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Smartphones

T-Mobile will pay up to $650 to switch you from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon

By Laptopmag.com
Published | Updated
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Jan. 8, 2013: Outspoken T-Mobile CEO John Legere speaks at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show. (Laptopmag.com)

With an appropriately cheeky name of Get Out of Jail Free Card, T-Mobile has announced that it will pay off early termination fees for customers who want to switch from other major carriers. This includes AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. The total value could be up to $650 per line when you add an eligible phone trade-in.

T-Mobile will pay up to $350 per line and another $300 for the device. This Get Out of Jail Free Card can add up to 5 lines or $650 per line. T-Mobile claims that a family for four can then save 1,880 over two years versus other carriers because of its more aggressive rates. T-Mobile says it will even help switchers draft their break-up letter online.

MORE: Best Smartphones 2014

Here at CES, T-Mobile also announced that its 4G LTE network is the fastest in the U.S., now reaching 209 million people in 273 markets. The provider did its own testing using Speedtest.net, and it came out on top, with Sprint coming in last.

To help enhance it’s network, T-Mobile says it’s rolling out its Wideband LTE service to deliver even faster speeds using 20 + 20 MHz LTE technology. We’re talking 147 Mbps peak downloads. This service will start in Dallas. In fact, T-Mobile claims that its speeds are more than twice than fast as AT&T Uverse home service.

T-Mobile has debuted a few devices with Wideband LTE capability, including the LG G Flex, Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 and Sony Xperia Z1s. More are likely to come soon.

During its press event, T-Mobile announced that it added more customers than every other carrier combined in Q4 in 2013–1.6 million–thanks to the momentum of its Uncarrier strategy. In 2013, T-Mobile got rid of contracts, introduced its Jump phone upgrade plan and allowed customers to use data overseas for no extra charge.

As per usual, T-Mobile CEO John Legere took shots at the competition, but he backed up the bluster by announcing 4.4 million customers added in 2013. According to Legere, this makes T-Mobile the fastest growing wireless provider. T-Mobile also promised to improve coverage in rural and suburban areas, which has been a weakness.