T-Mobile Automatically Upgrading Users to More Expensive Plans, But There's an Opt-Out Option

[Razorpit]

When everyone goes "Give employees more money!!" this is the result. Consumers will pay the price, not the company.

I'm on a Magenta Max plan so I'm safe. For now.

Surprised people haven’t figured this out by now.

Idk why in this day and age anyone would stay with T-mobile or any of the other big carriers. All their “freebies” and “extras” are gimmicky.

The only reason to stay with any of the big carriers is if you have a multi phone line account with them and are getting a reasonable enough discount. Reasonable should be paying no more than $40 per line with taxes and fees included in that price.

Also I suppose the big carriers may suit you if you absolutely need truly unlimited data on your phone and 30GB+ of Hotspot data. People who work outdoors or at remote sites often may need this. Also perhaps if you live in a trailer or wish to forgo home internet and tether your life via hotspot.

Most people have WiFi at home and at work and don’t use nearly as much data that they think they do. I am happy with my current setup and should have dumped big wireless much sooner. I pay only $40 a month taxes and fees included to have an iPhone, ipad, and Apple Watch.

If you want almost free service and don’t use a lot of Data try BoostMobile that is what I am using for the iPad. You can pick up a 3 month promo plan with 5GB of data each month for only $15!! So basically only $5 a month for your first 3 months. After that it goes to $15 a month. But you can get bill credits with the boost mobile app just by logging in to check data usage and watch a minute long commercial. A couple of minutes a day gives enough bill credits to make the plan free. Going on 9 months now and have only paid $15. For my iPhone and watch I am on an unlimited plan from Spectrum.

Unless something has changed the problem is if you have an Apple Watch with cellular, you can only go with the big three. Last I checked Mint doesn’t offer a cellular option for the watch.

 

[crawfish963]

I’ve been using MVNO’s/prepaid for years after growing tired of these kind of things with the “Big 3.” Mint is ok but you have to buy the plans in bulk. If you don’t like the plans/service you’re kind of stuck. Plus the prices go up after the intro promos. I have (regular, not infinite) Boost as a backup to my Visible (Verizon) line and the service is good but their billing/customer service can be bad. Tello is a good option that uses T-Mobile and has good customer service and customizable plans. I recommend looking at the r/nocontract Reddit page for help/advice. Everyone is very knowledgeable and helpful and there’s a stickied post tool that filters options based on carrier, data, etc. I’ll never go back to postpaid.

Thanks! I'm in the process of porting to Mint now.

 

[Flight Plan]

It’s kinda ironic how after that merger with Sprint, T-Mobile started turning into AT&T and Verizon. Earlier this year, they also removed the auto-pay discount unless you pay with your debit card or bank account. I’m sorry, but T-Mobile has had so many security breaches that you have to be suicidal to store your debit card or checking account info on their website. And now this…
Competition is good, mergers…are not so much.

You are right about mergers. Most mergers are the joining of two UNDER-performing companies. And they always seem to sell it as if they’re going to combine two turds and end up with a bar of gold or something.

Over 60% of all mergers, when reviewed 1 year later, end up being worth LESS than the original value of the two companies added together pre-merger!

 

[lyngo]

This is, I believe a violation of their Uncontract of 2015. We shouldn’t have to opt out of this plan migration. It should be an opt in. No way am I paying more. The uncontract allows customers to stay on their plan. And if they choose a new plan they can stay on that new plan for as long as theyre tmobile customers. Talking to a rep today they said that 17 of their 20 conversations today led to their customers planning on staying with their plans. This is horrible PR, flat out wrong, and a violation of their own company word and policy. Bring back John Legere.

T‑Mobile Unleashes Two New Industry-Rocking Moves With ‘The Un-contract’ and ‘Carrier Freedom’ - T‑Mobile Newsroom

Contracts are back at T‑Mobile, but this time the company is the one signing on the dotted line. The Un-carrier™ now guarantees your plan pricing. In

www.t-mobile.com

 

[Biro]

The only “advantage” the new plans seem to offer is the ability to get a “free” phone every two years. But I already have that ability - or at least I did. I see no advantage switching from my current plan.

 

[crawfish963]

My wife and I switched to Mint last week. Have noticed no change in service. Your mileage may vary.

Doing that now.

 

[crawfish963]

This is, I believe a violation of their Uncontract of 2015. We shouldn’t have to opt out of this plan migration. It should be an opt in. No way am I paying more. The uncontract allows customers to stay on their plan. And if they choose a new plan they can stay on that new plan for as long as theyre tmobile customers. Talking to a rep today they said that 17 of their 20 conversations today led to their customers planning on staying with their plans. This is horrible PR, flat out wrong, and a violation of their own company word and policy. Bring back John Legere.

T‑Mobile Unleashes Two New Industry-Rocking Moves With ‘The Un-contract’ and ‘Carrier Freedom’ - T‑Mobile Newsroom

Contracts are back at T‑Mobile, but this time the company is the one signing on the dotted line. The Un-carrier™ now guarantees your plan pricing. In

www.t-mobile.com

They will duck this by saying, "Well you can keep your plan. You have to call to do it though."

 

[dampfnudel]

DONT WORRY PEOPLE! On October 17th T-Mobile will start to notify you of the change. If you do not want to change your plan you CAN OPT OUT. You will have to call customer service. They will try to convince you to switch. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO. If you do opt out and stay with your old plan, it is not certain how long before they end your old plan. Then you have to switch.

Why are we being forced to call customer service in the first place? To listen to music for an hour or two as T-Mobile customer service gets mobbed next week? To listen to the talking points a T-Mo agent has been told to use to persuade us that paying more is a better option than sticking with our current plans? To begin to wonder what to do if someday T-Mo doesn’t give us the option to opt-out? They could’ve given us the option online or in the app to opt-out. Or even better, not do this at all.

