In America, switching from one wireless provider to another is a hassle. It’s inconvenient. It's risky. It takes hours to complete and is designed to keep you from switching. Which has worked.

Despite carriers spending millions on advertising the strength, reliability and speed of their network, over 200 million people stick with the carrier they are … stuck with. And two-thirds with the courage to start switching … dropout during the process. Mostly because the risk of joining an unknown network isn’t worth the hours of hassle and headaches, and many Americans feel they can’t discern meaningful distinctions between the networks.

The wireless industry is facing a growth challenge. 97% of Americans own phones, but most are already committed to a carrier. Despite paying hundreds of millions of dollars every year to advertise their network, Americans are statistically resistant to switching carriers — 44% of adults have never switched networks, and 59% of cell phone users have been with their current carrier for over 5 years.

Switching networks has historically been designed to be difficult. Wireless carriers are incentivized to make it so. The challenge to leave an old carrier is compounded by the antiquated process required to join a new carrier’s network, necessitating retail visits, mailing troubles, and customer service calls, all leading down a path to the unknown, as there was no way for customers to test-drive a new carrier’s network before switching.

Knowing that future growth lies in acquiring competitor’s customers, we wanted to create an easier, better experience that reached potential customers in a new way and proved the value of joining T-Mobile.

Drawing from strategic insights we understood that consumers were so jaded to the performance of their current carrier experience, that T-Mobile had to show consumers there was a problem and that they were there to provide a solution.

Acknowledging consumers' risk averse sentiment around switching, and changes in the competitive landscape, we adopted the ‘try before you buy’ model to create an experience that placed T-Mobile as the solution to the trial and switching barriers.

We developed Network Pass, a 90-day free trial that prospective customers could use alongside their current network. The sign-up was short and simple, steering towards transparency and away from sensitive personal info like credit card information.

The experience drove prospects to the T-Mobile app, where once signed up they could not only experience T-Mobile’s high-speed network, but also the perks and benefits that come with being a customer.

After experiencing the T-Mobile network and other benefits for 90 days, those ready to make the switch opened a streamlined experience designed to complete the process of switching from their existing carrier to T-Mobile in only fifteen minutes or less.

When creating Network Pass, we wanted to ensure we struck a balance between being transparent and informative without overwhelming users with information and steps.

Upon a prospective customer's app download, T-Mobile detects device type, current carrier, SIM type, and lock status to ensure eligibility. Users are guided into a Network Pass sign up flow where their basic contact information ensures this is their first trial.

With no credit card information shared, the three-month trial begins with a prompt to accept an eSIM activation- a minute-long task a user completes in settings. This eSIM connects users to T-Mobile's network without interrupting their existing service.

During the 90-day unlimited data trial we provided prospective customers with meaningful metrics like coverage and speed through a Network Scorecard which showed users how T-Mobile performs in their area compared to other carriers. That way, when users finish their trial on Network Pass, they felt comfortable making a decision that is best for them.

And we did it all with no commitment or in-store visit required. When users finish their 90 day trial on Network Pass they were guided through completing their switch to T-Mobile on their phone in under 15 minutes.

In the first three months, Network Pass exceeded projections by 270% with over 463,000 downloads and 130,000 signups. But that was just the start.

Throughout the first year there were over 1.2 million incremental app downloads, a 50x increase in customer trials, and an increase in conversions by 360%. Our customer-centric approach made such an impact that T-Mobile’s stock went up 25% that year, outperforming the S&P 500.

This in turn disrupted the entire industry, compelling rivals Verizon and AT&T to play catch-up and start doing the same, while providing measurable proof of T-Mobile’s impact to the industry.