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An Ally. A Military Spouse. A Soldier.

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Hispanic Heritage Month: “Food Is Our Love Language”

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Hometown Roots, Big-Time Network

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T-Mobile Bets Big on Brick and Mortar

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As the country honors its servicemen and women this month, T-Mobile renews its lead sponsorship of a nonprofit helping veterans and their families meet the challenges of life after the military. We bring you a special story of how three employees found themselves demonstrating what Military Appreciation Month in action truly means.

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“I’m often asked how we got connected with <a href="https://warriorsandquietwaters.org/">Warriors & Quiet Waters</a>,” says Paula Timmons, a T-Mobile director of Government Affairs in Washington, D.C., with a smile. “I guess that would start with me. In the back of my head, I kept thinking of my friend Laura and her husband Drew. Laura and I have been close friends for almost 20 years and over that time, watching her with Drew, I knew I wanted to be an ally for her — be a better friend for her.”

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Our story begins here, with this simple thought from an ally. This small but mighty space held for allyship led to a path that’s connected three people to a cause, as well as a commitment to each other, that they never could have expected.

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Paula says in her role she sees herself as an ambassador for T-Mobile, sharing its policies and values with policymakers on Capitol Hill. She says as the daughter of a Navy Captain and the sister of a brother who served in the military, she found herself focusing on Veterans Affairs and the work the company was doing to serve its veteran employees and community.

Paula says she was working on a project to find underserved rural markets in need of the benefits of fast and reliable connectivity, when she met officials from the state of Montana. She was invited to represent T-Mobile at an event with Montana Senator Steve Daines. While there, she struck up a conversation with a few men who said they were on the board of an organization called Warriors & Quiet Waters.

“I learned they were all veterans who suffered from some kind of PTSD,” says Paula. “One of them even brought a service dog to lunch that day.”

She says they described their mission at Warriors & Quiet Waters as helping post-9/11 combat veterans and their families thrive by building a support system and sense of community through outdoor excursions like fly fishing. Sensing that Paula was really interested in their work, she says they asked if she thought T-Mobile might be interested in learning more and sponsoring one of the biggest events they were planning that year, called the <a href="https://warriorsandquietwaters.org/events/warrior-taste-fest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warrior Taste Fest</a>.

“I knew right away I wanted T-Mobile to be part of this event in our new Bozeman Montana market,” says Paula, “but I found myself constantly thinking about my friend Laura. Knowing she was an avid fly fisher and knowing what she had been going through with her husband Andrew, I just felt like I needed to make that connection.”

“In the words of Johnny Cash, we got married in a fever,” laughs Laura Linderman Barker, a senior director on the Government Affairs team at T-Mobile.

Laura says she met her husband Andrew when he was doing reserve duty in the Navy and working with the Department of Justice. They fell in love quickly — then married quickly — because he was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan. They got hitched in San Diego in 2008, and a day later he began his seventh deployment. It was always meant to be his last, but not for the reasons that came to be.

“Unfortunately, when he was there, Andrew was in close proximity to a blast and suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury,” says Laura. “TBIs are complicated. I had no idea what it meant to be a military wife. I was someone who always planned everything and felt in control, but then became someone who never felt so emotionally vulnerable. And I deeply missed my husband.”

Laura says she had no concept of what to expect of supporting a navy veteran reintegrating into civilian life but they just kept moving forward as life took over. They were busy working and raising their two daughters. While on the outside they may have looked like any other family, Laura says in no uncertain terms they were struggling with very complex issues at home and she felt overwhelmed.

When Paula first mentioned her chance encounter with the board members she met from Warrior & Quiet Waters, she says she saw it as a wonderful opportunity for T-Mobile. The company could sponsor the Warrior Taste Fest to continue its work of supporting veterans, and the part of Montana where the organization is located was a rural area in need of better connectivity.

