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T-Mobile 'Very Interested' in Adding iPhone to MetroPCS Prepaid Brand

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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In the wake of its acquisition of prepaid carrier MetroPCS last year, T-Mobile US indicated that adding the iPhone to MetroPCS's lineup was "a possibility" but not an imminent move. A year later, things are looking a bit more positive for MetroPCS customers, with T-Mobile's Mike Sievert telling Re/code the carrier is "very interested" in bringing the iPhone to MetroPCS.

metropcs_logo.jpg
"We are very interested in that," Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert told Re/code. "We think the Metro PCS customer would be as well." [...]

Part of the challenge is finding an attractive way to make it affordable enough for all of MetroPCS's customers, many of whom have tighter budgets and some of whom might not have good enough credit to qualify for device financing.
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MetroPCS had approximately nine million customers at the time of its acquisition by T-Mobile, and the carrier now operates as a separate brand running on T-Mobile's network in an expanded set of markets. T-Mobile has also reclaimed substantial portions of MetroPCS's former spectrum for use in enhancing the overall T-Mobile network.

Article Link: T-Mobile 'Very Interested' in Adding iPhone to MetroPCS Prepaid Brand
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/02/metropcs-iphone-interested/
3rdiguy

3rdiguy

macrumors 65816
Sep 17, 2012
1,361
611
I have a unlocked iPhone 5. I wonder how is the LTE and personal hotspot on MetroPCS. if it a good id finally jump off verizon. unlimited data was the only thing keeping me there. I've been off contract
 
L

Lylyluvda916

macrumors regular
Aug 28, 2012
153
0
zorinlynx said:
My mother has been using her iPhone 5c on MetroPCS for a while now. How exactly is this in any way "news"?
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I second that. I used to work with MetroPCS and they've been using iphones on their network since T-Mobile and MetroPCS merged.

They're able to use any gsm unlocked phones now. MetroPCS's network is suppose to all tránsito on to gsm slow la as more and more T-Mobile phones replace the existing Metro phone line up.
 
zorinlynx

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
May 31, 2007
8,170
17,694
Florida, USA
osofast240sx said:
She did this herself?
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Yup, she bought the phone, took it to one of their stores, and they set it up for her.

I helped her out with some of the basics (it was her first smartphone) but she picked it up quick.

She's been extremely happy with her iPhone to the point that she actually said "Now I understand why people obsess over their phones so much."
 
jlc1978

jlc1978

macrumors 603
Aug 14, 2009
5,488
4,271
zorinlynx said:
My mother has been using her iPhone 5c on MetroPCS for a while now. How exactly is this in any way "news"?
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It's news because MetroPCS is looking to see if they hit a price point for the iPhone that a significant percentage of their customers can afford. MetroPCS' target audience is the lower end of the market - people who can't afford, or have the credit to get, a phone from the Big 3.

MetroPCS offers inexpensive no contract plans. They offer $40 - $60 unlimited talk/text/(capped speed) data; $25 unlimited Talk/Text with $5 to add Mexico. That is a pretty cheap prepaid price point; especially since they have some cheap or free phones depending on which plan you chose. Their coverage is limited and I do not recall if they allow roaming for data. Then again, their target market isn't likely to travel much beyond their local area so that is not much of an issue. Limited coverage also means all those higher revenue customers won't bail for MetroPCS even if it costs less.

Sure, you can use an iPhone on MetroPCS that is compatible with their network but they don't sell the iPhone.
 
2

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
3,327
3,015
I cheer for anythin TMob is doing right now. They are pushing the industry in a direction that favors the consumer and I like that. I dont live in an area that is covered by Metro so this does not impact me. And yet here I am cheering. Go TMob...
 
B

bozzykid

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2009
2,431
493
Southern Dad said:
Now if MetroPCS just didn't have such poor service.
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Any new phone bought from MetroPCS is operating on T-Mobile's network. T-Mobile is reclaiming the spectrum from the old MetroPCS network as they get these prepaid users off the old CDMA network.
 
charlituna

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
Plutonius said:
I always thought it was on MetroPCS.
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Not officially. Makes for interesting conversations according to the BF. They get a lot of folks coming in claiming their iPhone is defective cause calls drop, they can't use visual voicemail etc. Person is using an unofficial carrier which means it could be 100% a carrier issue.
 
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