AT&T and T-Mobile give iPhone 13 Pro phones for free... on these terms!

With the debut of Apple's latest phones, AT&T on Tuesday began distributing gifts for the second year to its customers, offering the new iPhone 13 Pro for free to new and existing customers with eligible exchanges and unlimited data plans, a deal worth up to $1,000.

AT&T's offer matches that of rival T-Mobile in pursuit of market share, while Virgin Communications offers a discount of up to $800 off the phone's price.

Data plan price wars have been the main front in the competition between US telecom companies, but they have taken a different approach, replacing them with discounts on iPhone phones.

AT&T has been the most aggressive in its offering, going so far as to give free or ultra-low-priced phones to all its customers on unlimited plans.

The gifts had a direct impact on subscriber growth. In the fourth quarter, AT&T was the biggest gainer in the number of mobile subscribers, adding 789,000 customers in the second quarter, surpassing the 627,000 achieved by growth leader T-Mobile, while Verizon achieved the No. 1 wireless carrier in the United States. Less profits.

"The industry has always been competitive.. we have proven our ability to compete and grow profitably"

T-Mobile Chief Financial Officer Peter Oswaldeck said Tuesday at the Bank of America Corp investor conference