- Trump Mobile refreshed its branding and messaging on its website
- New language on the site leans into Trump branding and “wireless independence,” although it’s not entirely clear what that means
- The long-promised T1 handset remains MIA, despite repeated “end of the month” claims
The Trump Mobile phone remains as elusive as ever, but the phone’s design and the Trump Mobile website are sporting new looks this week.
Images of Don Jr. and Eric Trump are given more prominent placement on the website, appearing in a new video that describes the Trump phone service as “changing the cell phone industry.”
In the video, Eric Trump declares: “America’s new wireless freedom is so much more than another phone.” And the website describes the T1 phone as “a bold step toward wireless independence.”
This kind of language sounds like they’re ramping up for July 4, but it’s not immediately clear how it’s changing the wireless industry. Sure, Trump Mobile offers roadside assistance and telehealth services, which are somewhat unique to cell phone plans, but not exactly edgy.
Of course, we have to remember the target audience here. Instead of T-Mobile in the network status bar, users see “Trump” proudly displayed as the network service provider.
That’s kind of funny because Trump Mobile is an MVNO, which means it uses the network of one of the facilities-based carriers – in this case, that’s widely believed to be T-Mobile. But if you’re a big Trump fan, you’d probably love to see his name in your phone’s status bar.
The “47 Plan” is $47.45/month, a play on the president’s terms in office.
What’s the latest with the T1 phone?
As for the re-jiggered $499 T1 phone, it’s still gold, but the camera set-up is a little different than what was shown in earlier depictions; it’s a vertical three-camera design rather than the previous triangle.
Importantly, customers have already put $100 "refundable" deposits down on the T1 and have nothing to show for it as of yet.
Earlier claims about being “Made in USA” appear to be even more watered down than before. The site now says the phone is “shaped by American innovation” with “American teams helping guide design and quality.”
There’s no mention of where the phone is actually made, although Trump Mobile executives told The Verge that final assembly is in Miami.
When will the T1 be available?
And it’s still not clear when the phone will make an official appearance. Trump Mobile said it would be forthcoming shortly after launch last June, but it’s been delayed multiple times.
A call into customer service this week netted the same answer we’ve been hearing pretty much since last summer: that it will be available “at the end of the month.”
It does appear to have passed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification. The Verge tracked that down last month.
So far, there’s no word on whether T-Mobile has certified the device for its network. A T-Mobile representative referred us to Trump Mobile, which didn’t immediately respond to our inquiry – or any previous inquiries for that matter.
If the Trump Mobile customer service department is right, we’ll see the T1 phone in a couple of weeks. But we’ll believe it when we see it.