T-Mobile US stepped up its enterprise play, teaming with Apple to launch a new programme allowing businesses to lease, rather than buy, iPhones and iPads.

Mike Katz, EVP of T-Mobile for Business, said in a statement the partnership came in response to enterprise demand for more flexible financing and upgrade options for Apple devices.

Through the programme, business customers can rent an iPhone or iPad for two years with no upfront payment and upgrade at the end of their lease cycle. The operator said the option will allow businesses to pay less per device each month and shift the cost from a capital expenditure to an operating expense.

The move comes as T-Mobile works to strengthen its enterprise offerings and sustain momentum built earlier in the year. On a Q2 earnings call, COO Mike Sievert said the operator recorded the highest ever number of activations and lowest churn in its business segment during the period.

In July, T-Mobile expanded the number of countries covered by its international roaming plan, a move analysts said could appeal to enterprise clients.

The operator is also eyeing enterprise gains via its IoT offerings. When T-Mobile launched its NB-IoT network in July, Balaji Sridharan, VP of IoT and M2M, told Mobile World Live enterprise clients expressed particular interest in its asset tracking application.