“Our boss Tony Russo, VP of Government Affairs, saw an obvious alignment with the brand's values," says Paula, "but he too saw Laura struggling and once I pitched it to him, he said he would support the sponsorship — so Laura and I headed to Montana to represent T-Mobile.”

Laura says when they arrived and she shared her personal story with some of the staff at Warriors & Quiet Waters, someone referred to her as a caregiver and it was the first time she had ever even thought of herself that way. It’s no surprise that members of the organization saw Laura for exactly who she was, as Warriors & Quiet Waters was beginning to work on a caregiver focused fishing expedition program.

“I admit when I first heard of Warriors & Quiet Waters, I immediately thought I need to get my husband involved in this and it kind of went over my head that I should apply as well,” she says.

Paula told Emily Sather, Chief Development Officer at Warriors & Quiet Waters, about how impacted Laura was by the Warriors Taste Fest and Emily asked if Laura would be interested in applying to their new program. She immediately called Laura.

“I think Laura for the first time felt that she found a community that understood who she was and what she was going through — she was a caregiver”, says Paula. “And the opportunity to take advantage of this new-found community through fly fishing came at the perfect time with what Laura was going through. I saw her struggling and I needed to help her put one foot in front of the other.”

Once again, Laura says it was her ally Paula who pushed her to see that she, too was, deserving of care.

Connecting veterans (and their families) to careers. T-Mobile has partnered with <a href="https://www.hiringourheroes.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwjtOTBhAvEiwASG4bCJcu2JUfxNReMCYUNU25ZqXk2_hJjQLBeV_--Toju8tVfbYtWGu6vBoCoRIQAvD_BwE">Hiring Our Heroes</a>, which finds meaningful employment opportunities for service members, veterans and spouses. It is also <a href="https://www.militaryfriendly.com/is-t-mobile-usa-inc-military-friendly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nationally recognized</a> as a military-friendly employer and has committed to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2023. Since its merger with Sprint in 2020, T-Mobile is more than halfway there.Fostering a culture of inclusion and professional growth. T-Mobile offers resources to help retain veteran and military spouse employees throughout their career. <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/returnship-helps-veterans-reenter-workforce">The Tech X Returnship program</a>, which connects people with a path back to the careers they love after a considerable break due to personal reasons, has accepted a number of veterans transitioning back into civilian life.

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“I had been going through a particularly rough period at home, and I just remember after that conversation with Paula, I submitted my application,” says Laura. “A total of six people are chosen for their caregiver fishing expeditions and I feel grateful I was chosen last year. My takeaway is that I’m of no value to my husband and family if I’m not taking care of myself. And this program reminds people to stop and energize and refuel because you’re going back to a situation that requires your energy and if you don’t ever recharge it can be a recipe for disaster. It reminded me to not just focus on what it is to have my most basic needs met, but to challenge me to pursue a life of purpose.”

“Laura is someone who always wants to do what’s right,” says Emily, “and it’s an honor to partner with someone who is not only service-oriented but also brings her own personal experience of being a military caregiver and the challenges and opportunities therein.”

Laura returned from that trip excited to do more for the organization, but says attending that first Warrior Taste Fest was monumental thanks to one chance encounter.

“That’s when we met Larry,” she explains.

“I am one month away from retiring after almost 30 years of service with the Washington Army National Guard, and even right now Warriors & Quiet Warriors is helping me with such a big transition,” says Larry Weidinger, a T-Mobile Operations Manager in Montana.

A chance sighting of pamphlets for the organization back in 2014 led Larry to ask some questions about what exactly they did on these outdoor expeditions that was so special. Fast forward more than eight years later, and Larry has become a staple figure with the non-profit. He says his volunteer work as a companion to help other soldiers struggling after service was something he believes is part of his purpose.

“It’s just something I knew I needed to do as much as I can for the rest of my life,” says Larry.

“Larry never wanted the spotlight to be on himself,” says Emily, “and even though he qualified, he always had a mindset of service.”

