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Nine years of Ting Mobile

Richard Howard • February 2, 2021

Sure, the song says we can cry if we want to, but we’re just too darn happy. It’s Ting Mobile’s ninth birthday!

A lot can happen in nine years. The trick, though, is to make sure the best things stay the same. We’re proud to say our core principles of fair pricing, a free and open Internet and second-to-none customer service remain unchanged. The mobile industry’s landscape, however, has definitely transformed since we first started disrupting it back in 2012. And in order to not only keep those principles alive but to build on them, we’ve made changes as well.

This year is particularly exciting because of a very recent change: the introduction of all new plans. With an increased demand for data, we followed our usual path of doing what’s best for our customers rather than trying to exploit their needs.

We’ve introduced a variety of plans so that every type of mobile user can find a low-cost plan that suits them perfectly. With this change, we also cut our a la carte data pricing in half with the Flex plan at $5 per shared GB.

It’s this type of thinking that has had direct and indirect positive effects on the industry. We promise we’re not getting too big for our britches here, but there’s no getting around the fact that certain practices we instituted raised the expectations of cellular users and pushed the industry to make long-overdue changes. Some developments that particularly warmed our hearts include:

• The push for more fair, transparent pricing (credit to MVNOs in general here)
• Mobile contracts going the way of the dodo
• A general increase in what people expect when it comes to mobile customer service
• Other MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) liberally borrowing our ideas and talk tracks.
• The idea of shared usage, still alive and well today in our Flex plan ($10 + $5 per shared GB)

Those are some of our absolute favorites, but there are so many more milestones to look back on. After nine years of Ting Mobile, here’s how our little upstart MVNO got to where we are today. Thank you all so much for supporting us, and we can’t wait for a big ol’ tenth-anniversary bash next year!

2012

• In February, Ting Mobile launches with one customer and 12 active phones. We are the customer. We still have the phones. Somewhere.
• In September, we’re included in GigaOM’s Mobile 15 of innovative mobile companies, alongside brands like Apple, Samsung and Instagram. To quote GigaOM: “…it’s the industry’s first attempt at creating pricing models that actually reflect the cost of supplying service.”

2013

• In January, Ting Mobile announces it will reimburse the early termination fee of new customers during the month of February, up to $350 per line with a maximum payout of $100,000. That max payout is reached within hours on the first day it’s offered. Guess people are into fair pricing and great service.
• In June, we transition from customer-picked plans that allowed for moving up and down tiers with no penalty to pure rates, thus becoming the first post-paid MVNO at the time.
• In December, we become the first MVNO to offer tri-band LTE. Yay us!

2014

• In February, we drastically cut our rates for higher data usage and cut rates for voice and text as well. Imagine: a cell phone company lowering its rates rather than raising them. Fast-forward to today and our brand new plans that dropped rates again.

• In March, Ting Mobile adds iPhone 5 to the long list of devices that can be brought over and activated. Apple fanboys and fangirls that want to save on their monthly bills rejoice.
• In November, Ting Mobile is named one of the top cell-phone companies by Consumer Reports. It’s the first instance of what will become an annual tradition.
• In December, Ting announces it will offer gigabit fiber Internet access in the US, starting in Charlottesville, VA. Because Internet service deserves fair pricing and incredible customer service as well.

2015

• In March, Ting Mobile’s GSM network beta opens. Ting Mobile becomes the first North American carrier ever to offer shared usage across two distinct networks.

2016

• In April, Ting Mobile sponsors Neeb, the #1 US StarCraft II Pro player. E-sports? Nerd culture? Yes, please.
• In May, Ting opens the inaugural Ting Makerspace in Westminster, MD – a place for hobbyists, newbies, technophiles and students to get inspired, create, learn, share and teach.
• In August, Ting Mobile drops its data rates to $10/GB beyond the first GB. For everyone.

2017

• In July, Ting takes part in a massive Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality. We vow to continue to support and uphold the principles of a free and open Internet.

2018

• In June, Ting announces Ting TV; really smart TV will be coming soon to Ting Towns.

2019

• In April, Ting becomes the first cell phone provider to publicly announce its support for the “right to repair” movement. The proposed legislation would require manufacturers to sell replacement parts and repair tools to customers, as well as make diagnostic software and repair guides available to the public.
• April turns out to be a busy month. In line with our refusal to pressure customers into buying new phones and our belief that a great phone from last year is simply a sweet deal on a still-great phone this year, we announced the Ting Garage Sale. Not only are there unheard-of discounts but in a very un-phone-company move, we’re actually honest about the phones’ capabilities and likely lifespan. 

2020

• We continue to make partnerships with major carriers to ensure maximum nationwide coverage for our customers. To put it simply – with Ting Mobile, you’re covered. 
• DISH signs an agreement to acquire Ting Mobile, giving us the resources to disrupt the market on an even larger scale. Customers are already reaping benefits like lower rates, and future plans won’t only bolster Ting Mobile’s position, but facilitate more competition (read: a big win for mobile users). It’s a clear sign that Ting Mobile is dedicated to continuing to make the mobile industry a better place for you.

Head of Content, Andrew Moore-Crispin, has been with Ting Mobile since day one. In giving his two cents, he astutely points out that while we certainly played a large part, we were by no means the sole movers of change in the industry.

“I don’t think that we changed the US mobile phone world on our own; more that we had an outsized impact among MVNOs, who themselves made a big impact on the industry.”

The power balance has shifted; it used to be that the phone company gave you service and you said thank you. People have choices today they didn’t have before we (and other MVNOs) came along. The big carriers aren’t the (only) ones setting the price anymore. Also, the industry competes on more than just price today.

We can’t believe that next year, we’ll have been in business for a decade. Heck, there are YouTube stars younger than we are. With nine years of Ting Mobile under our belt we’ve got no plans to slow down, though, and invite you to see what all the fuss is about. You can start by seeing which Ting Mobile plan fits you best. Then use our handy online check tool to see if your phone can come to Ting!