d-e50e-59c9-8668-ed4f7a2e2bee.html">Jack Ben Rabbit</a>. The <a href="http://www.odessameteorcrater.com/">Meteor Crater at Odessa</a>, one of the nation’s largest known craters. And the <a href="http://www.ocwg.org/">Odessa Chuck Wagon Gang</a>, which serves as a goodwill ambassador known for cooking up Texas barbecue for large crowds. What you won’t find: Rain. Odessa gets only 13 inches per year — about a third of the U.S. average.

Dow Draper, Executive Vice President of Emerging Products Hometown: Castle Rock, Colorado Population: 75,452 Best thing about my hometown: Stunning scenery right outside your front door, with an average of 243 sunny days a year! Town’s claim to fame: Castle Rock rhyolite, a greyish-brownish volcanic stone that’s found throughout the area — and nowhere else. At the turn of the last century, Castle Rock rhyolite was used to construct buildings throughout Colorado. Unofficial mascot: The outlet mall didn’t exist when I lived there, so let’s go with the <a href="http://crgov.com/2548/The-Star">Star</a> that sits on top of the Rock, which is the castle-shaped butte that towers above the center of town. Must-visit spot: <a href="http://crgov.com/2842/Rock-Park">Rock Park</a>, of course Celebrity: Amy Adams Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: Craft beer from one of the local breweries and this <a href="http://ecclesiamarket.com/">hip church-turned food hall and marketplace</a> Only locals know: Folks used to shoot July 4 fireworks from the Rock, but they stopped because the side of the hill kept catching on fire. Closest road trip destination: Denver (go, Broncos!) and Colorado Springs are within a 60-mile drive. So are some of the world’s best ski slopes. What you will find: Miles and miles of trails to explore — and fun, fit people excited to get out and hike, bike and ski every inch. (Personally, I prefer riding a motorcycle across the Rampart Range Road!) What you won’t find: Cowboys or horses — at least not as many as you used to see back in the day.

Callie Field, Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Experience Officer Hometown: Dalhart, Texas Population: 8,244! It’s grown from around 5,000 when I was a kid. Best thing about my hometown: The sky Unofficial mascot: Empty Saddle monument, which commemorates the pioneers who died while settling the Texas panhandle Must-visit spot: <a href="https://thegrill.org/">The Grill</a> — best cheeseburgers of my life Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: <a href="https://xitrodeoreunion.com/">XIT Rodeo</a> has three days of free food, including world’s largest barbecue, a watermelon feed and pork chops. They serve over 20,000 people in one day in our tiny town! Only locals know: How to find arrowheads, horny toads and devil’s claws Closest road trip destination:  Amarillo, Texas — 79 miles to the closest mall What you won’t find: Hard to come by a sushi roll or Biden yard sign

Janice Kapner, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer  Hometown: Saratoga, California Population: 29,389 Best thing about my hometown: The peach orchards that were nearby when I was a kid. I could walk to the drugstore for a snack and walk through the orchards, swinging on trees and snacking on fresh fruit — a memory I won’t soon forget! Town’s claim to fame: It’s only 12.38 square miles and is known for being in the center of Silicon Valley, yet it began with a sawmill back in 1848 and then evolved to orchards long before it became an affluent community with a mountain winery. Unofficial mascot: Wine glass Must-visit spot: <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mountainwinery.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CJanice.Kapner%40T-Mobile.com%7C6ed8688bc6d24d33a62008d904d4af33%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637546133830322248%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=%2BofpStryhLlwfPEVrRIrvRJxjbSlJOsMsw%2B4yY%2FYfYQ%3D&reserved=0">The Mountain Winery</a>, which has music events and concerts with a view that cannot be beat! Celebrity: Steven Spielberg attended Saratoga High School (so did my big sister!) and graduated in 1965. Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: Many say<a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thebasin.com%2Fhome&data=04%7C01%7CJanice.Kapner%40T-Mobile.com%7C6ed8688bc6d24d33a62008d904d4af33%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637546133830332252%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=h3IHKY5zpO4soxMa1mocQh3CUQsMXa%2BRbWD4XZDgU78%3D&reserved=0"> The Basin</a>, but I will always love <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lafondue.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CJanice.Kapner%40T-Mobile.com%7C6ed8688bc6d24d33a62008d904d4af33%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637546133830332252%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=w12oThgi9YWvoLw55%2F1aMThA7HGftJG%2F2E4oMLe1JzA%3D&reserved=0">La Fondue</a> in little downtown Saratoga village (best hot cheese to dip that you can find!).  Only locals know: I'm told that the locals refer to the city as ’Toga, but I never heard that. Don't miss the historical walk through old Saratoga, often called Old Town. Closest road trip destination: Cruz down to Santa Cruz with its beach boardwalk, white sands, warm weather and as down to earth as you can get! What you will find: A quiet but lovely town with historic signs and buildings dating back to 1884. What you won’t find: BIG nightlife. Not in this town. Head to San Jose, or better yet, San Francisco.

