Your T-Mobile Bill May Increase.
If you’ve been on the same T-Mobile plan for years, take note: This month, T-Mobile will not only switch you to a new plan, but it might also make you pay more.
According to CNET (owned by Lifehacker’s parent company, Ziff Davis), T-Mobile will be terminating a number of legacy plans, resulting in the cancellation of “more than 1,100 old billing codes.” The company has begun contacting customers on older plans to inform them of these changes. T-Mobile doesn’t appear to have specified which plans will be discontinued, but some are “10 to 15 years old.” As CNET notes, this could affect the Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, One Plus, and Magenta plans. Legacy Sprint plans will also likely be affected if users had plans that survived the Sprint-T-Mobile merger.
In a statement to Android Authority, T-Mobile explains the reasons for the changes. These plans are the oldest in the company’s lineup, many of which were designed for the “3G and 4G era.” Additionally, customers switching to current plans will receive a five-year price guarantee. T-Mobile won’t be shutting down everything at once. These changes are expected to occur over the coming weeks and will be reflected in the next billing cycle. If your plan is affected, you should receive a notification via SMS or through the T-Life app today.
How much more will customers have to pay for T-Mobile’s new plans?
The immediate downside of losing your old plan, of course, is losing your old plan. While there are no guarantees at this time, it appears that users who switch to T-Mobile’s current plan will, in most cases, pay more than they did under their previous plan.
The good news is that the new plan may not be much more expensive. T-Mobile’s statement to Android Authority stated that some customers’ plans will remain unchanged, while others will see a “minor adjustment.” Android Authority reports that T-Mobile confirmed that the average change will be $4 per line.
What should T-Mobile customers do?
According to T-Mobile, nothing special. The company says it will automatically migrate subscribers with old plans to their current plans. Moreover, Allan Samson, T-Mobile’s chief marketing officer, said that “there’s absolutely no requirement on the customer; it just happens.”
Apparently, T-Mobile will switch you to a “similar” plan, which includes “Essentials,” “Essentials Saver,” “Experience More,” “Experience Beyond,” and “Better Value.” While these plans may include new features, they may, of course, incur additional charges. Unfortunately, it appears there’s no way to dispute this change, and you’ll have to wait for T-Mobile to take action before you know which plan you’ve been switched to.
If you have an old plan, my advice is to either wait and see what T-Mobile offers you, or contact the company and negotiate. There’s no guarantee they’ll offer you a better deal, but once you know your options, you can decide whether to switch to another carrier or take advantage of T-Mobile’s offer.