Metro by T-Mobile

{{Infobox company

| name = Metro by T-Mobile

| logo = Metro By T-Mobile 2022.svg

| logo_size = 250px

| former_name = {{Unbulleted list|General Wireless, Inc.|MetroPCS Communications, Inc.}}

| type = Division

| successor = T-Mobile US

| industry = Wireless telecommunications

| founded = {{start date and age|1994}}

| founder = Roger Linquist
Malcolm Lorang,

Mohsen Ayyad, Khaled Ayyad

| location_city = Richardson, Texas

| location_country = United States

| area_served = United States

| key_people = {{ubl|Thomas C. Keys (president)|Maria Yniga Inaque Ynez B. Zobel De Ayala}}

| services = Mobile communications

| owner =

| parent = Independent (1990-2012)
T-Mobile US (2012-present)

| website = {{URL|https://metrobyt-mobile.com}}

| footnotes = {{cite web|title=Management & Board of Directors|url=https://investor.t-mobile.com/corporate-governance/management-and-board-of-directors/default.aspx|publisher=T-Mobile US|access-date=March 18, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318221302/https://investor.t-mobile.com/corporate-governance/management-and-board-of-directors/default.aspx|archive-date=March 18, 2019}}

}}

Metro by T-Mobile, formerly known as MetroPCS, and simply known as Metro, is an American prepaid wireless service provider and 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 UMTS and LTE network.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1283699/000128369919000015/tmus12312018form10-k.htm|title=Document|website=www.sec.gov|access-date=February 21, 2019}} Metro by T-Mobile competes primarily against AT&T's Cricket Wireless, EchoStar's Boost Mobile and Verizon's Visible as part of the wireless service provider brands. Metro by T-Mobile has twenty million subscribers as of 2021.{{Cite web |title=MVNOs: A Complete List Of Carriers With Subscriber Counts |url=https://bestmvno.com/mvnos/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=BestMVNO |language=en-US}}{{Needs update|date=September 2024|reason=Subscriber count is from 2021}}

History

=Early history=

Metro was established in 1994 as General Wireless, Inc., by Roger Linquist and Malcolm Lorang.{{cite news |url=http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/20-roger-lindquist-chairman-ceo-metropcs|title=20. Roger Linquist, Chairman, CEO, MetroPCS |publisher=FierceWireless |access-date=June 9, 2015 }} PCS referred to the industry term, Personal Communications Service. Its service was first launched in 2002.{{Cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/richards-introduce-metropcs-52269/|title = Richards to Introduce MetroPCS| date=October 8, 2001 }}{{Cite web|url=http://getfilings.com/o0001193125-04-050470.html|title=METROPCS INC - 10-K Annual Report - 12/31/2003}}

As of February 2005, MetroPCS had about 1.5 million subscribers in the country.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brandsoftheworld.com/logo/metropcs-0|title=Metropcs | Brands of the World™ | Download vector logos and logotypes}} At the time, the company operated through 21 licenses in Greater Miami, Tampa, Sarasota, New York City, San Francisco, Atlanta and Sacramento.{{cite news |title=Cingular to sell wireless spectrum to MetroPCS |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2004/11/29/daily1.html |access-date=May 23, 2023 |work=Milwaukee Business Journal |date=November 29, 2004}} (subscription required) The company expanded to the Dallas and Detroit areas later that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rcrwireless.com/20051010/archived-articles/metropcs-attracts-600m-in-vc-funding|title = MetroPCS attracts $600M in VC funding|date = November 30, 1999}}

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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-metropcs-ipo-idUSN1945699620070419|title=MetroPCS IPO up sharply in market debut|newspaper=Reuters|date=April 19, 2007|last1=Kim|first1=Sinead Carew}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/metropcs-rallies-as-07s-first-1-bln-ipo|title = MetroPCS IPO raises $1.15 billion, shares rally}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB117699891270375667|title=IPO of MetroPCS Ends Run Of Poor Telecom Debuts|last=Ball|first=Amol Sharma and Yvonne|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=April 20, 2007|language=en-US|access-date=February 21, 2019}}

=Merger with T-Mobile=

In October 2012, the company, known then as MetroPCS, reached an agreement to merge with T-Mobile USA.{{cite news|title=T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS to combine|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-metropcs-board-oks-merger-with-tmobile-usa-20121003,0,1683996.story|publisher=Chicago Tribune|access-date=October 3, 2012|date=October 3, 2012|archive-date=October 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008122222/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-metropcs-board-oks-merger-with-tmobile-usa-20121003,0,1683996.story|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323628004578456750221426268|title=T-Mobile Makes a Fresh Start on Big Board|last=Gryta|first=Thomas|date=May 1, 2013|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=March 8, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}} 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.{{cite news|title=MetroPCS shareholders approve merger with T-Mobile USA|date=April 24, 2013|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-metropcs-tmobileusa-idUSBRE93N0S620130424|work=Reuters|access-date=May 16, 2017|last1=Garza|first1=Lisa Maria}}Rodriguez, Salvador. (May 1, 2013) [https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-tmobile-metropcs-acquisition-complete-20130501,0,5210257.story Combined T-Mobile-MetroPCS debuts on N.Y. Stock Exchange as 'TMUS']. latimes.com. Retrieved on August 23, 2013. On June 21, 2015, the legacy MetroPCS CDMA network was decommissioned, and customers were migrated to the company's LTE network.{{cite web|title=T-Mobile shuts down MetroPCS legacy network |date=June 21, 2015|url=http://www.rcrwireless.com/20150621/carriers/metropcs-legacy-network-shut-down-tag17|publisher=RCR Wireless|access-date=September 18, 2015}}