Mike Katz, Executive Vice President of T-Mobile for Business Hometown: Carbondale, Colorado Population: 6,972 Best thing about my hometown: The mountains. Carbondale is in the heart of the Rockies! Town’s claim to fame: Mt. Sopris, the only mountain in Colorado with two peaks of the exact same elevation Unofficial mascot: Rams! The mascot of my high school, Roaring Fork High School Must-visit spot: The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Mill">Crystal Mill</a>, just outside of town and probably the most photographed image in Colorado Celebrity: Trisha Bader Binford, WNBA star and current head basketball coach at Montana State Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: <a href="https://skipspourhouse.wordpress.com/">The Pour House</a>, a local’s watering hole with every bar food you could ever want Closest road trip destination: Aspen, just 25 minutes down Highway 82 What you will find: More than 300 sunny days a year What you won’t find: Traffic

Deeanne King, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas Population: 201,034 Best thing about my hometown: The great people, parks and family environment Town’s claim to fame: The best city to live, work and play! Unofficial mascot: Dorothy and Toto Must-visit spot: OP is known for its expansive parks and green spaces. <a href="https://www.opkansas.org/recreation-fun/deanna-rose-childrens-farmstead/">Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead</a> is one of my personal favorites! Celebrity: The three Kings of Comedy: Paul Rudd, Rob Riggle and Jason Sudeikis Iconic restaurant/meal/food item: Barbecue (and you can’t pick just one!) Only locals know: When the tornado sirens go off, that means go to your front porch. Closest road trip destination: Isn’t everything a road trip in KC? My favorite summer destination are the lakes nearby in Missouri and Arkansas. What you will find: Amazing, down to earth people and a family-friendly city. And great running trails! What you won’t find: Mountains. Or even hills.

T-Mobile Newsroom

T-Mobile has a lot of hometown pride — and that’s particularly true for our leadership team, many of whom come from unsung places across America. Here, we offer some shout-outs from some of our executives to the hometowns that raised them.

Hometown Roots, Big-Time Network | T-Mobile Newsroom

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Hometown Roots, Big-Time Network

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Military Appreciation Month is an opportunity to celebrate and thank the brave servicemembers that continue to do their part to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the nation. And as they do, T-Mobile will stand with them.

The Un-carrier supports the military community year-round through hiring commitments, career programs, employee resource groups, military rate plans and more. These efforts break down into four categories, each a crucial component of the strongest portfolio of military and military-family benefits in the wireless industry.

“As the Executive Sponsor for the Veterans & Allies Network, I have the opportunity to see the many ways T-Mobile’s military employees take care of each other, both within the company and out in the wider world,” says Jon Freier, Executive Vice President, T-Mobile Consumer. “These people come from a common background of teamwork and service, and they bring an incredible focus, work ethic and sense of camaraderie to the Un-carrier. We couldn’t be who we are without them.”

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Whether veterans in career transition or their spouses active in the workforce, military families add incredible value to our society during and after their service and T-Mobile is committed to providing them meaningful opportunities. Standalone T-Mobile previously made a commitment to hire 10,000 military vets and their spouses by 2023 – and now, inclusive of veterans and veteran spouses the Un-carrier brought on board with the Sprint merger, we’re pleased to share we’re over halfway there!

The first step on the hiring path is recruiting, and T-Mobile has been looking to Veterans themselves for ways it can improve recruiting and hiring practices from the get-go. Liv Abreu is a military partnership manager for T-Mobile’s Military & Diversity Recruiting program, who arrived at the Un-carrier after spending three years as an Army parachutist in the 82nd Airborne Division. Given her personal experience transitioning from military service to retail to management and recruiting, she knows exactly how valuable military-made skills are — and how to recognize them.

“Leadership, for example, is a basic skill you gain in the military,” Abreu says. “A lot of transitioning servicemembers might not be able to speak to their experience as leaders in the context of a civilian job, so it’s the job of the recruiter to talk the candidate through how to better communicate that skill.”