Larry’s qualifications are staggering when you ask him to list out his life of service. In the Army for almost three decades, he was deployed to the Middle East three times and to seven different countries, including Iraq. He only recently decided to retire from his role as a senior non-commissioned officer and command sergeant major in a military intelligence battalion.

“I never wanted to take another veteran’s spot who might need it more than myself,” he explains.

When he was invited to join a fishing experience as a recipient himself, he says it was hard for him to allow others to care for him, but also necessary.

“I realized after getting married and having a baby and moving out of my command sergeant major role, that I also have a purpose to take care of myself,” he says. “What this program has done to help me is really amazing.”

“Our CEO Brian Gilman often talks about why veteran reintegration is hard after getting out of the military,” says Emily. “We are not about just focusing on the challenges, but also the solution and how we can help veterans find peace, meaning and purpose, and to pursue that purpose with passion.”

Larry says he always wanted to find a way to coordinate T-Mobile support for the organization that had given him so much beyond the work he was doing to bring more coverage to their area, but he says he just didn’t know how. So, when he walked into a partner’s lunch at the first Warrior Taste Fest and met Laura and Paula for the first time, accompanied by so much T-Mobile magenta, he was floored.

“He kept asking us how we got T-Mobile in Montana to do all this,” says Paula. “It felt like this perfect storm because Larry had been building out the network in that area as a market engineer and was so passionate about Warriors & Quiet Waters. He had so much insight and we made a pact after that event that we were going to do all we could to make sure this wasn’t a one-time thing.”

T-Mobile is helping veterans get the care they deserve by partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to enable real-time health care via video.In 2020 during National Veterans and Military Families Month, T-Mobile became the first major wireless provider to make the <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/t-mobile-makes-988-emergency-lifeline-available-to-customers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">988 emergency lifeline </a>immediately available to its customers, which offers real-time mental health services.<a href="https://livemagenta.com/)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LiveMagenta</a> houses various telehealth options for T-Mobile employees focused on mental health such as virtual therapy and well-being apps.<a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flivemagenta.com%2Fl3%2FMindfulness-with-eM-Life&data=04%7C01%7CShawna.Ryan16%40T-Mobile.com%7Ca311ee43e17b470543ad08da0dc3cb8b%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637837431827235903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=jV99GvBVkkBnXAzUXSg9xN6z%2Bdx3XJbpRViycgmdNrs%3D&reserved=0">eM Life Mindfulness</a> offers programs for military and veterans, and there are also immersive programs like <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvibe.emindful.com%2Fprograms%2FMMAP&data=04%7C01%7CShawna.Ryan16%40T-Mobile.com%7Ca311ee43e17b470543ad08da0dc3cb8b%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637837431827235903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=aYTxkCQf4uhip%2B234n36USer18da4ehT8eIdI1UZ%2BUY%3D&reserved=0">Journey Forward: The M.M.A.P. For Success</a>, on-demand programs like <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvibe.emindful.com%2Fprograms%2Fnext-evolution-veterans-from-s&data=04%7C01%7CShawna.Ryan16%40T-Mobile.com%7Ca311ee43e17b470543ad08da0dc3cb8b%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637837431827235903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=nEcGYyUFGn3GaEzTqznzvXLRZhwvPWfRrGT0GLEnI9o%3D&reserved=0">Next Evolution: Veterans - from Soldier to Civilian</a> and a variety of mindfulness communities such as <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvibe.emindful.com%2Fvibe-tribes%2F19&data=04%7C01%7CShawna.Ryan16%40T-Mobile.com%7Ca311ee43e17b470543ad08da0dc3cb8b%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637837431827235903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=xxtADLDsmaxgTcAFqDYk5AqUx7NbqoC%2FszD%2B82HfXME%3D&reserved=0">Mindful Warriors</a>. LiveMagenta’s <a href="http://liveandworkwell.com/">Live and Work Well</a> site offers articles, videos, resources and topics for veterans. <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ft-mobile.percipio.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dveterans&data=04%7C01%7CShawna.Ryan16%40T-Mobile.com%7Ca311ee43e17b470543ad08da0dc3cb8b%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637837431827235903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=YoX%2BbBJ9SwYwFhTkkNi2d9IsTEgpaIKfq6UeIBFyeC8%3D&reserved=0">Percipio Resources</a> are free and available to T-Mobile’s military employees including books, courses, videos and much more.

