Metro by T-Mobile

Metro by T-Mobile (formerly known as MetroPCS and also known simply as Metro) is a prepaid brand owned by T-Mobile US. It previously operated the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the United States using code-division multiple access (CDMA). In 2013, the carrier engaged in a reverse merger with T-Mobile US; post-merger, its services were merged under T-Mobile's 4G and LTE network.[2]

Metro by T-Mobile
Division
ISINUS5917081029 
IndustryWireless telecommunications
Predecessor
  • General Wireless, Inc.
  • MetroPCS Communications, Inc.
Founded1994 (1994) (as General Wireless, Inc.)
FounderRoger Linquist
Malcolm Lorang
Headquarters
Richardson, Texas
,
United States
Area served
United States
Key people
Thomas C. Keys (President)
ServicesMobile communications
ParentT-Mobile US
Websitewww.metrobyt-mobile.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

History

Early history

Metro was established in 1994 as General Wireless, Inc., by Roger D. Linquist and Malcolm Lorang.[3] PCS referred to the industry term, Personal Communications Service. Its service was first launched in 2002.[4][5]

As of February 2005, MetroPCS had about 1.5 million subscribers in the country.[6] At the time, the company operated through 21 licenses in Greater Miami, Tampa, Sarasota, San Francisco, Atlanta and Sacramento.[7] The company expanded to the Dallas and Detroit areas later that year.[8]

On April 19, 2007, MetroPCS made its stock market debut. Its $50 million share IPO closed at $27.40, for a market cap of $8 billion.[9][10][11]

Merger with T-Mobile

In October 2012, the company, known then as MetroPCS, reached an agreement to merge with T-Mobile USA.[12][13] A reverse merger for MetroPCS, the deal closed on May 1, 2013. The combined company, now known as T-Mobile US, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.[14][15] On June 21, 2015, the legacy MetroPCS CDMA network was decommissioned, and customers were migrated to the company's LTE network.[16]

At the time of the merger, T-Mobile had about 32 million subscribers, to which MetroPCS added around 9 million.[17]

In 2012, there was a series of armed robberies in Metro stores which was attributed to low security measures.[18] In the same year, T-Mobile and Metro became some of the earliest companies to offer unlimited data plans.[19]

Rebranding
The company logo, which was used until the rebranding in 2018.

On September 24, 2018, T-Mobile announced that it would re-launch the brand as Metro by T-Mobile, introducing new unlimited plans offering bundled features such as Amazon Prime subscriptions and Google One storage, and announcing that the brand aims to be the first prepaid mobile carrier to offer 5G in 2019.[20] T-Mobile stated that these changes would help to reduce the negative stigmas associated with MetroPCS's prepaid services, by aligning them with other well-known brands as value-added services, and placing a larger emphasis on its use of T-Mobile's network.[21][22] The renamed carrier launched in early October 2018. At the time of the name change, T-Mobile's subscriber number had increased to around 75 million and Metro's had doubled to around 18 million users and had increased their nationwide market reach from around 12 to 100 markets.[17][23]

Corporate affairs

Products

Metro is T-Mobile US's branch of prepaid services, currently offering a selection of 31 smartphones and four data plans as of March 18, 2019.[24][25]

Metro conducts its operations on their physical store locations only, in contrast with other prepaid brands that offer services on physical locations and online.

Advertising

In February 2019, the company announced a new long-term advertising campaign featuring Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo.[26]

Reception

Network quality

The launch of MetroPCS's LTE network was met with mixed reviews. In November 2010, Gigaom's Kevin Tofel noted that although the LTE network was based on 4G technology, "the infrastructure MetroPCS is using keeps speeds in the range of older 3G networks". Tofel measured data speeds "far slower than T-Mobile's HSPA+ network" but considered that users with only basic data requirements would find the no-contract deal "refreshing."[27] Referencing Tofel's review, Laptop Mag's Corvida Raven concluded that MetroPCS "probably isn't using the best LTE technology."[28]

Slate's Farhad Manjoo panned the service by suggesting that MetroPCS was able to roll out 4G coverage sooner and cheaper than its competitors by offering only the Samsung Craft, a feature phone with sub-standard internet capabilities, as its launch device. Due to the quality of the device (described as being "designed not just to frustrate users but to get us to swear off ever using any phone again"), the network, and MetroPCS's decision to block video streaming services aside from YouTube under its "unlimited web" plan, Manjoo considered it a device designed to disappoint users excited for 4G.[29][30]

