Un-carrierCategoryPress Release

T‑Mobile’s Next Un‑carrier Move: #5GforAll

April 07, 2021
T-Mobile unveils massive new moves to upgrade America’s phones, homes and small towns to 5G.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — April 7, 2021 — 5G: It just might be history’s most hyped technology revolution. But despite years of bluster about how it’s going to transform our lives, most people haven’t experienced the lightning-fast speeds and incredible performance of 5G yet. That’s changing in a big way starting today. In an online webcast a group of T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) executives led by CEO Mike Sievert announced the company’s latest Un-carrier move, a sweeping set of initiatives that mark the beginning of the #5GforAll era, including:

  • The Great Free 5G Phone Upgrade: Now, everyone in America can trade in any mobile phone and get a 5G smartphone for free.
  • The Great Unlimited Trade-Up: For the more than 1 in 3 customers, all 60 million of them, still stuck on an AT&T or Verizon limited data smartphone plan — most with limited 5G access, can upgrade to unlimited data with access to T-Mobile’s full 5G network for the same price — or less — than the competition’s limited plans.
  • T-Mobile Home Internet: Simple, fast fixed wireless broadband powered by America’s largest, fastest 5G network.
  • T-Mobile Hometown: A massive commitment to bring 5G to rural America, hire 7,500 new employees in small towns and rural communities over the next few years, and provide $25 million in grants for community development projects.

“This is the moment we’ve been working toward since we shared our vision for a faster, more inclusive future — a vision we called 5G for All — when we announced our plans to merge with Sprint three years ago,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “We’re quite literally the only company that can kickstart this new era of connectivity, that has the network to upgrade America’s phones, homes and small towns to 5G. And we’re just getting started.”

Great Free 5G Upgrade: Free 5G phones for all!
Over the past few years, billions of dollars have been spent to build 5G networks. Billions more have gone for breathless ads touting the promise of a 5G-powered future. But for most people, 5G has been a total nonevent. Why? Because 92% of Americans don’t have a 5G phone as of the start of this year.[1] And no 5G phone means no 5G experience.

Until now. With the Great Free 5G Upgrade, T-Mobile is giving everyone a free 5G smartphone.

How does it work? Simple! Trade in your existing mobile phone, and T-Mobile will give you a brand-spanking-new, Samsung Galaxy A32 5G smartphone for free, exclusive to T-Mobile postpaid customers. This offer applies to new and existing customers, and ANY old phone in working condition — flip phone, Sidekick, whatever that suitcase phone was called. T-Mobile will take it. And in exchange, you get a free 5G smartphone after 24 monthly bill credits and pay only the sales tax.

Great Unlimited Trade-Up: Unlimited 5G data for all!
Quick quiz: What’s worse than not being able to go 5G because you don’t have a 5G phone?

Quick answer: Having a 5G phone but not being able to experience 5G because you’re shackled to a limited data plan.

Today, 60 million Americans are stuck on limited data plans from Verizon or AT&T … most with limited or no 5G access. With the Great Unlimited Trade-Up, those people can trade up to BOTH unlimited data AND full access to T-Mobile’s expansive 5G network — including Ultra Capacity and Extended Range — all at the same or better price than the Carriers’ offer for limited data plans today.

And if you’re an existing T-Mobile postpaid customer — including ALL former Sprint customers — still on a limited data plan, you’re covered, too. You’re getting an upgrade to unlimited. For Free.

And these aren’t short-term promos. The Great Free 5G Phone Upgrade and Great Unlimited Trade-Up start April 18 and last all year long. Welcome to the year of 5G!

T-Mobile Home Internet: Fixed wireless broadband done right.
A year ago, affordable, reliable broadband was a good thing to have. Then along came the pandemic. Now it’s essential. But for too many Americans, high-speed internet is still an impossible dream. That changes today too, thanks to the Un-carrier’s expansive 5G network.

T-Mobile Home Internet launches today with more than 30 million households eligible, making T-Mobile one of the largest broadband providers in the entire country by service area — on its first day of service. That’s already more homes than Verizon hopes to cover by the end of 2023.

The issue of affordable, reliable broadband is particularly acute in rural America, where a quarter of all households don’t have access to ANY high-speed broadband. And nearly 40 percent of households that do have access live in areas with only one provider, which means no competition. That’s why T-Mobile made sure nearly 10 million of the households eligible for T-Mobile Home Internet today are in rural America, with plans to continue to expand access.

T-Mobile Home Internet access in rural communities is possible because the Un-carrier’s 5G network isn’t just America’s largest, fastest 5G network. It’s also America’s biggest RURAL 5G network — by a LOT. T-Mobile’s 5G network spans 1.6 million square miles, with 1.45 million of that coverage in small town America. That’s nearly 5x larger than Verizon and more than double AT&T. This means the Un-carrier is delivering choice and competition to rural areas that have been underserved for far too long.

To T-Mobile, 5G for All also means 5G for Small.