At the time of the merger, T-Mobile had about 32 million subscribers, to which MetroPCS added around 9 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/metro-by-t-mobile-2-908138/|title=Metro by T-Mobile: Everything you need to know|website=www.androidauthority.com|date=January 30, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2019}}

In 2012, there was a series of armed robberies in Metro stores which was attributed to low security measures.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/nyregion/metropcs-a-draw-for-bargain-hunters-and-robbers.html|title=MetroPCS a Draw for Bargain Hunters, and Robbers|last=Wilson|first=Michael|date=January 6, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 21, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

In the same year, T-Mobile and Metro became some of the earliest companies to offer unlimited data plans.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/t-mobile-metropcs-launching-unlimited-4g-data-plans/2012/08/22/f352b97c-ec54-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html|title=Washington Post: T-Mobile, MetroPCS to launch unlimited 4G data plans|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

= Rebranding =

File:MetroPCS logo.svg

On September 24, 2018, T-Mobile announced that it would relaunch the brand as Metro by T-Mobile (a move that would take effect two weeks later),{{cite web | url=https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/metro-5g | title=Metro by T‑Mobile Goes Live, Commits to 5G | publisher=T-Mobile US | date=October 8, 2018 | accessdate=December 14, 2021}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/10/08/tmobile-metro-brand-promises-5-g-wireless-service-2019/1567235002/|title=Metro by T-Mobile says it will be first prepaid carrier to offer 5G in 2019|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=March 8, 2019}} 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.{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2018/09/24/t-mobile-rebranding-metropcs-metro-by-t-mobile/|title=T-Mobile Decides to Make It More Obvious that It Owns MetroPCS|work=Fortune|access-date=October 9, 2018|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/t-mobiles-metro-prepaid-wireless-service-commits-to-5g-in-2019/|title=T-Mobile's Metro prepaid wireless service commits to 5G in 2019|date=October 8, 2018|work=CNET|access-date=October 9, 2018|language=en}} 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.{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2018/09/24/t-mobile-rebranding-metropcs-metro-by-t-mobile/|title=T-Mobile Decides to Make It More Obvious that It Owns MetroPCS|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=March 8, 2019}}

Corporate affairs

=Products=

Metro is T-Mobile US's branch of prepaid services, currently offering a large variety of smartphones and four data plans as of March 18, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metropcs.com/shop/plans|title=Metro data plans|website=www.metropcs.com|access-date=March 8, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mustips.com/facts-metropcs/|title=3 Important Facts Every MetroPCS User Needs to Know|website=www.mustips.com/|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=April 10, 2020}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/02/12/giannis-adds-endorsement-deal-with-metro-by-t.html|title=Giannis adds endorsement deal with Metro by T-Mobile|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=March 8, 2019}}

Criticism

=Network quality=

In November 2010, 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. Referencing Tofel's review, Corvida Raven of Laptop Mag concluded that MetroPCS "probably isn't using the best LTE technology."{{cite news |url=https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/metropcss-lte-tested-found-wanting |title=MetroPCS's LTE Service Tested, Found Wanting |last=Raven |first=Corvida | authorlink=Corvida Raven | work=Laptop Mag |date=November 26, 2010 |publisher=Future US}}

In February 2011, Farhad Manjoo of Slate 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.{{cite news |url=https://slate.com/technology/2011/02/4g-samsung-craft-metropcs-the-worst-cell-phone-on-earth.html |title=4G, Samsung Craft, MetroPCS: The worst cell phone on earth. |last=Manjoo |first=Farhad | authorlink=Farhad Manjoo | work=Slate| date=February 3, 2011}}

However, in a 2019 study by J.D. Power, Metro by T-Mobile ranked highest among non-contract full-service carriers.{{Cite press release |url=https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2019-us-wireless-purchase-experience-performance-studies |title=2019 U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Performance Studies | first=Geno | last=Effler | publisher=J.D. Power |date=February 13, 2019 }}

=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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/did-this-metropcs-ad-make-the-tech-world-cringe/|title=Did this MetroPCS ad make the tech world cringe?|date=February 8, 2010|work=CNET|access-date=October 9, 2018|language=en}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1960734_1960750_1960810,00.html|title=The Best and Worst Super Bowl Commercials of 2010|last=Poniewozik|first=James|date=February 7, 2010|magazine=Time|access-date=October 9, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0040-781X}}

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 "Period Power", referring to the menstrual cycle.{{Cite news|url=https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-tech-commercials-2013|title=13 Best & Worst Tech Commercials of 2013|work=Laptop Magazine|access-date=October 9, 2018}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/jd-power-2018-us-wireless-purchase-experience-studies-vol-1|title=2018 U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Studies -- Vol. 1|last=crescent.seward|date=February 12, 2018|website=J.D. Power|language=en|access-date=February 21, 2019}}