Verizon says it offers a superior switching experience
A week ago, T-Mobile rolled out a new AI-powered feature for its T-Life app that lets AT&T and Verizon customers switch in 15 minutes without pressuring them to get a phone right away. The company has also started offering same-day phone delivery via DoorDash Drive.Verizon has accused T-Mobile of undermining the switching experience in its pursuit of speed. The carrier says T-Mobile‘s entire automatic switching process is flawed, from allowing T-Life to log into the account a customer has with a rival company up to letting AI decide which plan would best suit a switcher.
The carrier also targeted T-Mobile‘s partnership with DoorDash, saying same-day delivery capitalises on the need for instant gratification and gig drivers leave after dropping off the phone, without offering to help customers with set up.
T-Mobile is giving switchers 90 days to buy a new phone to avoid putting pressure, but Verizon asserts that T-Mobile offers this grace period to capture revenue from day one.
Verizon, on the other hand, claims to offer a premium, managed, and precise switching experience. While customers can use the My Verizon app or Bring Your Own Device tool to switch instantly to Verizon, the carrier adds a layer of security by mandating the input of a Number Transfer PIN from their previous carrier and the IMEI.
The company offers a Pro On the Go delivery service that covers a wider area than DoorDash. It allows for not only same-day delivery but also professional setup. Verizon also points out that DoorDash drivers are gig workers who are not trained in telecom or privacy, while its deliveries are handled by trained experts.
Verizon prefers that customers upgrade to a new phone immediately because that’s when the highest discounts are available.
T-Mobile’s “15 Minutes to Better” is a marketing masterclass in making switching feel “easy” by automating administrative tasks. However, it leaves the heavy lifting of setup and data transfer to the customer. Verizon’s switching experience is designed for reliability and completeness.
Verizon, November 2025
Which system is better?
Verizon says that most customers don’t mind waiting a few hours for a phone, and that what matters more is that it’s set up correctly. While customers who aren’t tech savvy may require professional help to set up a new phone, the same may not be the case for most customers.
Verizon seems to have a point that an AI tool might not be able to choose a plan that best fits a user’s needs. Permitting T-Mobile to log into a rival’s account could have privacy and security implications.
The carrier’s security guardrails are also a more prudent approach than T-Mobile‘s rash switching process. They reduce the risk of unauthorised port-outs, which have long been a problem in the industry.
Not everything Verizon says makes sense, though. For instance, though it pans T-Mobile for letting AI choose the best plan for customers, it has been doing something similar at its stores.
Verizon‘s claim that customers get the highest savings when they upgrade at the time of switching seems like a coercive approach.
Verizon should get its own house in order
T-Mobile has reportedly overtaken Verizon as the largest carrier by subscriber base. Verizon has brought in a new CEO to execute a transformation, but the only thing that has come from it so far is layoffs. For now, the downsizing only seems to be negatively impacting customers.
T-Mobile, on the other hand, is only going from strength to strength. As consultant Brian Newman notes, the telecom industry has historically relied on friction to reduce churn. T-Mobile has flipped the script by making switching easy and fast.
While the process can likely do with more polishing, the move online is a logical step forward.
Verizon would be wise to outdo T-Mobile by offering more value and ease to customers, rather than simply attempting to discredit a new feature.
From my time in network engineering and customer operations, I saw how long the industry relied on friction as a buffer. Contracts, retail workflows, complex activation steps. Now that these are gone, the competitive field shifts to the basics: price, performance, service quality, and experience.
Brian Newman, telecom veteran and consultant, November 2025
