Telecom arch rivals T-Mobile and Verizon do agree on something apparently: the wireless customer of today should never settle.
That, however, is pretty much as far as it goes. Verizon is spending millions on a campaign to lure subscribers using a #neversettle marketing program and T-Mobile is taking that campaign, switching it up, and telling subscribers they should not settle for Verizon, with its own ad campaign: #NeverSettleforVerizon.
The head-to-head marketing battle, which kicked off on Tuesday when T-Mobile formally launched its own "never settle" counter attack offering a risk-free trial just for current Verizon subscribers, is the latest skirmish between carriers in the ever competitive wireless services market.
In its latest ad campaign, T-Mobile makes a slew of claims against Verizon's services including statements that Verizon makes subscribers pay too much, offers subscribers a slower LTE network than what T-Mobile provides, makes customers sign two-year service contracts which T-Mobile doesn't do, offers limited data provisions, and makes customers wait for a phone upgrade.
The campaign, according to T-Mobile's outspoken and always colorful CEO John Legere, is just a matter of providing a "kick-ass" network service without any hidden agenda.
"Last week, I said we would hit right back at Verizon—I meant it," said Legere. "T-Mobile's 4G LTE network is the nation's fastest. Not faster for the price ... just faster, period. I'm so confident in our kick-ass network experience that we're footing the bill so Verizon customers can give T-Mobile a try."
The program, which is just for Verizon customers, starts on May 13 and runs through May 31. The program promises any Verizon subscriber who takes up T-Mobile on its offer that they won't spend a penny switching over, or even switching back to Verizon if they decide they want to return to Verizon.
A Verizon subscriber, who decides to move to T-Mobile, can port their phone number and even hold onto their Verizon phone for the entire trial period. If., after the trial program, a subscriber decides to stay with T-Mobile, T-Mobile will pay any Verizon early termination fee, up to $650, and any outstanding device payments if they trade in their phone and choose a new handset when signing up with T-Mobile's Simple Choice Plan.
If, after moving to T-Mobile, that same Verizon subscriber decides they now want to go back to Verizon, they just need to turn in their T-Mobile phone within 14 days. T-Mobile will refund any trial costs and any service costs required for signing back up with Verizon, including activation and other related fees.
T-Mobile, which loves to describe itself as the "Un-carrier," claims to offer America's fastest nationwide 4G LTE and states its network has more spectrum capacity per customer than Verizon.
Verizon is currently the market leader with AT&T in second place. T-Mobile has been valiantly trying to oust Sprint from third place. In late April, T-Mobile reported it added 1.8 million customers, for a total of 56. 8 million. In comparison, Verizon had 108.6 million at the end of the first quarter. Sprint stated on Tuesday it had added 1.2 million new customers during its fourth fiscal quarter.