“Since the beginning of the digital age, connectivity for rural America has been an afterthought,” said T-Mobile Senior Vice President Edwige Robinson. “One of our most important goals is to ensure that small town America is not left behind during the transition to 5G. This is why 5G for All will span across the country — small towns as well as big cities, rural communities as well as the suburbs.”

T-Mobile Home Internet is built on all the Un-carrier principles that have enabled T-Mobile to take the wireless industry by storm. T-Mobile Home Internet is:

  • Great value. $60/month, with AutoPay, period. No added taxes or fees. No equipment fees. No contracts. No surprises or exploding bills.
  • Fast and unlimited. With expected average speeds of 100 Mbps for most new customers, it’ll handle all your home’s needs, with unlimited data and no caps.
  • 5G powered. T-Mobile ships a 4G/5G gateway to your home.
  • Easy to setup. Plug it in, download the app and follow a few simple instructions. You’re online in minutes.
  • Backed by experts. When you need help, dedicated experts are just a call or message away.

Availability is based on network capacity, which is increasing all the time, as well as Wi-Fi Gateway inventory, which is limited by global supply chain constraints at launch. See if T-Mobile Home Internet is available for your home at https://www.t-mobile.com/isp.

T-Mobile Hometown: Bringing 7,500 new jobs and millions in new investment to small town USA
“At T-Mobile, our commitment to small town America is about more than infrastructure. It’s about a long-term commitment to support the people and local businesses who help rural communities thrive and grow,” said Jon Freier, Executive Vice President of T-Mobile. “We have one goal here: be your hometown network. That starts with a great 5G network and continues with sustained investments in local communities through T-Mobile Hometown, so the towns so many of us love aren’t left behind in this next wireless generation.”

With T-Mobile Hometown, the Un-carrier plans to build hundreds of new retail stores in small towns all across America over the next two years. These new stores will create 5,000 direct new jobs, plus thousands more in construction and services to build and maintain them.

In areas where T-Mobile can’t place retail stores, the Un-carrier is shaking things up with an innovative new approach called Hometown Experts. A Hometown Expert is the official T-Mobile representative in a community. Think of it as a one-person store, but without a traditional storefront. Hometown Experts will do most things our brick-and-mortar store employees do, including connecting people to T-Mobile’s 5G network and Home Internet service.

During the next two years. T-Mobile plans to hire 2,500 Hometown Experts in 2,500 small towns. The search for Hometown Experts is already underway — the first 1,000 new Hometown Expert job listings have already been posted. You can learn more and apply online at https://www.t-mobile.com/HometownJobs.

Inspired by the pride so many small towns take in their sense of place and their passion for creating strong, thriving communities, T-Mobile is also launching a new program called Hometown Grants. Through Hometown Grants, T-Mobile will contribute $25 million during the next five years to help fund community development projects in rural areas across the country to jumpstart stalled projects and get new ones off the ground. To find out how your community can apply, visit https://www.t-mobile.com/HometownGrant.

Follow T-Mobile’s Official Twitter Newsroom @TMobileNews to stay up to date with the latest company news.

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Limited-time offers; subject to change. 5G: Capable device required. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Full details here. Fastest 5G: Opensignal Awards – USA: 5G User Experience Report January 2021, based on independent analysis of average speeds from mobile measurements recorded during the period September 16 – December 14, 2020 © 2021 Opensignal Limited. Select words in this release were edited on July 6, 2023.​​ 5G Phone Upgrade: If you cancel wireless service before receiving 24 bill credits, you may owe up to the full value of your device ($282); if cancelling your account you can contact us first to instead make discounted monthly balance payments. Tax on pre-credit price due at sale. Qualifying credit, service, & functioning trade-in without screen or water damage required. $10 SIM card, and, in stores & on customer service calls, $20 assisted or upgrade support charge may be required. Must be active and in good standing to receive credits; allow 2 bill cycles. Max 4/acct. Unlimited Upgrade: Unlimited while on our network. During congestion, heavy data users (>50GB/mo. for most plans) and customers with lower-prioritized plans may notice lower speeds than other customers; see your plan for details. Video typically streams at (480p). For current customers, automatic one-time update will apply to on-device smartphone data for qualifying postpaid voice lines with data. For new customers, qualifying credit, service, port-in & verification of prior account details required; if you do not verify within 14 days, plan becomes full-priced Essentials. If you cancel any lines, your discount may be reduced. $5 more/line without AutoPay. Up to 6 lines. Home Internet: During congestion, Home Internet customers may notice speeds lower than other customers due to data prioritization. Sales taxes & regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. Average download speed projection based on analysis of internal and third-party data. See T-Mobile.com/OpenInternet for details.

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: https://www.t-mobile.com.

Media Relations ContactT-Mobile US, Inc.MediaRelations@t-mobile.com
Investor Relations ContactT-Mobile US, Inc.Investor.Relations@t-mobile.com

https://investor.t‑mobile.com


[1] “Making 5G Real,” PWC, https://www.pwc.com/us/5g