What is going on with T-Mobile now a days. I recently went to a store to see if I can upgrade my cell phone and renew my two-year contract in the process. I was confused by what seemed like a simple process I had done before in the past, they are now changing the way they do business. I understand that the company has done acquisitions of other cell phone carriers in the last year, but why should the customer be penalized for that decision the company made. As soon as I got all the details of my new plan and how much the phone was going to cost me, I immediately knew that T-Mobile was tacking on extra expenses to its customers in order to regain the money they spent on other business dealings.
What are those extra fees I am referring too? Well for the most part if you renew a contract up in till this point T-Mobile had several phones that qualified for free or with a rebate that you can get immediately without any added surprises. Now they are charging a $20 per month per cell phone fee on a family plan or individual plan on top of the standard plan monthly rates. My jaw dropped as I was told this by the sales rep with a straight face.
Let me digest all of this and repeat it for you all here and now. I am locking myself in to your company for two years and now I have to pay an additional $20 dollars per month for 20 months to buy the cell phone at full price just to be your customer. I don’t think you understand T-Mobile that many of your competitors are still offering phones for free when you go with them as a new customer. Why would you want to risk losing customers by adding this ridiculous fee that never existed.
New T-Mobile Plan Fee Details:
- Average Smart Phone Price: $ 199 (Rebate if you are lucky – $50-100)
- Average Smart Phone Plan per Month: $150 Family Plan – $100 Individual
- New Added Fees: $20 Per Cell Phone (Mostly New Smart Phones we actually want)
- Taxes and Surcharges are always an additional $10-25 Dollars over plan fees
- Total Amount – $180-200-2 person Family Plans or $110-130 Individual Plans.
I get that these companies need to make revenue due to increased competition, but why risk losing existing customers to others by not making the contract renewal options easier for long time customers. I feel like these companies want customers to jump ship every two years so that they can keep each other in business.
I will see my options now during the holiday season and I foresee that I can find a company willing to give me a new smart phone for a small upfront purchase price and charge me the standard monthly plan rate with no surprises. If I cannot get everything I need and want from a telecom service provider then I will reduce my plan to the cheapest option and still use my old phone until they get there act together. Theres always pay as you go, no contract service providers as well that can be a viable option for me.
Comment below if you would like to share what cell phone plans work for you?
RichUncle EL
