Sprint MVNO Ting, the MVNO best known for its multi-line, usage based service has announced that it is offering new customers currently under contract to competing carriers and even Sprint customers an incentive to switch to its service.
Starting on February 1st and continuing throughout the month, Ting will pay up to the maximum $350 ETF for any customer currently under contract to a competing carrier in order to move to Ting.
As Ting is a hybrid monthly service with no service agreements, the incentive to pay out $100,000 in ETF fees is sure to drive a lot of interest in the service, especially from Sprint customers, as it now allows activation of previously activated Sprint-branded devices.
To that end, Ting is encouraging those that want to plan ahead for the promotion to purchase its line of new and refurbished devices now in order to be ready, while also detailing its list of compatible Sprint-branded phones that have been previously activated. While the act of paying ETFs in order to draw interested customers isn’t new, this is the first time that a virtual operator with no postpaid option has done so. Ting has also written instructions for how the payout will work:
When you port your mobile number to Ting, your current service provider will automatically cancel your service and send your final bill. This bill will include your ETF.
Share a scan or PDF print screen of your final bill showing your ETF amount. We’ll drop a service credit equivalent to your ETF, not including taxes, into your account
Anyone that activates within the month of February and that submits their final bill within 30 days of their activation date is eligible for the ETF payout.
We’re not into setting limits but in this case, we must: We’ll be paying out the ETF up to the maximum per line which, depending on your carrier, can be as high as $350. You can bring over multiple lines and we’ll give you up to the $350 max for each line.
Ting’s additional caveats for the offer also emphasize that the original number from the previous carrier’s account must be used to open the new account starting on the new service, with safeguards in place to ensure those that want to port in to take advantage of the promotion can do so without worrying that the service credits being rewarded will be allotted prematurely. Contracts that have been terminated prior to the February 1st date for the start of the promotion will not qualify, again due to the stipulation that the number must be ported in anytime between the 1st and 28th of February.
The other major caveat concerns those that are on Sprint and want to move both device and number to Ting. Due to the current way that BYOSD is set up on Ting, in order for a current Sprint customer to take advantage of the offer correctly, the number must be ported to a Ting-approved device or a previously activated Sprint phone first, then, after the port is complete, the device on the former Sprint account can be activated on Ting.
It’s quite likely this will get hit very quickly. Some have figured out you can walk into a Sprint store today, sign up, and port out to Ting the same day.
Ting pays the ETF while you miraculously get Ting to pay for the remaining 1.999 years of your two year agreement.
It’s very clear why Ting set the cap at $100,000, it remains to be seen how much backlash Ting will get if they hit the cap (and have to pull the offer) before day one/two is done.