In a rivalry that has now gotten pretty personal, T-Mobile (TMUS) US Chief Executive Officer John Legere was kicked out of a trade-show party hosted by AT&T (T).
CNET reporter Roger Cheng posted on Twitter what happened.
“Some security guards escorted him out. It was crazy,” Cheng wrote in a Twitter message.
Technology news site Re/code reported that Legere told them he had gone to the party to see rapper Macklemore perform.
He also wore his trademark T-Mobile pink shirt — which probably made him easy to spot.
The rivalry between the companies has increased in recent months (via the Washington Post).
The competition has intensified between T-Mobile and AT&T in part because they use a similar network technology that makes it easier for customers to keep their phones when they change providers. AT&T, led by CEO Randall Stephenson, announced last week it would give T-Mobile customers as much as $450 in credits to switch over.
“Memory problems, eh Randall?” Legere said this week on Twitter. “Remember in September you said T-Mobile hadn’t impacted your business. Yeah, that’s why you’re bribing customers!”
In other words, SNAP!
Second-largest mobile service provider AT&T at this point is far ahead of smaller rival T-Mobile, but the plucky TMUS is pushing hard to get into T’s turf.
T-Mobile spent most of last year marketing to AT&T customers — noting they’re able to switch plans without changing phones.
But AT&T keeps beating them back.
AT&T’s mobility chief Ralph de la Vega announced that T won a deal to provide wireless connections to Audi vehicles — the same contract T-Mobile US was trying to attain.
TMUS stock is up 28% in the past three months. T stock is up 3%.