So, Laura decided to write a letter directly to Jon Freier, T-Mobile’s President of Consumer Group and the executive sponsor of the company’s Veterans and Allies Network employee resource group. She says she pulled all three of their personal stories together and explained what this organization is doing not just for her personally, but for so many others who have served, including Larry. She asked that he consider allowing T-Mobile to become a lead corporate sponsor for their next Warrior Taste Fest fundraiser.

“I’m so proud of the way T-Mobile supports our employee veterans and the veteran community at large,” she wrote. “Our work matters and aligns so beautifully with WQW’s mission.”

She sent the email on a Friday. By that following Monday she had a response.

“I ENTHUSIASTICALLY and FULLY support!” Jon Freier wrote. “Big thanks, Laura, for bringing this great organization to my attention.”

Laura says his commitment turned out to be more than just the funds.

“He blew us away by identifying countless resources throughout the company that we could work with to take our support of their event to the max,” explains Laura.

Members of Warriors & Quiet Waters say the attention that they were able to bring to their biggest event was invaluable, and the support they gave to ensure it was a success will never be forgotten. And thanks to these three T-Mobile employees advocating for the non-profit, Jon has once again approved the company’s lead corporate sponsorship for next Warrior Taste Fest in August 2022.

“It’s not just about helping veterans to survive,” ultimately, says Laura, “it’s how do we get them to thrive? And it’s in that thrive that you come to a self-actualization or a life of purpose. And I know this to be particularly important in the lives of a veteran family. For the veteran caregiver or the children, it’s important because so much effort often goes into helping the veteran succeed, and often times you forget to make sure you’re succeeding. And my participation in this program reminded me of the importance of thinking about challenging yourself to a greater life of purpose, because that’s when you see veterans and their families thriving, and that is the goal of Warriors & Quiet Waters.”

When you ask Larry to think about how this all came together the way it did, he will interrupt to remind you how it all started with an ally.

“I know that Paula was the catalyst for this by making the connection after her encounter with the board members from Warriors & Quiet Waters,” he says. “And through that I got to meet her and Laura, who has become a true friend. We know we can always call each other and be there for each other. And it’s because of this chance encounter of ours that T-Mobile has benefitted and so have those we serve at Warriors & Quiet Waters.”

T-Mobile renews its lead sponsorship of Warriors & Quiet Warriors after three employees demonstrate what Military Appreciation Month in action means.

An Ally. A Military Spouse. A Soldier. - T-Mobile Newsroom

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A cookbook compiling recipes submitted by employees across T-Mobile’s Consumer Group team serves up a helping of Hispanic heritage with 50 Latino-inspired dishes.

They say food is love, and for the people behind the recipes featured in a cookbook that showcases the rich diversity of T-Mobile employees’ Latino culture, there’s no more authentic way to show love for their Hispanic heritage than through the dishes they grew up with.

“That’s one of the beautiful things about the Hispanic culture,” says Jeanette Rodriguez, a retail store manager in Orange County, California. “It really centralizes around making sure that you’ve eaten!”

And when members of the Consumer Group organization (previously known as Consumer Markets) decided it might be fun to put together a cookbook to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month last year, employees across the country made sure there would be enough recipes within to guarantee everyone gets seconds.

“Honestly, we were blown away by the interest and participation,” says Melinda Carter, a senior program manager based in Overland Park, Kansas. “We thought if we could get twenty to twenty-five good recipes and stories with no duplicates, that would be a success. But these amazing recipes, stories and photos kept rolling in. Not only did we have responses from all over the country, but the recipes submitted came from a range of job roles and a blend of our different distribution and retail channels.”

