- T-Mobile used its Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP) sponsorship to spotlight its new “15 Minutes to Better” switching pitch
- Verizon quickly hit back, arguing T-Mobile’s speed-first approach sacrifices a quality switching experience
- Beyond the switching theme, fans packed T-Mobile’s Las Vegas Signature Store for LVGP demos, including race simulators and VIP-style showcases
T-Mobile’s big news last week was the “15 Minutes to Better” initiative that lets consumers switch from Verizon and AT&T over to T-Mobile in the span of 15 minutes.
The scheme centers on speed, which made it an appropriate tie-in to the Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP), which took place Nov. 20-22. T-Mobile is the exclusive 5G partner of the LVGP.
To showcase its LVGP partnership, the Bellevue, Washington-based operator invited a group of reporters and analysts to a behind-the-scenes tour of the T-Mobile Signature Store on Las Vegas Boulevard ahead of the big race. Fierce was part of that group.
The store seized on the chance to promote the “switch fast” feature with a booth near the back of the store on the first floor, where a “pit stop” was staged for people to make the switch.
“Switch to T-Mobile in the fast lane and experience the race like a VIP,” said one of the signs.
Verizon strikes back
As one could imagine, Verizon was having none of it and responded with a missive saying T-Mobile’s approach puts speed ahead of the quality of experience, plugging its own “Pro on the Go” device delivery service.
“For customers, the ‘hassle’ of switching isn't just about filling out forms quickly; it is about the anxiety of what happens after the new phone arrives. Do I have all my data? Do I have all my apps? Who can help if something goes wrong? Verizon’s approach demonstrates that a premium, managed switch is far superior to a fast, automated drop-off,” Verizon stated.
Fierce and most everyone else covering T-Mobile’s switching story last week wondered how Verizon would respond, and it was relatively fast. It appears that Dan Schulman, who abruptly took over the Verizon CEO reins from Hans Vestberg last month, isn’t wasting time when Magenta starts talking smack about Big Red.
T-Mobile entices fans into store
Switching or not, fans were lined up outside the T-Mobile Las Vegas Signature Store over the weekend to get a chance to see its LVGP showcase and experience driving demos. The second-floor showroom included a race car simulator where fans could get a feel for what it’s like driving a car at 140 mph.
In the video above, T-Mobile retail associates Jenine Mandolini and Britt Iwata give us a quick tour of the gaming simulators and other cool stuff on the second floor.
