I have been a T-Mobile customer receiving a corporate discount since last November. I have to say the news of the monthly percentage discount be eliminated is very disheartening. I totally bought in to the “Uncarrier” pitch. I came from Verizon with a 20% discount and to T-Mobile with a 15% discount. Granted even if my discount at T-Mobile goes away I will still be paying less than my bill was at Verizon for two lines with data, however my savings will be less. This savings I used to ultimately make the decision to switch to T-Mobile. I am lucky enough to have great T-Mobile coverage in 90% of the places I go. We all know that T-Mobile coverage is still lacking in the more rural areas, but I was willing to sacrifice coverage for savings. Without my discount I may have to reconsider, it is not as appealing as it was. As I said I still save over Verizon, but they also have better coverage. Good thing I haven’t written a break up letter, I may have to swallow my pride and start a dialog with my ex; at least she had better coverage and a beautiful corporate discount.
Please, you can keep your $25 toward a new phone every year or two; I prefer the discount I factored into the decision to switch to T-Mobile. Better yet, don’t get rid of the corporate discounts and give $25 to those who do not have one (Now that would truly be “Uncarrier”!) Also please don’t spin this as a positive thing or that it is very complicated to figure out a percentage discount, so we need transparency, very insulting.
Not only is this a “Carrier” move it goes against the very T-Mobile philosophy of reducing customer pain points? T-Mobile has just created one for me. The same philosophy that was responsible for 1.6 million new T-Mobile subscribers last year. How many of these subscribers were courted by T-Mobile with a corporate discount? T-Mobile, now that you have these customers you have to understand the value of keeping them. What good is spending $600 in ETF’s to gain customers only to lose them shortly after, remember we don’t have contracts.
As I said, I bought into the “Uncarrier” pitch, so much as to be somewhat of an advocate for T-Mobile. I actually convinced at least a half a dozen co-workers to switch to T-Mobile from the duopoly, and yes I did mention the 15% discount we get, and yes they factored this into their decision to switch. I also converted 6 family and friends. I actually felt good about paying my cell bill, wanting T-Mobile to succeed and stick it to the duopoly, and felt I am somehow helping the cause. Now I feel totally duped, and no longer have the need to advocate for T-Mobile. I won’t go into all the “Carrier” moves Verizon made for me to leave, but this is a huge “Carrier” move on T-Mobile’s part; and the worst part of it is T-Mobile’s recent resuscitation is only due to the introduction of the “Uncarrier” platform. Verizon never claimed to be the “Uncarrier”!