With over 100,000 members, T-Mobile’s Consumer Group encompasses all consumer strategy, marketing and operations teams alongside frontline field sales teams across the nation at more than 18,000 distribution points, including retail stores, for both T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. T-Mobile recently released its <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/content/dam/t-mobile/assets/pdf/T-Mobile_CSR20_10921.pdf" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.t-mobile.com/content/dam/t-mobile/assets/pdf/T-Mobile_CSR20_10921.pdf">Corporate Responsibility Report</a> that showcases the company’s workforce diversity numbers, citing 60.1 percent of its employees identify as people of color and 27.6 percent as specifically identifying as Hispanic.

When it became clear the cookbook was a way employees wanted to celebrate the month together, organizers went big, and Consumer Group EVP Jon Freier approved funding to make it happen. It took months to choose from the submissions, before landing on fifty recipes that spanned as much of the Latin world as possible. That’s when they began working on producing something that not only showcased wonderful food to cook, but also takes the reader on a tour of Hispanic culture all over the world with deeply personal stories behind the delectable dishes.

A regional map in the opening pages starts the culinary learning-journey in Mexico, traveling through Central and South America, and then sailing the Caribbean to Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and all the way east to Spain — denoting staples, flavors and ingredients that are significant or more plentiful to each region.

Each employee who submitted a recipe was gifted a hard copy of the cookbook, and a digital file was also shared for other employees to dig in and enjoy.

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“There were so many recipes that honestly surprised me because many I had been eating since I was a little girl and I never knew where they came from,” says Jessica Rodriguez, a retail store manager in Virginia. “I just knew them as Spanish or Latino food, but to get to understand where they come from and the history and background was amazing. Just like I have my own culture from Guatemala, now I get to see that in all these other Latin countries.”

Jessica submitted her family’s tamales recipe because, as she says through a giggle, “it’s like Christmas in your mouth! It’s just amazing how the taste can bring back so many memories from your childhood.”

But all kidding aside, it’s the importance of the memories attached to that taste that easily brings tears she can’t possibly fight back when she talks about them.

“I remember being young and my father being there making the masa and my mother making the meat,” Jessica says. “Being together at that time was special because that’s when we were with my father who is no longer with us. The tamales were a way to bring us together, especially during the holiday season. It’s something I want to give to my kids and that I want them to then pass down.”

Jeanette decided to submit her mother’s pozole de pollo recipe, not only because it reminds her of the tastes of her family’s native Mexico and the ingredients she loved most as a child, but also because of what the dish represents to her family.

“For me the earliest memory I have of enjoying this dish is celebrating when my mother became a U.S. citizen,” Jeanette explains. “Every time I make pozole or if I smell it, it brings me back to that day and to that table as a little girl, looking across at my mom being so proud.”

She says she didn’t understand then about the struggle her mother went through to get here, but knowing now how important that moment was to her has made the dish a reminder of what her mother did for her and her three siblings: “It’s so beautiful to now see my kids and my mom cooking the same dishes together in the kitchen, so it really brings back great memories and I’m so happy that my kids get to experience this and make those memories as well with my mother.”

The project team says they felt a responsibility to showcase these memories in the manner they deserve, and it shows. Carol Franco, a senior program manager in the Consumer Group, and Amy Willson, a digital designer, pored over one hundred and six pages with undeniable expert production value utilizing beautiful images and stories behind each recipe. There’s even a glossary of the regional ingredients that aren’t as common in the U.S.

“The hardest part was the hours of editing the team put into the project,” Melinda says. “Making sure all the measurements were consistent throughout each page, correcting grammar and spelling, ensuring consistent formatting. The most rewarding part of the project was hearing from those who submitted recipes upon receiving their hard-copy — I think the final product exceeded anyone’s expectations. It’s a true example of how we work and win together.”

