Carrier T-Mobile Uncarrier Mess

[Seabassthegreat]

T-Mobile Uncarrier Mess

He isn't asking for, or expecting the phones back.

Yeah it took me a while to catch up on the thread. After reading his response... I felt like he should be entitled to a check of $620 minus the one week of service he used... But usually trade in credit is applied to immediate merchandise and not towards account balance.. So this is a tough situation

 

[Vetvito]

You'll get a check minus service used in the mail within 14 business days.

I went through this exact scenario with Sprint. I only had one phone though. It took 3 months and a couple of trips to get my money back.

Just keep calling, and be on the lookout for your final bill.

 

[moloukhya]

Email john legere. I switched to t-mobile last year when uncarrier first started and had to call multiple times before I got someone that understood I only wanted to activate a sim card as I was bringing my own device.

Surprisingly, john legere answered my email and forwarded it to a department that kept in touch with me until my issue was resolved.

Hope that helps.

 

[Xenomorph]

Need some advice on how to deal with this situation...

Last week my family switched our 4 lines to T-Mobile through their "Uncarrier" deal. We traded in our 4 AT&T iPhones and were given $620 to put towards T-Mobile phones. We chose 4 T-Mobile iPhones. We subsequently had terrible service around Reno and my iPhone 5S could not get service at our home. After trying another 5S, I still could not get service around the house, and the store said my only other choice would be to choose an Android phone. Consequently, I returned our phones to T-Mobile and ported our numbers back to AT&T.

T-Mobile is now telling me that I lost the $620.

Sprint and T-Mobile are known for having less coverage than Verizon and AT&T.

I went to a T-Mobile store and told them I was interested in switching from AT&T to save money, but I was concerned about coverage. The guy behind the counter let me use a T-Mobile SIM card to see how the coverage was in the places I used my phone the most.

I popped it in my phone and tested the coverage over the next few days.

With T-Mobile: 1-3 bars at home, 0-2 bars at work. ~3 Mbps max speed with HSPA+.
With AT&T: 5 bars at home, 3-5 bars at work. ~10Mbps max with HSPA+, ~50 Mbps max speed with LTE.
(with both Sprint and Verizon, I'd get 0-1 bars at home, making them completely unusable)

I brought the T-Mobile SIM card back the guy, thanked him, and said I would stay with AT&T for now.

It cost me nothing, and I found out T-Mobile was *not* for me.

I don't know why you'd want to switch FOUR LINES to a carrier that didn't work.

 

[alent1234]

no reason why you can't use the t-mobile iphones on AT&T
same exact phone

 

[2298754]

no reason why you can't use the t-mobile iphones on AT&T
same exact phone

He can, but he would have to pay ALL of them off, which is a lot of money.

 

[thehustleman]

Need some advice on how to deal with this situation...

Last week my family switched our 4 lines to T-Mobile through their "Uncarrier" deal. We traded in our 4 AT&T iPhones and were given $620 to put towards T-Mobile phones. We chose 4 T-Mobile iPhones. We subsequently had terrible service around Reno and my iPhone 5S could not get service at our home. After trying another 5S, I still could not get service around the house, and the store said my only other choice would be to choose an Android phone. Consequently, I returned our phones to T-Mobile and ported our numbers back to AT&T.

T-Mobile is now telling me that I lost the $620.

While I empathize with your dilemma, you still should have read the terms. If you'd have done that you wouldn't be out the money and the phones.

They deduct that money off your new phones, and trades are final, I've never seen a trade in program that didn't tell you it was final.

It's an expensive lesson, but always read.

 

[jonAppleSeed]

Just read the T-Mobile site and it seems like the ETF Uncarrier deal (620$) only applies if you're still a customer with T-Mobile up to 8 weeks after you make the switch.

My head hurts thinking of how big a mess this turned into for you.

 

[scorpio1973]

Just read the T-Mobile site and it seems like the ETF Uncarrier deal (620$) only applies if you're still a customer with T-Mobile up to 8 weeks after you make the switch.

My head hurts thinking of how big a mess this turned into for you.

In reading the fine print at tmobile.com, I found this:

"Then, when they get their final bill listing their ETF amounts, they simply send it to T-Mobile or submit it online at switch2tmobile.com, and within 8 weeks they receive a prepaid MasterCard covering their ETF amount up to $350 per line."

Seems like the 8 week time frame refers to the ETF refund not the trade in credit for the phones. But, I could be understanding it incorrectly. I would think since he cancelled within the 14 day period, he would at least get some money back from the phones he traded in minus any service used.