Marketing

MetroPCS attracted criticism in 2010 for an advertising campaign featuring two Indian characters, Ranjit and Chad (the former being played by veteran Indian actor Anjul Nigam), hosting a phone-in show titled Tech & Talk. Their content was believed to be stereotypical and offensive.[31][31][32]

Following the T-Mobile merger, MetroPCS introduced a campaign to highlight its inclusion of all related taxes and fees in advertised prices. The campaign was ridiculed by many people who interpreted an unintended double meaning in the slogan, referring to the menstrual cycle.[33]

Awards

Metro ranked first in customer experience among the non-contract full-service carriers in the 2018 and 2019 J.D. Power U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Non-Contract Performance Studies.[34]

gollark: Well, each guild has a "phone" "number" generated from a hash of its ID, which can then be used by other people to "call" it. When you "call" it, the people there are asked to take the call. If they accept, it adds it to the "calls" database, and currently does nothing.
gollark: Anyone with "manage channels".
gollark: You need to explicitly configure it as one.
gollark: µhahaha. It can now connect calls.
gollark: No.

See also

References
  1. "Management & Board of Directors". T-Mobile US. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. "Document". www.sec.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  3. "20. Roger Linquist, Chairman, CEO, MetroPCS". FierceWireless. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  4. https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/richards-introduce-metropcs-52269/
  5. http://getfilings.com/o0001193125-04-050470.html
  6. https://www.brandsoftheworld.com/logo/metropcs-0
  7. https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2004/11/29/daily1.html
  8. https://www.rcrwireless.com/20051010/archived-articles/metropcs-attracts-600m-in-vc-funding
  9. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-metropcs-ipo-idUSN1945699620070419
  10. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/metropcs-rallies-as-07s-first-1-bln-ipo
  11. Ball, Amol Sharma and Yvonne. "IPO of MetroPCS Ends Run Of Poor Telecom Debuts". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  12. "T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS to combine". Chicago Tribune. October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  13. Gryta, Thomas (2013-05-01). "T-Mobile Makes a Fresh Start on Big Board". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  14. "MetroPCS shareholders approve merger with T-Mobile USA". Reuters. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  15. Rodriguez, Salvador. (May 1, 2013) Combined T-Mobile-MetroPCS debuts on N.Y. Stock Exchange as 'TMUS'. latimes.com. Retrieved on August 23, 2013.
  16. "T-Mobile shuts down MetroPCS legacy network". RCR Wireless. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  17. "Metro by T-Mobile: Everything you need to know". www.androidauthority.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  18. Wilson, Michael (2012-01-06). "MetroPCS a Draw for Bargain Hunters, and Robbers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  19. "Washington Post: T-Mobile, MetroPCS to launch unlimited 4G data plans".
  20. "Metro by T-Mobile says it will be first prepaid carrier to offer 5G in 2019". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  21. "T-Mobile Decides to Make It More Obvious that It Owns MetroPCS". Fortune. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  22. "T-Mobile's Metro prepaid wireless service commits to 5G in 2019". CNET. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  23. "T-Mobile Decides to Make It More Obvious that It Owns MetroPCS". Fortune. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  24. "Metro data plans". www.metropcs.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  25. "3 Important Facts Every MetroPCS User Needs to Know". www.mustips.com/. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  26. "Giannis adds endorsement deal with Metro by T-Mobile". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  27. Tofel, Kevin C. (November 26, 2010). "For $55, What Kind of LTE Experience Does MetroPCS Deliver?". GigaOM. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  28. Raven, Corvida (November 26, 2010). "MetroPCS's LTE Service Tested, Found Wanting". Laptop Mag. Future plc. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  29. Manjoo, Farhad. "4G, Samsung Craft, MetroPCS: The worst cell phone on earth". Slate. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  30. jillian.breska (2019-02-13). "2019 U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Performance Studies". J.D. Power. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  31. "Did this MetroPCS ad make the tech world cringe?". CNET. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  32. Poniewozik, James (2010-02-07). "The Best and Worst Super Bowl Commercials of 2010". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  33. "13 Best & Worst Tech Commercials of 2013". Laptop Magazine. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  34. crescent.seward (2018-02-12). "2018 U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Studies -- Vol. 1". J.D. Power. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
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