With their experience operating in cooperative teams, deploying in fast-paced environments and thinking on their feet, military people boast skillsets that are uniquely valuable to a growing workplace like T-Mobile. 

"There are soft skills that come with being trained in the military and that you acquire throughout your service, things you develop through your experiences that are 100% applicable to any job you apply for,” Abreu says. “You have to be able to pivot quickly and you need to be mission ready. That agility is not just physical but mental. You have to make quick decisions — sometimes life-threatening decisions — in a short time. In addition, military talent is laser-focused on the task at hand and our work in T-Mobile requires that strategic mindset.”

It’s a major Un-carrier priority to tap into this talent pool of those willing and able to contribute at all levels across the business. But the emphasis isn’t in on simply recruiting talented individuals — it’s also on retaining them and supporting them throughout their entire career trajectory with T-Mobile. With its <a href="https://livemagenta.com/l2/Featured-Services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LiveMagenta</a> benefits package, T-Mobile offers a wide array of personal and professional development programs, from money management advisement to mental health and wellness counseling to life coaching.

Military employees of T-Mobile help one another, too. More than 12,000 have joined the Veterans & Allies Network (VAN), an employee resource group for military service members, current and otherwise, and their spouses. Members of VAN meet in local chapters and also convene in national, virtual meetups to find allyship, discuss relevant issues and volunteer for service projects in their communities.

While serving at home or abroad, during active duty, reserve or retirement, and military families need to stay connected. Not only does T-Mobile now offer all of its customers the fastest, broadest, most reliable 5G network in America, but the Un-carrier provides military <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/military-discount-plans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the best unlimited rate plans in wireless.</a>

With the T-Mobile military discount, active-duty military members, Veterans, current or former Guard or Reserve members and Gold Star Families qualify for T-Mobile’s signature plan, Magenta Military. With 50% off family lines, customers can get four lines of unlimited talk, text and data for just $100 per month with AutoPay. And because 5G is included in all of T-Mobile’s rate plans, customers also get access to America’s largest, fastest, most reliable 5G network. PLUS free unlimited texting and 2G data in 210 foreign countries and destinations abroad, SD streaming and more.  

For $35/month/line with AutoPay, military customers can sign up for four lines T-Mobile’s Magenta Max Military plan, which includes unlimited talk, text and data that cannot slow based on usage, 4K UHD streaming on capable devices, 2X data speed and texting abroad and all the other perks of the Magenta Military plan. 

As part of our commitment to serve those who serve, T-Mobile is proud to support organizations that improve the lives of military and Veteran communities throughout every stage of life and career. For instance, T-Mobile partners with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hiringourheroes.org/" target="_blank">Hiring Our Heroes</a> (HOH), a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation initiative that helps servicemembers and military spouses prepare for and connect with meaningful employment.

Through this partnership the Un-carrier has access to several different pathways for sourcing military talent, including career readiness programs and recruitment fairs at bases and other official locations around the world. This year alone T-Mobile has brought in three management-level military employees, one of whom went into government affairs, another into consumer markets, and the third into emerging products. 

“The return on investment is absolutely there, but what’s more impactful for us is to follow that candidate’s journey and measure our impact as an organization showing up in these spaces,” Abreu says. “We love our partners at HOH and they love us. Doing the work we do together is so fulfilling, especially for me as a Veteran myself.” 

Additionally, since 2018, the company has <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/va-veterans-health-administration" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/va-veterans-health-administration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">partnered </a>with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide up to 70,000 lines of wireless service to doctors, nurses and hospital staff across their hospitals. The Un-carrier also worked with the VA <a href="https://www.va.gov/scsp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Secretary's Center for Strategic Partnerships</a> (SCSP) to enhance access to the VA's telehealth platform, VA Video Connect, by providing free unlimited access to online telehealth services. Most recently T-Mobile brought 5G capacity to the <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-brings-ultra-capacity-5g-to-miami-u-s-department-of-veterans-affairs-va-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VA Hospital in Miami</a>, with plans to expand to more facilities in the coming months.

And the Un-carrier’s VA partnership goes beyond the virtual. Earlier this year, the company brought a super-fast Ultra Capacity 5G network online at the Miami VA Medical Center. Now doctors and nurses throughout the facility can quickly access high bandwidth files such as imaging results, labs and medical charts without having to be tethered to a computer. It’s a high-speed upgrade that will positively impact the thousands of military patients the Miami VA serves every year.

