T-Mobile is launching a new slate of phone plans with an updated customer perk system that it says sets it apart from rivals.
The move comes after it confirmed the retirement of several legacy wireless plans in June and automatically placed some customers affected by the change onto higher-priced alternatives.
On an earnings call in July, the company revealed that it expects an uptick in customer losses and a slowdown in account additions in the third quarter of this year as a result of this change, while reaffirming its focus on delivering value.
“Our strategy is simple, but truly powerful,” said T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan on the call. “Give customers the best network, the best value, and the best experience all in one place. That’s how we eliminate trade-offs for our customers, and that’s what truly sets us apart.”
T-Mobile introduces its new T-Mix plans
Amid this strategy, T-Mobile has finally revealed its new T-Mix plans, which allow customers to customize their perks and device promotions, a “first-of-its-kind approach” in the wireless industry, according to a recent press release.
Earlier this month, T-Mobile teased the release of T-Mix at one of its Kansas stores with signage that read “pick what you want” and “change what you want.”
T-Mix comes in three different plan tiers: Standard, More, and Loaded, which start at $55, $75, and $95 for a single line, respectively. The plans officially launch in November.
Standard offers 50 GB of premium data, 480p video streaming, unlimited 3G hotspot, unlimited 2G data in Canada/Mexico, and unlimited texting in over 215 countries and territories (a feature that is included in all tiers).
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T-Mix More has more bandwidth with unlimited premium data, up to 4K UHD video streaming, up to 60GB of high-speed hotspot data, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada/Mexico, and 5GB of high-speed international data (then goes to unlimited at 256 kbps).
The Loaded tier is pretty similar to More; however, it offers up to 250GB of high-speed hotspot data, 30GB of high-speed data in Canada/Mexico, and up to 15GB of high-speed international data.
How T-Mobile customers can use “Picks” for perks and wireless benefits
The new T-Mix plans also introduce a new “Picks” system, where customers can use picks to obtain wireless benefits like device promotions, T-Satellite, and optimized video calls, a new feature that gives video calls “prioritized access” to T-Mobile’s network.
They can also be used for a wide range of perks, such as subscriptions to Apple TV, Netflix, Hulu, and DoorDash DashPass. Newer perks include access to Delta SkyMiles, ESPN Unlimited, Google Gemini, YouTube Premium, XBOX Game Pass, and more.
Picks are included in all T-Mix plans, and the amount customers receive to spend on perks and wireless benefits depends on the plan tier and the number of lines.
For instance, Standard offers one pick per line, up to a maximum of four lines. Under the More tier, customers earn two picks for each of their first three lines, and one pick for the fourth line.
Finally, for Loaded, customers get three picks each for lines one through three, but for the fourth line, they get two.
Each customer perk customers want to add to their T-Mix plans costs a certain number of picks. For example, the Netflix Standard with ads perk costs one pick, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk costs three picks, and ESPN Unlimited costs four picks.
“Customers are empowered to change their benefit mix every three months as their needs and preferences change,” T-Mobile said.
“The wireless industry has spent decades telling customers what their plan should be — even though 84% of consumers surveyed want more control over what they pay for,” said Allan Samson, chief marketing officer of T‑Mobile, in the press release.
“One-size-fits-all was simple for the industry, but for customers it turned into one-size-fits-nobody,” he continued. “T-Mix flips that model, giving customers more say in what matters to them and plans that they can change as their lives change. This is another big step in our journey to make wireless value more relevant, more flexible and built around the customer.”
T-Mobile’s new T-Mix plans arrive as consumers rethink wireless value
The new T-Mobile T-Mix plans come at a time when more Americans are seeking value in their wireless plans as prices rise.
Prices for wireless services increased 3.2% year over year in September, according to Consumer Price Index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As wireless plans become more expensive, a new survey from Oxio, which was shared with TheStreet, found that 56% of U.S. consumers would consider switching wireless carriers for a lower-priced plan.
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In addition, 38% said they value and actively use the digital services and perks included in their wireless plans, while 26% would prefer a lower monthly bill and the ability to select their own subscriptions.
Bob O’Donnell, a chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, wrote in a recent Forbes analysis that the timing of T-Mobile’s new T-Mix plans “just makes sense,” given “recent stories about the challenges that many US households are facing when it comes to paying all their bills.
“Getting people excited or even interested in service plans can be a challenge for any telco company, but the concept of offering a customized set of services that people actually care about bundled with your cellular service is bound to be appealing to some people,” wrote O’Donnell.
“Plus, when you consider that, according to research that T-Mo shared, the average US household is spending $219 a month on services similar to the ones being offered (including cellular), it becomes a compelling value story,” he continued.
Related: T-Mobile reduces a generous discount as customers see prices rise