T-Mobile will pay you to leave competitors early — up to $350 per line for 5 lines

LAS VEGAS — In yet another move that could win T-Mobile the hearts and minds of wireless customers, the carrier announced today that it will pay early termination fees for consumers who want to break their contracts with competitors and move to its network.

Specifically, T-Mobile says it will pay up to $350 in early termination fees per competitor phone lines. And in a bid to convince families to move over, the carrier will pay your early termination fee for up to five lines.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere made the announcement at the Venetian Sands as part of the International CES. Legere also revealed today that T-Mobile now has the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network and that it has added 1.6 million new customers in the fourth quarter.

T-Mobile will also offer up to a $300 instant trade-in credit when you bring in a phone from another carrier. To get the early termination fee credit, you’ll need to mail in your final competitor bill to T-Mobile or upload it to a special website.

This is the fourth so-called “Uncarrier” move by T-Mobile, which announced last year that it would abolish traditional cellular contracts and offer free international data roaming and free wireless data for tablets. While the Uncarrier name at first seemed like a gimmick, T-Mobile has shown that it can actually break from wireless carrier traditions and force its competitors to follow suit.

After rumors of T-Mobile’s plans to cover competitor ETF fees leaked a few weeks ago, AT&T quickly announced its own plan to do the same.

Poking a bit of fun at its competitors, T-Mobile has also launched a new “breakup letter” that you can send to your existing carrier when you jump ship.

“My suggestion is that everybody on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T take our plan, get out of your contracts, and if it doesn’t work, then take AT&T’s plan,” Legere said. “AT&T customers come over — if it doesn’t work, they’ll pay you to come back. It’s beautiful!”