T-mobile's premium shift may backfire, survey reveals

T-Mobile, the US' second-largest carrier, is gradually adopting a premium identity, scaling back promotions to prevent margin erosion. However, a recent survey suggests this strategy may not pay off as customers react negatively.

Plotting a departure

When asked how they'd respond to the policy change, 65.84% of the 688 respondents, or 453, plan to leave T-Mobile. Another 16% implied they'd abandon plans to switch to the carrier.

Only 18% of those polled, or 122, intend to stick with the telecom giant. The results indicate a potential backlash against the revised free line and device promotion rules.

T-Mobile's new policy restricts future device financing for free lines, effective April 15. It has also halved the number of family lines eligible for device promotions, from four to two. While the carrier still offers discounts for new customers, the generous subsidies of the past are slowly disappearing.

Industry peers AT&T and Verizon are reportedly making similar adjustments, recognizing that aggressive deals aren't sustainable in the long term. As T-Mobile transforms, customers must adapt to a new landscape of more targeted promotions.