 

[vonWachtstain]

What you've just learned is its wise to read & comprehend the contract you sign. Now after the fact it's too late. It's not a T-Mobile "mess" it's a good lesson you've learned.

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Pointing the finger when the customer is wrong never works.

If we read every contract we sign cell phone carriers would have legal battles at every step.

 

[barkomatic]

OP, I hope that by escalating your issue you at least get your $620 back. Basically, T-mobile got free phones that they can now sell second hand. That's not fair at all and I think if you get in touch with a reasonable person at T-mobile who is able to make a decision you'll get your money back.

My take away from this is that despite the hype, T-mobile is still like any other carrier in some ways.

It cracks me up that people marvel at the fact that T-mobile got rid of contracts, subsidies and ETF's--but then just simply restructured all that into loans, financing, and balances due -- to achieve the same type of commitment.

I'm not saying T-mobile doesn't offer great service (in some areas) for a good price -- but the way they treat hardware is a shell game.

 

[jamezr]

OP, I hope that by escalating your issue you at least get your $620 back. Basically, T-mobile got free phones that they can now sell second hand. That's not fair at all and I think if you get in touch with a reasonable person at T-mobile who is able to make a decision you'll get your money back.

My take away from this is that despite the hype, T-mobile is still like any other carrier in some ways.

It cracks me up that people marvel at the fact that T-mobile got rid of contracts, subsidies and ETF's--but then just simply restructured all that into loans, financing, and balances due -- to achieve the same type of commitment.

I'm not saying T-mobile doesn't offer great service (in some areas) for a good price -- but the way they treat hardware is a shell game.

Not sure i agree with you…… I brought three lines over to T-Mobile from AT&T. Bought three cheap phones to trade in…kept the 3 iPhones from AT&T to sell. I did finance the 3 iPhones from TMO. So when my tax return comes in i will pay the loan off. Now I am truly contract free. My bill also goes down because i don't have the loan payments included anymore. Now other carriers are now offering this type of service they ONLY did so from the pressure of TMO doing it first.

 

[makotoisle]

I'm surprised that you have such poor service around Reno. We switched a few months ago because Verizon was basically a dead zone around our house. We get service most anywhere we go and a lot of the places that only had 4G a few months ago now have LTE.

 

[Looon]

Not really pointing a finger....but making them aware of the bad publicity this will generate.........look at how many people are reading it here! Look at how many here are going to post an "i told you so" message and then tell all of their friends about this guys bad experience with TMO and Uncarrier. The Uncarrier is big news.....they do not want any bad press around it....

Yes I'm sure a giant corporation with over 46 million customers is afraid
of what might happen if a portion of the less than 900,000 users on this forum see this post.

 

[blarivee]

Since T-Mobile no longer has contracts and ETF, why do they still have 14-day trial period? OP should have kept one of the iPhone and paid the remaining balance.

 

[thehustleman]

Since T-Mobile no longer has contracts and ETF, why do they still have 14-day trial period? OP should have kept one of the iPhone and paid the remaining balance.

Yeah they still have contracts, they just switched up how it works.

Now if you buy a 650 dollar phone, put 100 down, go 2 months with it and then decide you don't want the service anymore, you're gonna have to pay about 500 or more for that one line! Meanwhile an ETF is only 350 - 10 a month.

It's a sneaky way of raising the ETF while simultaneously rewarding long term customers with a lower rate

 

[Dontazemebro]

T-Mobile Uncarrier Mess

Since T-Mobile no longer has contracts and ETF, why do they still have 14-day trial period? OP should have kept one of the iPhone and paid the remaining balance.

The 14 day trial period is probably what roped the op in. It's disingenuous for TMO to tie their new uncarrier plan to a 14 day back out clause like their old plans. It almost forces customers who have second thoughts to stay with them.

 

[Primejimbo]

This is why when I am ready to switch I am getting a T-Mobile pay as you go. This way I can test out their network at home and where we go for vacation. This way if it doesn't work I'm out $50-100 and no aggravation of this type of issue.

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You should see if T-Mobile has a microcell type device for home use. It ties into your Network and lets you make calls off your WiFi network. This alleviates any issues you may have with poor cell reception in the home. This is the ONLY way I can make a call on AT&T at home in Las Vegas.

A friend of mine has T-Mobile and she uses her wifi to make calls. She said it's part of her plan. She also had them for 15 years, so I'm not sure if they still offer this kind of deal. No micro cell or anything, just straight wifi for both cell calls and data.

