T-Mobile has given its customers some strange and noteworthy perks over the years — discounts on gas, movies, and, of course, free pizza. But its latest giveaway might be its best yet: free Netflix. The carrier just announced that qualifying customers of its T-Mobile One unlimited plan will be able to redeem a monthly subscription starting September 12.
For those who have Netflix — which at this point might be more-or-less equal to the percentage of T-Mobile users who don’t — you’ll be able to link your two accounts, and T-Mobile will take over paying your Netflix bill. Over the course of a year, that means you’ll save $120, simply by being an existing Netflix customer.
The only catch as far as we can tell is that you’ll need two lines on the plan. So if you’re flying solo with T-Mobile One, you won’t be able to get in on the deal.
Free Netflix would be enough to hype up most customers — but this is T-Mobile, a company that has a flair for the dramatic. In addition to the promotion, the company is kicking off a “Netflix Meme-a-thon” starting at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, September 7. Fans are encouraged to chime in throughout the day with memes, GIFs, quotes, and any manner of Netflix-based enthusiasm, and every hour on the hour, T-Mobile will hand out swag, gadgets, and phones. Follow the T-Mobile Twitter account and use the hashtags #NetflixOnUs and #contest, and you’ll also be in the running to attend the premier of season 2 of Stranger Things.
If you recently joined T-Mobile through its free line promotion, you’ll have to forgo your current rate for the deal — the carrier says those customers will have to switch to “the latest T-Mobile One plan.” Under the current pricing structure, one line costs $70, two cost $60 each, three cost $47 each, and four cost $40 each. That includes taxes and fees. Though if you’re excited at the Netflix offer, you might be dismayed to know that the standard One plan only allows for 480p streaming quality.
To allow HD streaming, you’ll have to spring for One Plus, which adds an extra $10 to each line, per month. Prior to the summer, Plus only ran an extra $5, and for a short time, T-Mobile allowed non-Plus customers to stream in full quality.
Update: Article originally stated T-Mobile customers with existing Netflix subscriptions would be reimbursed $10 monthly on their T-Mobile bill. That is incorrect; the program involves linking the two accounts together, at which point, T-Mobile will assume responsibility for paying your Netflix monthly subscription as long as you remain a T-Mobile customer.
