Running a business requires staying on top of numerous expenses, but wireless carrier T-Mobile is hoping its newest offering, the Business Unlimited Ultimate+ plan, can help streamline telecommunications costs. In partnership with Apple, T-Mobile will offer the new plan to business owners for $50 per month per line on a contract with six or more lines.
Each line will come with an iPhone 13, AppleCare+, and Apple Business Essentials, which provides device management, 24/7 Apple support, and on-site iPhone repairs. Each line also comes with unlimited talk, text, and data (200GB of hotspot data per month), unlimited in-flight WiFi, and complementary high-speed data abroad.
T-Mobile commented that it’s eager to “support small businesses as they continue to be the source of countless jobs and innovations across America,” and that the partnership with Apple gives the company “the opportunity to tackle a whole new pain point for small businesses — IT management.”
With nearly eight million small businesses (defined as 500 or fewer employees) across the US, the country’s economy is closely tied to the success or failure of these organizations. A 2019 report found that small businesses drove 44% of economic activity in the US. But, thanks to inflation, the pandemic, and a tight job market, business owners have had a tough time finding workers to fill open positions – optimism has been waning as a result.
Telecommunications may not be the top cost on most small business owners’ minds, but it’s certainly a factor that cannot be overlooked, particularly if the business relies on a foundation of interacting with clients. T-Mobile’s business-focused plan may help ease the burden for some business owners, and it could also help narrow the sizable gap with wireless competitor AT&T, which is used by many more small business owners.
According to Interpret’s New Media Measure®, about 37% of business owners subscribe to AT&T, which has numerous offerings dedicated to business – the company says it supports over two million small business customers. That figure drops to 18% for T-Mobile and 15% for Verizon. Given how popular iPhones still are, T-Mobile’s new plan could give the company a boost in attracting more business customers.