Whether helping to stabilize the day-to-day unpredictability of the pandemic or overcoming the massive technical challenges of the nation’s largest 5G rollout, the contributions of military servicemembers are a crucial component in T-Mobile’s ongoing success. The same can be said for their contributions to the nation. America owes a debt of gratitude to those who serve in our armed forces, and T-Mobile is honored to give back to those who have already given so much of themselves.

For more information about the Un-carrier’s military-friendly initiatives and services, check out <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/community/military" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">T-Mobile’s Military Community page</a>.

Military Plans: Verify military status for account holder within 45 days and maintain valid military line on account; otherwise plan becomes Magenta (additional cost up to $20/line per month). Magenta: During congestion, heavy data users (>100GB/mo.) may notice reduced speeds due to data prioritization. Max: Activate up to 4K UHD streaming on capable device, or video typically streams at 480p. 5G: Fastest based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G median download speeds for Q1 2021. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Capable device required & coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Most reliable according to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience collected from September 2020 until February 2021. Full details at: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA" target="_blank">www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA</a>

Military Appreciation Month is an opportunity to celebrate and thank the brave servicemembers that continue to do their part to ensure the safety and

A Salute to Those Who Serve: T-Mobile Continues Support for Active-Duty Military, Veterans and their Families | T-Mobile Newsroom

A Salute to Those Who Serve: T-Mobile Continues Support for Active-Duty Military, Veterans and their Families

Jess Dillon

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As T-Mobile focuses on opening new retail stores every month of 2021, hundreds of which will be in smaller markets and rural areas, more of America’s underserved communities are touting the benefits of fast and reliable 5G coverage, increased competition and greater employment opportunities.

Jon Freier may be known for playing a very big role at T-Mobile as the company’s EVP of Consumer Markets, but ask him what has motivated him to succeed in his field and he’ll tell you it’s his very small-town upbringing.

"I grew up in the vast oil fields of West Texas in a small town called Odessa," says Freier, who got his start in wireless in 1994 and has been with T-Mobile since the company formed in 2001 (astute Friday Night Lights fans may also recognize Odessa as the town from which the high school football crazed story is based on). "I've seen first-hand the economic challenges that many rural Americans are struggling with and I know how investments in technology can lead to opportunity, job creation and keeping people rooted in the communities they love."

And while serving these smaller markets and rural areas is close to this Texas native's heart, it's also an important moment in T-Mobile's commitment to small-town and rural markets, Freier notes.

"For far too long, smaller towns and rural areas across the country have been under-resourced and underserved by all wireless and internet companies," he explains. "Not many people know this, but smaller markets and rural areas throughout the United States represent the largest geographic segment of the consumer market — it's roughly 50 million consumer households, or around 130 million people!"

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Thankfully, <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/our-story/executive-leadership-team/jon-freier" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.t-mobile.com/our-story/executive-leadership-team/jon-freier">Freier</a> and his fellow leaders at the company say they have a plan to make sure these communities are getting the service they've been long overdue.

The company recently announced <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobiles-next-un-carrier-move-5gforall">T-Mobile Hometown</a>, with new services and investments meant to create thousands of jobs, bring billions in new investments and much needed internet connectivity — including 5G — to rural communities.

"We are committed to creating 7,500 new jobs in rural America over the next couple of years," says Freier. "5,000 of those jobs will be in the hundreds of new stores we plan to open in small towns."

This investment is already being felt by some of T-Mobile's most recent new store openings in rural areas like Brownwood, another small Texas town.

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"What we’re doing as a company, putting our stores in these rural areas and rural markets … it's doing a lot for the communities and for the people who are able to come and be part of our family," says Brownwood retail manager Adam Peoples. "That's one thing I’m extremely happy to be part of and excited about."

Peoples' Brownwood location is an example of the hundreds of new stores T-Mobile is focusing on opening in small towns over the next few years where the company aims to invest in the people and local businesses that make up the heart and soul of America.

"When I came to Brownwood it was easy to see that the community was really in need of additional options, some additional service providers," explains Peoples. "I remember training my staff here in the store before we opened and people kept coming and let me know immediately some of the frustrations they were having."

Peoples and his team have become very popular in Brownwood, their town of 20,000 people, and it's no surprise, really. After the store's grand opening in February, they've been introducing the company's <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-analyst-day-2021">award-winning 5G network</a> to many who they say previously couldn't dream of having that kind of coverage and service.

