T-Mobile Prepaid Services and Rebellion Activation

Overview of Prepaid Services

• Prepay modules are designed to be more straightforward and less robust than post-payment plans because there are fewer items for a customer to select.

• The fundamental advantage of prepaid service is that it allows the customer to maintain full control over their services.

Comparative Analysis: Connect Prepay vs. T-Mobile Prepaid Unlimited

• Connect Prepay Features and Limitations:

  • Designed as a low-cost prepaid option for basic smartphone service.

  • Offered at the lowest possible monthly price point.

  • Domestic Roaming: Includes only $100\,MB$ of domestic roaming.

  • International Data: Includes no international data roaming in North America.

  • Features like Mexico and Canada usage or Stateside International talk and text require specific add-ons (applicable only to the $15+\text{ plan}$ or higher).

  • Data Cut-off: Once the data limit is reached on Connect, the data service is fully cut off.

  • Discounts: Customers on Connect are not eligible for multi-line discounts, AutoPay discounts, or employee discounts.

• T-Mobile Prepaid Unlimited Features:

  • Higher price point than Connect due to increased benefits.

  • True unlimited data experience where data never fully cuts off; instead, speeds slow down after the threshold is reached.

  • Data Threshold: Customers receive $50\,GB$ of premium high-speed data before speeds potentially slow down.

  • Hotspot: Includes a specific amount of hotspot data (the exact amount varies by plan configuration).

  • International Add-ons: Option to add Mexico, Canada, and Stateside International features.

  • Price Guarantee: Includes a $5$-year price guarantee.

  • Discounts: Eligible for AutoPay discounts, though not eligible for standard device promotions.

Ideal Customer Profiles and Engagement Strategies

• Fixed Income Customers: Individuals who need to maintain a strict budget.

• Privacy-Conscious Customers: Customers who do not wish to provide their Social Security Number. The speaker noted that some populations, such as members of the Mormon community encountered during the UScellular merger training, may have reservations about sharing personal identifiers.

• Credit-Constrained Customers: Individuals who might not pass a credit check or those who are presented with a high deposit requirement on the postpaid side that they are unprepared to pay.

• Financial Contexts: Customers in the process of buying a home who do not want a hard credit pull, although T-Mobile uses a soft credit check.

• Light to Moderate Data Users: Those who do not require substantial data amounts for daily use.

• Temporary or Seasonal Users: Travelers coming to the US or people needing a secondary line for short-term purposes.

• Elderly Use Cases: Individuals who only need a phone for emergencies or for family members to check on them.

Understanding Credit, Deposits, and Down Payments

• Credit Checks: There is no credit check required for either Connect Prepay or T-Mobile Prepaid Unlimited.

• Terminology Distinction:

  • Deposit: Refers specifically to the cost associated with the line of service during activation or when adding lines.

  • Down Payment: Refers specifically to the upfront cost for hardware, such as devices and accessories.

• Conversion Strategy (Pre-to-Post):

  • Experts should not label credit as "good" or "bad."

  • If a customer cannot afford a postpaid deposit, they can start on prepaid.

  • By making $12$ consecutive on-time payments on a prepaid account, the customer can move to postpaid as a "well-qualified" customer.

  • Becoming "well-qualified" drastically decreases the amount the customer must pay upfront for devices and services.

Technical Procedure: SIM-Only Activation in Rebellion

1. Access: Log into Tapestry and tap on the Rebellion icon.

2. Device Setup: Select the number of lines required, enter the ZIP code, and tap "Continue."

3. Plans and Services:

   • Enter a nickname for the line (e.g., the customer's name).

   • Tap "Add a Plan" and select the customer's preferred plan from the pop-up window.

   • Tap "Add Service" in the services section to include any desired add-ons (e.g., International features), then tap "Close."

4. Hardware Validation:

   • Tap "IMEI and SKU Validation."

   • Use the Remos camera to scan the SIM card.

   • Tap "Confirm Scan" and then "Validate."

5. Account Setup:

   • Enter the customer’s email address. Explain that this is necessary for PIN resets and account validation.

   • Have the customer select a secure account PIN.

6. Line Setup:

   • Select "Get a New Number" or port an existing number.

   • If getting a new number, provide the customer with choices and tap "Reserve Number."

7. Address Verification:

   • Choose to opt-in or opt-out of the emergency address emergency service options.

   • Enter the ZIP code for the Primary Place of Use (PPU).

   • Confirm the address against the validation pop-up.

8. Finalization:

   • For multi-line accounts, select the primary number for account updates.

   • Review the order details (address, ZIP, phone number) with the customer.

   • Scroll through the Terms and Conditions and tap "Accept and Place Order."

   • Select the tender type to complete the transaction.

9. Post-Activation Tip: Ensure the customer sets up a T-Mobile ID on their account immediately to assist with future account changes.

Questions & Discussion

• Question: Can we tell customers that prepaid will fix their credit for postpaid?

• Answer: Do not tell customers it will improve their overall credit score (T-Mobile does not report to credit bureaus in that way). Instead, frame it as: after $12$ on-time payments, the customer becomes "well-qualified" in the T-Mobile system, which lowers the required upfront costs.

• Question: What happened with the UScellular merger?

• Answer: T-Mobile merged with/bought UScellular. Specific documentation is available in "Post" or by searching "UScellular" to see how those employees and customers are being integrated into the "Magenta world."

• Question: Does T-Mobile have annual contracts?

• Answer: No. T-Mobile removed annual service contracts as part of the "Un-carrier" initiative. Postpaid customers may have Equipment Installment Plans (EIP) for devices, but they are not locked into a service contract and are free to leave at any time.

• Question: Can you convert from postpaid to prepaid in-store?

• Answer: Yes, this is a valid retention strategy, especially when a customer is looking to cancel postpaid service due to cost.