 

[jredecop]

I'm going through the same exact situation. Just got a 151 dollar phone bill yesterday and I had tmobile for 2 days. I was told is receive the 594-100 restocking fee (price they gave me for two phones) and now I'm just getting extra bills. I also paid an extra $128 to full pay off one of the new iPhones so I wouldn't have a finance charge for it on my bill and I didn't even get that credited back to me. Where I live they have pretty good service, except for my house where we dropped every call and putting the phone in my pocket resulted in no service. OP, any updates on your situation?

 

[phpmaven]

This is why when I am ready to switch I am getting a T-Mobile pay as you go. This way I can test out their network at home and where we go for vacation. This way if it doesn't work I'm out $50-100 and no aggravation of this type of issue.

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A friend of mine has T-Mobile and she uses her wifi to make calls. She said it's part of her plan. She also had them for 15 years, so I'm not sure if they still offer this kind of deal. No micro cell or anything, just straight wifi for both cell calls and data.

They do still have that deal, but it only works with certain phones, and the iPhone is not one of them.

 

[codemonkey812]

I just switched and had no service in my home but customer service was very nice and sent me a free micro cell.

 

[jamezr]

Yes I'm sure a giant corporation with over 46 million customers is afraid
of what might happen if a portion of the less than 900,000 users on this forum see this post.

sure they are…thats how things spread….it gets posted here……people repost it other places and forums. Tech blogs pick up that there are problems with the new much hyped UnCarrier program. They post about….People tell about in social media sites like Facebook, Reddit, Twitter…. it spreads like wild fire…….its called the internet….Thats how a positive or a negative buzz is created.

 

[bryan85]

Yeah they still have contracts, they just switched up how it works.

Now if you buy a 650 dollar phone, put 100 down, go 2 months with it and then decide you don't want the service anymore, you're gonna have to pay about 500 or more for that one line! Meanwhile an ETF is only 350 - 10 a month.

It's a sneaky way of raising the ETF while simultaneously rewarding long term customers with a lower rate

Your post is a little misleading. They don't have service contracts, period. They have separated the cost of the phone and service. If you choose to make monthly payments on the phone, you are financing the phone at 0% interest, and of course you would have to pay for the phone if you left. This isn't an ETF, or a sneaky way to raise "ETFs". It's the same as if you had financed a car. You have to pay for the product.

 

[thehustleman]

Your post is a little misleading. They don't have service contracts, period. They have separated the cost of the phone and service. If you choose to make monthly payments on the phone, you are financing the phone at 0% interest, and of course you would have to pay for the phone if you left. This isn't an ETF, or a sneaky way to raise "ETFs". It's the same as if you had financed a car. You have to pay for the product.

Only way it's truly no contract is if you pay upfront for the device in full. Otherwise you are obligated to stay with them.

Let me break it down

Old plan: for unlimited unthrottled everything it was 89.99 per month, you pat 200 upfront for the phone, and you have 14 days.

If 2 months into it you decide "you know what? I changed my mind about this service" then there is a 200 dollar ETF.


With the new plan: unlimited unthrottled everything is 70 and you want a new phone its 100 plus 20 dollars a month for 20 months.

Same scenario, 2 months in you decide you don't want it anymore, you can't simply cancel service and still be responsible for making payments on time for the device, no, you have to pay the remaining 360 right away. If it were like your (flawed) analogy with the car financing, you'd still be responsible for monthly payments, but instead they decide they want it all.

The cost of cutting service BEFORE the new plan = 200
Thr cost of cutting service AFTER the new plan = 360


So yes, it's STILL a contract.

They just made it on the device, but the sneaky part is you HAVE TO pay for service as well to keep making monthly device payments.


That's why they had problems, the government regulated how high ETF's can be, so they couldn't call it an ETF.

But technically contracts are still here. Only way to avoid them is still to bring your own device.

 

[rillrill]

personally, i think the only tmo plan worth the switch is the walmart $30 plan. that's what i have, and it's a big money saver. i've used it for almost a year on a nexus 4 and now on a nexus 5. the biggest issue is you only get 100 mins of talk time. i rarely talk on the phone - mostly texting (unlimited) and data (5gb). i've run out of minutes twice and had to resort to calling on a laptop via google voice - which works in a pinch.

tmos data coverage is spotty as hell, but i get 3g where i live and 4g where i work, so ymmv. i've looked at att and verizon plans these days and they are some much worse since i left over a year ago. after seeing how mobile plans cost in europe, i really think something needs to be done with this price gouging. i really hope tmo can get these other companies to lower their prices, or the government should step in and regulate them.