TECH

Verizon tries to win back T-Mobile customers with $500 credit and free iPhones

The US telecom sector is not as competitive as it once was, but that does not mean the carriers have stopped rolling out offers, deals, and discounts to attract new users and win back disgruntled former customers. Verizon's current promo aims to lure back former customers who switched to T-Mobile.

The customer was informed about the new deal after they reached out to T-Mobile to inquire about the free line offer that was introduced to select customers last week.

“I contacted T-Mobile because I haven't seen the discount for the free line from the t-life app yet and while trying to talk to a rep this free line offer popped up,” said the customer in the reddit thread.

In the comment section under the post, some T-Mobile customers even claimed that they received text messages from T-Mobile that informed them of their eligibility for the new free line offer.

In an update on March 19, a T-Mobile spokesperson tells TheStreet that the line will remain free as long as the customer maintains eligibility. They claim that the AI-generated message that the customer received was an error, and the company is working on fixing the issue.

"The free line will remain free as long as the customer maintains eligibility," said the spokesperson. "It can also be used on the customer’s current plan or one of our Go5G plans should they decide to move to one of our newest plans."

Verizon is emailing former customers and offering them $500 in bill credit as an incentive to switch back. A Redditor, who claims to have received at least four messages over the past few weeks, says he called the carrier for more information, as the offer email did not have any terms or details.

The Verizon rep informed him the offer includes $500 in bill credits for eligible customers over 36 months – an approximate $14 discount per billing cycle. The rep also said he was eligible for a new free line if he switched back and bought a new phone. However, the Redditor declined the "horrible" offer as the monthly discount was too small.

Several former Verizon customers responded to the Reddit post, saying they were happy with their new carrier and would not switch even if it offered $1,000. Some cited poor customer service and pushy sales tactics as the main reasons for ending their relationship with Verizon, adding that they are much happier with T-Mobile.

If that does not do the trick, Verizon has a second promo to steal former clients from T-Mobile. Customers who switch back can claim four free iPhone 16. However, this deal is also falling flat, with some pointing out that Verizon just increased its prices a few weeks ago, and there is no guarantee that it will not hike prices again after they re-enroll.

Meanwhile, the Uncarrier is trying to placate customers following backlash for its latest price hikes. After users poured onto social media sites and internet message boards to vent their frustration, the company launched a limited-time deal, offering select customers a free voice line, which they can claim through the T-Life app.

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