• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Tech

Why T-Mobile Is Rebranding MetroPCS to ‘Metro by T-Mobile’

By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 24, 2018, 9:00 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

More than five years after T-Mobile’s super-successful acquisition of MetroPCS, the carrier is overhauling its branding and market positioning to attract more customers.

MetroPCS, which had largely kept its separate identity after being acquired, focuses on the so-called prepaid segment of the wireless market, requiring customers to pay up-front every month and typically targeting people with weak or no credit histories and lower incomes. Since T-Mobile bought the unit, its subscriber base has more than doubled to 18 million as the brand spread from just 12 markets to about 100 nationwide currently.

Now T-Mobile (TMUS) wants to make big changes. Starting in October, MetroPCS will be renamed “Metro by T-Mobile” and will add enhanced unlimited data plans in an effort to appeal to a broader customer audience. New advertising will emphasize that its service runs on the same wireless network as T-Mobile. And aligning itself with several other popular brands, both of Metro’s new unlimited plans will include at no additional cost cloud storage from Google’s Google One program and one plan will also include Amazon Prime, the e-commerce giant’s free delivery and video programming service.

The first new Metro plan will start at $50 for one line and run up to $140 for four lines and will include unlimited 4G LTE data for phones, 5 GB per month of tethered data for a connected laptop or tablet, and Google One. The second new plan starts at $60 for one line and goes up to $150 for four lines. It also gets unlimited 4G LTE phone data, 15 GB of tethering data, and includes both Google One and Amazon Prime. Both plans have the industry’s usual caveat of slowing download rates if customers use too much data in a month. Here the threshold is a generous 35 GB. And video streaming is downgraded to DVD-quality.

The new plan prices are set just above Metro’s existing limited data plans, which start at $30 and $40 for one line, and just below regular T-Mobile unlimited plans, which start at $70 for one line. Metro’s prior unlimited plans without the add-ons started at $50 for one line.

A new ad campaign will use the tagline “That’s Genius” and emphasize both that Metro’s service has wide, high-speed coverage thanks to T-Mobile and the links to Google (GOOGL) and Amazon (AMZN). That’s in synch with the rest of the wireless industry that is increasingly turning to bundling with popular online brands. AT&T (T) offers many wireless customers free HBO or its new WatchTV app; Sprint throws in Hulu subscriptions; and Verizon (VZ) grants a six month free trial to Apple Music. T-Mobile itself gives unlimited data customers Netflix (NFLX).

MetroPCS president Tom Keys, who joined the company in 2005, says the overhaul is a result of polling customers and discovering that many had a poor impression of his unit. Of the millions of people living within one and one-half miles of a store selling MetroPCs service, only about 30% either subscribed, had subscribed in the past, or would consider subscribing, while 70% excluded the brand from consideration completely. “We found a few problems, some that we had probably created,” Keys tells Fortune. “It’s never easy to look yourself in the mirror but it was helpful.”

The new aim is to escape the stigma of prepaid service and appeal to all kinds of customers, he says. Many consumers didn’t understand how prepaid service worked and other believed it was inherently worse than postpaid service, not realizing that MetroPCS ran on T-Mobile’s network. Changing the name, adding the new unlimited plans, and partnering with Google and Amazon is aimed at changing those views. “We think we can break that myth,” Keys says.

The overhaul has been in the works for about a year and isn’t connected to whether or not T-Mobile succeeds in merging with rival Sprint (S), Keys says. In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission last week, the two carriers pledged to continue offering Metro and Sprint’s two prepaid brands, Boost and Virgin, even after the merger.

“All that is still to come,” Keys says. “This move that we’re doing was not contemplated at all with the potential merger. This is just a standalone announcement.”

(This story was updated on September 24 to clarify that the new unlimited plans are the same price as prior unlimited plans.)

About the Author
By Aaron Pressman
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

How foodservice giant Sodexo is embracing AI and robotics to reshape the kitchen
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How foodservice giant Sodexo is embracing AI and robotics to reshape the kitchen
By John KellJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
AIAnthropic
Anthropic’s AI models are back online after a two-week government standoff—settling the company and administration into a fragile truce
By Tristan BoveJuly 1, 2026
5 hours ago
Nikesh Arora, chief executive officer at Palo Alto Networks
SuccessJobs
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
6 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
8 hours ago
In this photo illustration, a Cisco logo is displayed on a smartphone with Artificial Intellingence (AI) symbols in the background.
AICFO Daily
Cisco is rolling out AI agents to every single one of its 90,000 employees
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 1, 2026
8 hours ago
senate
CommentaryCongress
One rare bipartisan AI bill is moving through Congress. Here’s why it deserves to pass
By Neil Björkman and Betsy BrewerJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
14 hours ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
4 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
12 hours ago
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
Commentary
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
By Marc AndersenJune 30, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.