 

[davidh_la]

I have a Magenta MAX plan – does this apply to me? (It's unclear from the article.)

I only joined T-mobile last year, so seems pretty quick for a "forced upgrade" of a not old "old plan". (?)

Otherwise, we're happy with T-mobile – we're paying like $50 less a month than what we were on Verizon. So even with a new rate, I'll probably stay.

 

[Little Endian]

Surprised people haven’t figured this out by now.


Unless something has changed the problem is if you have an Apple Watch with cellular, you can only go with the big three. Last I checked Mint doesn’t offer a cellular option for the watch.

Spectrum operates as a Verizon MVNO
and allows you to add Apple Watch LTE for $10 a month taxes and fees included.

 

[Antes]

I just did it though chat, no issue. On Reddit people were able to do this also.

I tried the chat and it never connected to anyone. I’ll try again tomorrow but honestly id rather speak to a rep on their recorded line so that I can at least some assurance that i called to opt out

 

[gaximus]

It's not as bad as people's reaction seems to indicate:

1. You can stay on your current plan if you want
2. The new plan is a better plan. I compared the new plan to my current plan. I'd pay $30 for two lines bu I would get unlimited hot-spot and 2 year deice upgrade eligibility.

Now, the new plan benefits are not worth it for me so I'll probably stay with the current plan.

1. If you opt in, if you get the notification in time, having to actively do stuff, to stay where you are, is not “stay if you want”
2. You pay more per line, plain and simple, even the reps are trained to say “we are not raising your plan rate, we are giving you a better plan, for more money”. If your current plan meets your needs, there is no need to upgrade.

 

[dampfnudel]

My wife and I switched to Mint last week. Have noticed no change in service. Your mileage may vary.

Isn’t T-Mo buying Mint?

 

[Chuckeee]

I tried the chat and it never connected to anyone. I’ll try again tomorrow but honestly id rather speak to a rep on their recorded line so that I can at least some assurance that i called to opt out

I had the identical experience with chat. I called and after waiting 20 minutes on hold i got through. Stated I am currently on the Magenta 55+ plan, I want to stay on that plan, I do not to change plans, I do not want to change plans at the end of October, I don’t want to ever change plans. The T-Mobile representative (Named Isa employee #2279349) stated my plan was not changing they were only changing plans for customers who had the same plan for 20+ years. She was very insistent on knowing how I heard about this change and kept repeating there was no plans to change my plan.

I doubt her honesty and sincerity but that is what happen when called T-Mobile support at 4:06 pm Pacific Time on October 11th. Afterwards I feel I need a shower to wash off the sleeze.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

I tried the chat and it never connected to anyone. I’ll try again tomorrow but honestly id rather speak to a rep on their recorded line so that I can at least some assurance that i called to opt out

I did the chat because I have it writing. I also have confirmation in the app.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

It's not as bad as people's reaction seems to indicate:

1. You can stay on your current plan if you want
2. The new plan is a better plan. I compared the new plan to my current plan. I'd pay $30 for two lines bu I would get unlimited hot-spot and 2 year deice upgrade eligibility.

Now, the new plan benefits are not worth it for me so I'll probably stay with the current plan.

The fact I have to take time to call or message them is crap. I shouldn’t have to spend time on something that shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t need to tell my cell phone carrier to leave my plan alone.

 

[Apple.Fanatic]

I’m *this* close to leaving T-Mobile. Between stuff like this and the monthly data breaches it’s not worth it anymore.

Edit: anyone recommend a good MVNO on their network? Mint vs GoogleFi vs Boost Infinite?

Switched from T-Mobile to Mint a couple of months ago. Same network, way less cost, and less BS. Been very happy with it and the eSIM process was extremely easy with them.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Not all of them. MVNOs/prepaid has come a long way and quite a few offer postpaid priority-level plans at a fraction of the price.

which mvnos are not depriortized ?

 

[MadDawg2020]

1. AT&T forcing customers to pay with debit card or checking account otherwise the "discount" is reduced by $5 per line.
2. T-Mobile doing this shady crap to their customers.
Is Verizon any better?

T-Mobile also rejects credit cards now - including Apple Card for payments now forcing you to use a debt/checking account.

 

[mthomas184]

Can you use your Apple Watch with Google Fi?

Unfortunately you cannot. It’s been requested a lot and they never added it

 

[Boeingfan]

I’m shocked that this isn’t illegal in the states. People should have to opt in, if anything, not opt out.

 

[Silverado]

Thank you, MacRumors, for alerting us! I will be extra vigilant looking for messages from T-Mobile.

Having said that, since they’re informing us, I don’t think this is all that bad. It’s a business after all and they made a crazy promise to never raise our prices. Are we going to keep the same price for 40 years? I will certainly try! But can you blame a business for trying to make money?

 

[erikkfi]

I’m *this* close to leaving T-Mobile. Between stuff like this and the monthly data breaches it’s not worth it anymore.

Edit: anyone recommend a good MVNO on their network? Mint vs GoogleFi vs Boost Infinite?

If you’re only *this* close but not actually leaving, they don’t care.

I recommend Visible.

 

[t76turbo]

1. AT&T forcing customers to pay with debit card or checking account otherwise the "discount" is reduced by $5 per line.
2. T-Mobile doing this shady crap to their customers.
Is Verizon any better?

T-Mobile did the same thing as AT&T that you mentioned above. Had to add my bank account info or lose my $30 a month discount.

 

[crawfish963]

If you’re only *this* close but not actually leaving, they don’t care.

I recommend Visible.

Already switched to Mint