T-Mobile JUMP Program Offers Twice-A-Year Phone Upgrades

T-Mobile has announced a new program that will allow customers to upgrade their phones as often as twice a year.

The company unveiled its new JUMP (Just upgrade my phone) program at an event in New York City Wednesday, and said that the program enables customers to upgrade their phones when they want, up to twice every 12 months, as soon as six months after enrolling in the program for $10 a month per phone. However, there will be no additional fees at the time of the upgrade.

The program, which starts Sunday, July 14, also includes handset protection, which protects against any damages or malfunctions, as well as loss or theft of a phone.

Customers are currently able to upgrade their phones at any time, but upgrading means either entering into another two-year contract or buying the phone at a higher price without a contract extension. Under the JUMP program, Existing customers can now get the same prices as new customers, and simply have to trade in their phones when they upgrade.

T-Mobile also launched a four-line family plan for $100 a month that includes unlimited talk, text, and Web, with no credit or annual service contract.

The JUMP program is just one of the latest changes T-Mobile has made to its services to try and compete with other phone companies. In March, the company announced that it was ending its contract billing, and instead offering month-to-month unlimited talk and text plans on a graded scale.

T-Mobile also started offering the iPhone 5 in April, and offered a $0 down trade-in through Father’s Day. Well-qualified customers could trade in their iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 for the iPhone 5 with a no-contract Simple Choice plan. Depending on the device traded in, customers could receive up to $120, which could be used for monthly payments or accessories purchases.

What do you think of T-Mobile’s new JUMP program?