AT&T Takes on T-Mobile By Offering $450 to Customers Who Switch Their Carrier

T-Mobile has spent the better part of the last year attempting to win customers back to its cellular service through a plethora of bonuses. And while they introduced “Uncarrier Plans”, the Apple iPhone, and the frequent device upgrade program to their pallet of wireless services, other carriers have been left with a lot of slack to pick up in the customer appreciation area.

As of today, behemoth wireless carrier AT&T is attempting to do just that – and in a really, really substantial way.

Today, the company announced that it’s offering up to $450 in credits for customers who switch from T-Mobile to AT&T for their cellular service. The bonus credit comes in two pieces: $250 for the trade-in of your current smartphone to AT&T, and an additional $200 simply for switching to AT&T.

“Beginning Jan. 3, under the limited-time offer, T-Mobile customers who switch to AT&T can trade-in their current smartphone for a promotion card of up to $250, which can be used toward AT&T products and services,” AT&T said in a press release.

“Trade-in values will vary based on make, model and age of the smartphone, but many of the latest and most popular smartphones will qualify for a value of $250. T-Mobile customers can receive an additional $200 credit per line when they transfer their wireless service to AT&T and choose an AT&T NextSM plan, buy a device at full retail price or activate a device they currently own.”.

But this very well may be a preemptive strike on AT&T’s part in preparation for T-Mobile’s forthcoming announcement – which is rumored to be a $350 offering to customers who switch from competing carriers (which covers their termination fees). The other part of the rebate comes from the trade-in of their current smartphone, just like AT&T, but is $100 less overall (at most).

Where last year held the announcement of T-Mobile’s popular “Uncarrier Plans,” 2014 is set to be the year in which the company unveils the next iteration of that program – with the platform being the big stage at CES next week.

And if you have any doubts that T-Mobile is going to keep pressing on other carriers to step up their customer appreciation game, you only need to see this tweet from the company’s CEO to get an idea for their attitude in the new year.

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