And the timing only reinforced the importance of this project to celebrate something integral to all of these Hispanic dishes — the stories and the families behind them. Organizers began to curate the recipes at the height of the pandemic, when most families that traditionally cooked these dishes during the following holidays and shared them together at a table, were suddenly forced apart for safety.

To know that during this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month so many kitchens will be bustling once again, and the smells and tastes of these recipes rich with flavor and memories will be enjoyed, is something everyone involved appreciates more than ever.

“For us we really show a lot of love through food,” explains Jeanette. “That’s our love language.”

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Hungry for more? Well, you’re in luck! Also in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, T-Mobile has welcomed <a href="https://www.chefaaronsanchez.com/">Aarón Sánchez</a>, award-winning chef, author and philanthropist as its latest guest-speaker for its internal <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/laverne-cox-talking-with-trailblazers-pride-2021">Talking with Trailblazers</a> series to discuss Aarón’s cooking career, his passion for preserving his family’s legacy through food, allyship and what he’s doing to support future Hispanic chefs and leaders. Look out for a recap of the event!

A cookbook of recipes submitted by employees across T-Mobile’s Consumer Group team serves up a helping of Hispanic heritage with 50 LatinX-inspired dishes.

Hispanic Heritage Month: “Food Is Our Love Language” - T-Mobile Newsroom

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America is awash in loyalty and reward programs, but most of them don't really make an impact. This may be hard to believe, or maybe not, but the average American belongs to 14 loyalty programs—and they don't even really bother with half of them<a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a>. And there is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the loyalty programs they do bother with: 46% of consumers report they are frustrated by the long wait for rewards, 35% are frustrated by confusing redemption processes, and 27% are frustrated by the need to track points<a href="#_ftn2">[2]</a>. That doesn't sound rewarding to me. Frankly, most consumers recognize loyalty programs for what they really are—a system of incentives designed to manipulate them into spending more money. AKA: the polar opposite of the Un-carrier's take—T-Mobile Tuesdays!

In 2016, we found ourselves ten Un-carrier moves down and looking for our next big thing. We wanted to express our appreciation for all the customer support and rapid growth we'd seen since introducing the Un-carrier three years prior. Looking at other major brands at the time, we saw that a traditional, points-based program might be a decent way to generate additional sales, but at the cost of being a lousy way to thank customers. We chose a different approach—and flipped the script on the tired loyalty program. We asked: What if, instead of making customers prove their loyalty to us, we proved our loyalty to them?

The answer was T-Mobile Tuesdays—the Un-carrier's fresh take on customer appreciation. It's NOT a loyalty scheme or a typical rewards program. Customers aren't forced to spend more, track points, refer friends, or prove their loyalty by being a customer for a minimum period of time. The simple goal of T-Mobile Tuesdays is to say “thank you” to customers by providing simple, easy access to free stuff and great deals—all without forcing customers to spend more with T-Mobile. Full stop.

EVERY Tuesday, any eligible T-Mobile customer—including Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint brand customers—can open the T-Mobile Tuesdays app and redeem offers—which we aptly call 'thankings'—for free or discounted goods and services from a wide range of top brands like Dunkin', Wendy’s, Major League Baseball, Pandora, Live Nation, and many more. There are usually upwards of six thankings each Tuesday, with new partners each week and regular opportunities to visit T-Mobile stores to score Un-carrier swag like baseballs caps, socks, gloves, umbrellas, and facemasks (which our customers love!). And there are additional special sweepstakes with big prizes that have ranged from $5,000 in cash to a new Tesla.

We thought customers would like it, but we had no idea how much the program would really take off. In these last five years since we launched T-Mobile Tuesdays, customers have enjoyed well over $1 BILLION worth of freebies and exclusive discounts. That includes 1.8 billion gallons of discounted gas, 150 million hours of free movies, 55 million free cups of coffee, and 28 million free burgers. Actually, according to a 2018 <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/tmobileone-strategy-analytics-value-add-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Strategy Analytics</a> study, each T-Mobile Tuesday customer can receive almost $1,000 in extra value every year—just for being a part of the T-Mobile family.

