T-Mobile offers free data so Pokemon Go players can ‘catch ‘em all’
When Domino’s was forced to roll back its free-pizza partnership with T-Mobile under the crushing demand of the carrier’s subscribers, it was an open question as to what would be the next killer giveaway under T-Mobile’s customer appreciation program. Now we don’t have to wonder: In light of the Pokémon Go craze sweeping the nation, T-Mobile says it’s offering free data to players of the hit mobile game.
Starting July 19 and running through Aug. 9, Pokémon Go players who are T-Mobile subscribers will be able to claim a promotion that allows them to play as much of the game as they want without fear of having all that data usage count toward their data caps. That means that if you eat up 5 GB of data in your quest for cartoon creatures, you’ll still have as much data to use as you started with at the beginning of the month.
The promotion lasts for a year from the day you claim the offer. The company is also offering one free Lyft ride up to $15 and a discount on battery packs to keep customers’ phones powered up.
Lyft drivers in Las Vegas are participating in the free-ride promotion, and tips may be deducted from credit cards that passengers keep on file, company spokesman Tim Rathschmidt said.
“For Lyft, we always want to be where our passengers are - to help them get where they need to go, whether that’s to work or on a hunt for Pokemon,” Rathschmidt said
Retailers and marketers are eager to get their hooks into the game, so it was only a matter of time before a major telco like T-Mobile figured out how to lure customers with it. Gotta catch ‘em all.
The practice of exempting certain apps and services from consumer data caps is called zero-rating. It’s considered controversial because while it theoretically gives consumers something for nothing — in this case, unlimited Pokémon Go time — critics have said it will allow Internet providers too much of a say in what types of services people like you and I can view and access online. Regulators have called in companies like T-Mobile and Comcast to inquire about tactics like these, although officials appear to be fine with it — for now.
Review-Journal writer Art Marroquin contributed to this report.
