This comes after T-Mobile took a jibe at AT&T for offering limited senior discounts
American wireless carriers are used to getting lawsuits — particularly T-Mobile, which has faced several lawsuits over the years, including in June this year for leaving Sprint 5G customers hanging following the heavily publicized merger. Well, the self-ascribed Un-carrier is gearing up for another legal battle, this time with AT&T, as the latter has made it clear it is unhappy over its competitor’s recent marketing campaign alleging that AT&T and Verizon don’t offer senior discounts unless they live in Florida.
In a lawsuit filed with the US District Court in Sherman, Texas on September 6, AT&T alleges that T-Mobile’s campaign is attempting to “deceive senior citizens” on purpose. The company then clarifies its stance on senior discounts, revealing that it provides discounted tariffs for seniors in all 50 states as long as they are members of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Fierce Wireless reports.
T-Mobile’s campaign was spearheaded by launching a marquee website, BannedSeniors.com, with information on how to switch carriers as well as how to create a virtual mailbox in Florida. The website even puts seniors in touch with Florida real estate agents if they are considering a move. Meanwhile, the AT&T website mentions the discounts currently available for AARP members, with the ability to save up to $10 per line per month on the Unlimited Premium plan. This is on top of the $50 waiver that AARP members get on upgrade and activation fees.
But it’s T-Mobile’s claim that 92% of American seniors “can’t get a wireless discount from Verizon or AT&T because they don’t live in Florida” that has appeared to have triggered the lawsuit by AT&T. The plaintiff counters that this is simply not the case so long as the customer is an AARP member — membership costs $12 for one year though overall costs are lower with longer-term packages.
Moreover, AARP membership is open to individuals aged 50 or older whereas T-Mobile’s Essential 55+ — the specific plan that the carrier is trying to promote — only covers seniors aged 55 or up. Customers don’t have to be with AARP, though, as anybody in the age group can get the plan which costs $40 per month for one line and $55 for the maximum of two lines.
AT&T is seeking damages in the form of compensation and attorney fees from T-Mobile while also trying to obtain any profits it accrued as a direct result of this campaign. The carrier is also requesting a jury trial and an immediate suspension of T-Mobile’s senior discounts campaign. For its part, Verizon confirmed its discount limitations, saying that eligibility is limited to Florida seniors who are aged 55 or older.
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