T-Mobile USA is embarking on a comprehensive strategy to cut churn and grow its subscriber base. And as part of that strategy the carrier's CEO said the company is hoping to return to its roots as a challenger while concurrently sitting at the cutting edge of device developments.
In an interview with AllThingsD, T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm explained some of the finer points of the strategy, which was unveiled at T-Mobile's investor conference earlier this month. A key element is a tight connection to Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform, whereby the carrier can quickly push the latest platform updates to its customers. Humm said this is more important than spending money building T-Mobile's brand or customizing the platform experience.
"It is key for us to maintain the strong relationship we have with Google and to be very fast with Google, testing and then launching improved operating systems," Humm said. "I don't think it is our most important duty to really tailor all the things in a complicated way."
In addition to focusing on Android, Humm also wants T-Mobile to move aggressively into tablets. The company will soon launch its second tablet, the Dell Streak 7, as well as its third tablet, the LG G-Slate. The G-Slate runs the Honeycomb version of Android, which is specifically designed for tablets.
"I do not see a reason why a customer should not have two devices minimum," Humm said, adding that lowering the device costs and and monthly bills will be key to increasing device penetration. To that end, T-Mobile is going to focus on bringing more smartphones to market that retail for $100 or less.
For more:
- see this AllThingsD article
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