The competition for customers in the mobile carrier world is pretty fierce.
Every company wants to keep growing, and cell phone users aren’t renowned for their brand loyalty, and have shown a willingness to switch to more appealing (and usually cheaper) option when their contract is up, and many companies are willing to subsidize customers who switch programs.
AT&T (T), T-Mobile (TMUS) and Verizon (VZ) are the main players in the mobile world, and lately T-Mobile has been leaning hard on entertainment in order to attract the attention of new customers. The company recently announced that customers on its popular Magenta MAX will get a free subscription to Apple+ for one year, starting in September. This is in addition to the free Netflix or Paramount+ subscriptions that it also offers in some instances.
But now T-Mobile has made perhaps its boldest move yet. And depending on your point of view, it’s pretty entertaining…unless you’re one of their competitors that is.
What Is T-Mobile’s Latest Move?
T-Mobile has introduced a discount for seniors as part of its ongoing Carrier Callout Program.
The company has made the bold claim that AT&T and Verizon only offer discounts to senior citizens who live in Florida, and that given the current rates of inflation, this is unfair.
“Where it stands today, there are two ways for age-eligible AT&T and Verizon customers to get a senior discount from one of the three nationwide wireless providers: have a Florida address or switch to a T-Mobile Unlimited 55+ plan,” said the company in a statement.
In what looks like a bit of a troll move, the company has launched the website BannedSeniors.com, in order to help seniors get a discount. The company lists three different ways that seniors who don’t live in Florida can get a discount:
- Get a virtual mailbox – The company walks users through the process to get a Florida address, though “AT&T makes its customers physically go to a store in Florida to verify eligibility. Womp, womp.”
- Buy Florida real estate – The company has enlisted the help of “legendary Florida real estate agent, Bobby Auerbach, to help discount-deprived Verizon and AT&T customers move to the one state they can get a wireless discount without switching providers. Yes, we agree it’s overkill to move to Florida just to get a wireless discount, but that's the world we live in.”
- Switch to T-Mobile – The company offers a variety of plans, including Essentials 55+, the basic unlimited plan for people 55 years or older; T-Mobile claims it saves people 50% compared to AT&T and Verizon. Discount plans that include Netflix or free AAA coverage for a year are also available.
The company also recently opened a pop-up shop for seniors at the Arrowhead Towne Center, which is located just outside Sun City, Arizona.
Is T-Mobile Right Here?
So this is quite a feisty move by T-Mobile, one that’s designed to attract online chatter. (It's doubtful that anyone at T-Mobile thinks anyone is going to move to Florida for a cheaper mobile carrier plan.) But is it accurate that AT&T and Verizon only provide senior discounts in Florida?
On its website, Verizon does offer a discount 55+ Unlimited Plan, but in a FAQ section, it states, in response to the question “I'm not in Florida and I have this plan. Can I keep it?” that “Those who had this plan when it was available in other states can keep it. However, this plan is now limited to Florida residents only.”
The website also states that “We use your billing address to verify your location eligibility.”
AT&T on its website also offers a AT&T UNLIMITED 55+ plan, but terms it “A special deal for Floridians 55 and over.”