"Brownwood is a small town here in the heart of Texas," says Mobile Expert Olithios Blaine, "but AT&T has had control basically my entire life. People were coming to our store asking when we would open because of the 5G here. I'm great with technology and even I was surprised T-Mobile brought 5G here. One thing about small towns like this is when things are good they're usually very expensive and people love how 5G is included in our plans."

For much of the company's history, T-Mobile has primarily been delivering wireless service to households and businesses in urban America, simply because it didn't have the spectrum to carry voice, text and data from one phone to the other in suburban and rural locations. But over the past seven years, T-Mobile has been on a mission to acquire more spectrum to reach all corners of the country. Culminating with the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint last year, the Un-carrier now has the largest, fastest and <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/umlaut-most-reliable-5g">most reliable 5G network in the country</a> according to <a href="https://www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA">umlaut</a>*, covering 287 million people across 1.6 million square miles, 1.45 million of those In rural America — nearly 2.5 times the geographic coverage of AT&T and more than 4 times the rural reach of Verizon. And by the end of 2021, T-Mobile plans to cover 200 million people with its Ultra Capacity 5G network, which can deliver download speeds of around 300 Mbps and peak speeds up to 1 Gbps.

"We're bringing real choice to America," says Freier, "because when we say '5G for all,' we mean it!"

Many of the Brownwood, Texas employees say they're excited to be part of the company's decision to maintain a brick-and-mortar presence in a digital-first world. While T-Mobile has put a laser focus on creating a seamless digital experience for customers, Peoples says in small towns like Brownwood, in-person customer service has been in high demand.

"I think it's still important for customers to have an in-depth retail experience," explains Peoples, noting the current health safety guidelines the store follows, like social distancing and mask-wearing, "but the brick-and-mortar locations are the cornerstone of our business. Customers are coming into our stores because of the experience they get here."

Peoples says this push to bring more stores like his to less-served rural areas also makes him feel part of the greater plan to help those in need of better connectivity and more employment opportunities, something Freier has made a personal mission.

"These smaller towns are incredible," says Freier. "They're worth fighting for. They're worth championing. Smaller towns aren't chapters of our past … they're invaluable to our future in America."

"I definitely admire Jon Freier's story," Peoples says. "I remember him telling a story about working at a small kiosk and some of the challenges he faced being from a small town. I love the fact that at T-Mobile we get to spearhead bringing rural communities into the fold of what T-Mobile has to offer and not just from a customer perspective, but also from an employee perspective. I think what we’re doing is showing people there are opportunities and you can grow in a smaller city."

And Brownwood’s local lawmakers are welcoming that investment in their community with open arms.

"With the opening of a T-Mobile location in Brownwood, it will increase jobs in the Brownwood Area," said Kim Springfield, Director of Member Services, Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce. "We are excited to have them."

Though no one is more excited than Peoples himself.

"I'm excited to help my employees whether they want to be in small cities or they want to expand their careers and go to bigger cities or whether they just want to feel like they have opportunities here for their friends, their significant others and their children," he says. "I think that T-Mobile is the beginning of what that’s going to be for Brownwood, Texas."

Keep checking back for an <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/_admin/uploads/2021/05/051021-New-2021-TMO-Retail-Store-Openings-List.docx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">updated list of markets for T-Mobile's new 2021 retail store openings</a>

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* Most reliable according to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience collected from September 2020 until February 2021. Full details at: <a href="http://www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA">www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA</a>. Opensignal Awards T-Mobile as America's Fastest 5G network — <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2021/01/usa/mobile-network-experience-5g&data=04%7c01%7cDavid.Edwards83%40T-Mobile.com%7cb1e38a34a4104eac0ce008d8bf065416%7cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7c0%7c0%7c637469381180953126%7cUnknown%7cTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7c1000&sdata=T0%2BRGKNGhyknqmlIhFSv3F82H7rOFzorjkoQs9iYtVs%3D&reserved=0">USA: 5G User Experience Report</a> January 2021, based on independent analysis of average speeds from mobile measurements recorded during the period September 16 – December 14, 2020 © 2021 Opensignal Limited. Capable device required; coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see <a href="http://t-mobile.com/">T-Mobile.com</a>.

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T-Mobile focuses on opening new retail stores in 2021, including in underserved rural and small-town America such as Brownwood, TX.

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