T-Mobile's 'JUMP! On Demand' Lets Customers Upgrade Their Phones Thrice Per Year, For Free

By Lucian Armasu
published

T-Mobile announced that it's ready to upgrade its "Un-carrier" campaign to "Un-carrier Amped," and the first move it will make with the new campaign will be to eliminate the $10 fee for the "JUMP" upgrade program it launched two years ago.

The new program will be called "JUMP! On Demand," and besides the elimination of the $10 fee, it also increases the number of upgrades per year from two to three, and it allows its customers to ask for an upgrade any time they want, rather than after six months of payments.

Before, T-Mobile also included device insurance in that price, but if you still want it you can pay an $8 per month fee for the insurance alone.

In a video (below), T-mobile CEO John Legere also stated that Verizon and AT&T had started offering similar programs to its JUMP! program, but those were never quite as good, and over time they only became worse. According to Legere, Verizon has silently turned its upgrade program into another two-year contract, thinking its customers won't notice. Worst of all, Verizon customers can only upgrade their phones once.

“Customers with JUMP! On Demand can upgrade anytime − tomorrow, next week or next month − up to three times a year. Simply bring in the last phone you got with JUMP! On Demand for a quick three-point check-up to ensure it's in good working order and swap it out for a new smartphone. Which means you could get six brand new phones during the time it'd take to get one upgrade at Verizon."

Multiple high-end smartphones will be eligible for this program, and for a lower price than in the old program.

Not only will T-Mobile allow its customers to upgrade up to three times a year for free, but it will also lower the monthly payments for the iPhone 6 to only $15 a month if you trade in your smartphone. The payments are for only an 18-month period, and you don't have to pay anything else up front. If you want, you could also make multiple payments in advance, and then you'll be able to completely own the phone. Otherwise, the phone needs to be traded in with new upgrades.

The new JUMP! One Demand program will be available starting June 28. For more information you can visit T-Mobile's JUMP! On Demand (opens in new tab) page.

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Lucian Armasu
Lucian Armasu
Lucian Armasu is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers software news and the issues surrounding privacy and security.
5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • uglyduckling81
    Oh whilst it seems a bit over the top I would really like this option. My plan in Australia allows me to change phones after one year on a two year contract. I'm using a Sony Z3c and it's a piece of junk. Have so many issues with it. Turns it self into airplane mode silently, it only reveals it if I go into the settings tab to see its actually on. It's speakers are so quiet they might as well not even be there. I can't hear it ringing with it on the desk next to me most of the time. Often It just loses the ability to receive messages or data completely. I go for days thinking I'm friendless, then think to restart the phone and a heap of messages and emails are received. I can't wait to get rid of it.
    Reply
  • farhadd
    Let's read the fine print. "After 18 mos you must return device in good condition or exercise purchase option." Also, "All of your payments count toward the phone cost, and if you want to keep your smartphone, simply pay the remaining JUMP! On Demand payments and residual purchase amount." Hey John Legere, what's the "residual purchase amount"?
    Reply
  • atheus
    Let's read the fine print. "After 18 mos you must return device in good condition or exercise purchase option." Also, "All of your payments count toward the phone cost, and if you want to keep your smartphone, simply pay the remaining JUMP! On Demand payments and residual purchase amount." Hey John Legere, what's the "residual purchase amount"?

    I bought my Galaxy S4 using this program, and it was super straightforward at that time. I could either buy it outright for $600, or just pay the tax up front, then $25/month for the next 24 months (which adds up to $600). At any time I could pay off whatever balance remained on the phone.

    I'm surprised to see this 18 month language you're mentioning, but I'm sure that the "residual purchase amount" is just whatever remains of the total price of outright purchasing the phone that you haven't chipped away with your monthly payments.
    Reply
  • paesan
    Let's read the fine print. "After 18 mos you must return device in good condition or exercise purchase option." Also, "All of your payments count toward the phone cost, and if you want to keep your smartphone, simply pay the remaining JUMP! On Demand payments and residual purchase amount." Hey John Legere, what's the "residual purchase amount"?

    I bought my Galaxy S4 using this program, and it was super straightforward at that time. I could either buy it outright for $600, or just pay the tax up front, then $25/month for the next 24 months (which adds up to $600). At any time I could pay off whatever balance remained on the phone.

    I'm surprised to see this 18 month language you're mentioning, but I'm sure that the "residual purchase amount" is just whatever remains of the total price of outright purchasing the phone that you haven't chipped away with your monthly payments.

    Not sure how you could have bought your S4 using the "jump on demand" program seeing it won't be available until June 28. I think you are confusing it with the regular existing jump program.
    Reply
  • atheus
    16127015 said:
    Not sure how you could have bought your S4 using the "jump on demand" program seeing it won't be available until June 28. I think you are confusing it with the regular existing jump program.

    Obviously I'm talking about the Jump program that existed when I bought an S4... which has become Jump On Demand.
    Reply