T-Mobile says it will give customers stock

T-Mobile will give its customers shares of its stock, a move that is part of a continued effort by the carrier to differentiate itself from competitors Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. “Our business is succeeding very well because of you,” said John Legere, the company’s chief executive, during an announcement. “Why should Wall Street be the only one to benefit?”

The company will give its primary account holders a single share of the stock, and one more for recommending their friends to the service, but to a point. The stock currently trades at around $43 a share. “No publically traded company has done this before, ever,” Legere said. The company also announced several other perks for customers, including an hour of free in-flight Wi-Fi on GoGo-enabled planes and weekly prize giveaways. The announcement is likely to draw the attention of users but, unlike previous T-Mobile perks, less sure to bother regulators.