In contrast, most companies still run traditional loyalty programs that ask much of their customers and give little back in return. AT&T’s tiered program unlocks different features depending on how many services customers subscribe to. They even reserve the best customer service for their “top” customers. How carrier is that? At T-Mobile, ALL customers are our top customers, and we believe great service is a prerequisite for us to earn your loyalty, not a reward for spending more money.

Verizon’s loyalty program started out as a credit that their customers earned for every $300 they spent on their account. Currently, Verizon's program focuses on offering customers a monthly reward … but that's only one per month, only claimable by the account owner, and only available AFTER they pay their bill, which makes it seem much less like a “thank you” than an inducement to pay up. No, thanks.

The carriers could learn something from us. Turns out, thanking customers just for being customers is a remarkably effective way to deepen loyalty and engagement. Last year, our net promoter score for customers who use T-Mobile Tuesdays was 14 points higher than the industry average. And after we extended eligibility to former Sprint customers, our net promoter score jumped another 7 points to a new record for T-Mobile!

T-Mobile Tuesdays also shows that companies can improve their bottom line without resorting to typical loyalty programs that make customers jump through hoops and track points with so many strings attached. We’ve seen that customers who take advantage of T-Mobile Tuesdays spend more with T-Mobile and stay with us longer than those who don’t. Not because they're forced to … but because they want to.

Most importantly, for a company obsessed with customer satisfaction, T-Mobile Tuesdays helps us ensure our customers feel valued. Research on customer experience and loyalty shows high customer satisfaction rates that keep on improving.

Today, T-Mobile Tuesdays is more popular than ever. Since launch, over 30 MILLION customers have downloaded the app. Last year, 21% more customers used T-Mobile Tuesdays than the in the year before, making 2020 our biggest year ever. Despite having to make significant adjustments in response to the pandemic when thankings couldn’t be redeemed in person, in 2020, T-Mobile Tuesdays set new records for customer participation, new users, and number of thankings saved. Just last week during our five-year 'Thankiversary' celebrations, T-Mobile Tuesdays hit a new record—5 million participants in one single day. That’s more than any cable network TV show!

Zoom out, and it becomes clear that our industry-best growth is due in part to our Un-carrier take on customer loyalty. We're doing it the right way—showing customers our loyalty, not forcing them to prove loyalty to us—and other businesses can see similar success when they follow our lead.

[1] Bond Brand Loyalty. 2020. The Loyalty Report

[2] Wirecard. 2019. Consumer Incentives 2019: The Digital Transformation of Rewards, Rebates, and Loyalty.

About T-Mobile T-Mobile U.S. Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America’s supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile’s customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint. For more information please visit: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CBennet.Ladyman1%40T-Mobile.com%7C61a31e8901e141563d4c08d929ea82c8%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637586909447617824%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=QNlIbOYhb0VygM1DdeM03dRx7yCbMulcUexhVbfrSdA%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.t-mobile.com</a>.

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America is awash in loyalty and reward programs, but most of them don't really make an impact. This may be hard to believe, or maybe not, but the average

Five Years of T-Mobile Tuesdays:How a Fresh Take on the Loyalty Program Drives the Un-carrier - T-Mobile Newsroom

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Five Years of T-Mobile Tuesdays: How a Fresh Take on the Loyalty Program Drives the Un-carrier - T-Mobile Newsroom

Five Years of T-Mobile Tuesdays: How a Fresh Take on the Loyalty Program Drives the Un-carrier

Five Years of T-Mobile Tuesdays: How a Fresh Take on the Loyalty Program Drives the Un-carrier - T-Mobile Newsroom

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

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 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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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.”

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

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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!"

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.

"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.

Jon Freier

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