T-Mobile Expands 4G LTE, Adds New Devices and Upgrade Plan

T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS  ) made three announcements today, which included the expansion of its 4G LTE coverage into new markets; the addition of the Sony  (NYSE: SNE  ) Xperia Z, Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) Lumia 925, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to its device lineup; and a new phone upgrade plan for current customers. 

The company's new device upgrade plan, called JUMP!, allows customers to upgrade their phones as often as twice a year and as soon as six months after initial enrollment. Enrollment in the JUMP! program costs $10 per month per phone and also includes protection against device malfunction, damage, loss, or theft. Customers paying for phones through T-Mobile's equipment installment plan can trade in their working devices, and any remaining balance will be eliminated when they purchase a new phone.

John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile US, said in a press release: "We say two years is just too long to wait. Today, we're changing all that with the launch of JUMP! Now customers never have to worry about being stuck with the wrong phone. And yes -- it's really as good as it sounds."

In the press release, T-Mobile said that its 4G LTE coverage now reaches 157 million people in 116 cities, more than the previous 100 million people the company said its 4G LTE network would cover by mid-2013. The company said it's still on target to bring 4G LTE to 200 million people in 200 metropolitan areas by the end of 2013.