T-Mobile's 'Smartphone Equality' Program Ends Credit Score Requirement for Loyal Paying Customers

T-Mobile today announced a new program that makes it easier for customers with poor credit to receive discount pricing on devices and other deals previously only available to credit-worthy customers. CEO John Legere kicked off the new "Smartphone Equality" promotion with a video blog that explains the rationale behind the program.


Legere notes that half of Americans do not qualify for most carrier-advertised phone deals due to poor credit or a lack of credit history, and T-Mobile aims to change that by "putting our relationship with you above some number pumped out by a credit bureau, some huge faceless bureaucracy."

With its new "Smartphone Equality" program, T-Mobile is emphasizing the customer's relationship with the carrier instead of their credit score. As part of the initiative, customers who have paid their wireless bill on time for 12 months will be eligible for discounted pricing, including the carrier's popular zero down and no credit check programs. The "Smartphone Equality" program will be available starting next week to eligible customers.

T-Mobile has been shaking up the cellular industry with its ongoing Un-carrier promotions, which broke new ground by removing the cellular contract from a smartphone purchase and offering generous early termination bonuses for customers who switch to T-Mobile. Recently, the wireless carrier introduced its Un-carrier 8 initiative, which includes a new "Data Stash" program that rolls over unused monthly data and makes it available for the following 12 months.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Cyber Week Deals 2025

Best Cyber Week Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
iOS 26

What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More

Monday December 1, 2025 8:40 am PST by
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month. Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....

Top Rated Comments

sualpine Avatar
142 months ago
Legere for FCC Chairman.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Paddle1 Avatar
142 months ago
T-mobile really tries to make a difference in the wireless industry.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shenan1982 Avatar
142 months ago
I applaud their move (as will most since as he says, most americans don't have great credit)... but the key is will this add the type of subscribers they want? We'll see. It didn't go well for Sprint back in 1999-2000 when they did the "no credit, no problem" promotion and took everyone and anyone. Time will tell I suppose. But then again, back then if you talked all day and all night, you'd have a $5,000 bill... today if you do the same thing your bill is going to be $50 still. In a world where cell phones have become less of a spend than most people spend in Starbucks, I suppose this makes sense... and with no overages, no international roaming charges, etc... there's really very little risk to TMO.

Ok, in one paragraph I went from opposition to support, haha. Thanks for joining me in my thought process, hehe
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
liavman Avatar
142 months ago
I love this guy.

One of the weirdest and punitive thing about U.S. credit system is, even if you are keeping your credit card payments on time, if for whatever reason your credit score drops, these credit card companies will increase the interest rate on those credit card payments, on the existing balances. This causes these people to pay more on interest which causes more financial hardship and they fall further behind which reduces the credit score even more and on and on.

I am glad T-Mobile dude is doing something about that by putting his relationship with his customers at a higher priority than whatever this customer may or may not have done with other aspects of their financial life.

Kudos! Hope it all works out for him and hopefully it will encourage others especially the banks to change the brain dead process they currently have.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
142 months ago
A bit melodramatic. They're still more than happy to trust those "huge faceless bureaucracies" when they're assessing new customers.

As they should. It's the only tool they have to assess new customers. But they're not letting that be the end all and be all, which is great.

----------

That's great, but what happens when half of these subscribers can't pay their mobile bills?? T-Mobile taking it on the chin like a champ. :eek:

They've looked at their own data and found that won't be the case.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
technosix Avatar
142 months ago
T-mobile really tries to make a difference in the wireless industry.

Yes they do.

It's a refreshing change and one that's paying off for them. :)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)