T-Mobile prepaid brand MetroPCS launches promotion with boosted data bucket for customers porting from Sprint, AT&T and Verizon

T-Mobile US’ MetroPCS prepaid brand unveiled a new multiline promotion targeting customers porting their lines in from a rival carrier.

The limited-time offer promises unlimited domestic voice calling, text messaging and six gigabytes of unthrottled LTE data per line for $30 per month for up to five lines of service. But, to get the 6 GB of data, customers need to port their number in from another wireless carrier, otherwise they are only offered 3 GB of unthrottled LTE data for the $30 per month price. Customers can keep the rate plan for as long as they remain a MetroPCS customer.

In addition to the traditional cellular services, the MetroPCS plans also include its Music Unlimited service, which includes unlimited streaming of music from more than 40 online platforms, and the ability to use their device and data bucket as a mobile hot spot.

While the offer is open to customers porting their lines from any rival, the carrier did single out Sprint in its press release. Sprint currently offers prepaid services through its own branded offering, as well as through its Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA brands.

Sprint earlier this year juggled pricing plans for its Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile brands in a move to reverse prepaid defections. The carrier said it lost 491,000 direct prepaid customers during the final three months of last year, which in turn dragged down what would have been a strong quarter of growth for the beleaguered carrier. Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure excused the dip by stating the carrier was not interested in chasing lower profit customers, which look to have found refuge in the arms of T-Mobile US and AT&T Mobility, both of which reported an identical 469,000 net prepaid additions during the fourth quarter of last year.

“Prepaid has been fiercely competitive,” Claure said. “We had to decide where we wanted to compete and that was more focus on postpaid. We have a good value proposition in prepaid, but are not going to fight for unprofitable customers. Not adding customers for the sake of adding customers.”

AT&T Mobility earlier this month expanded the availability of its Cricket Wireless prepaid brand and international capabilities for its GoPhone brand. Verizon Wireless, which like Sprint has seen its prepaid efforts stall, earlier this year bolstered its branded prepaid service by increasing the data bucket at two price points.

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