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T-Mobile is phasing out plans with included taxes and fees starting tomorrow

By Rajiv Menon
2 min read
Tmobile
Tmobile
In this article (5)

T-Mobile recently introduced new plans where customers were quick to notice that the taxes and additional fees were no longer factored into the price. Now, according to multiple people claiming to be T-Mobile representatives, it seems that the company is doing away with its older plans entirely.

One T-Mobile user claiming to be an employee at an authorized retailer has revealed that representatives will no longer receive commissions for activating older plans. This claim was backed up by multiple other people claiming to be employees of the carrier as well. Apparently T-Mobile has instructed store personnel to push the new plans only and stay away from plans that include taxes and fees in the price.

Another user claiming to be a T-Mobile employee as well has also shared the same news in a separate post. The new instructions are to take effect from May 1 and will make it a lot more difficult to go to a store and sign up for a plan with included taxes and fees. Understandably representatives at these stores want to earn their commissions and will be very hesitant about activating an older plan.

This decision comes after T-Mobile faced backlash online for introducing pricing updates to existing plans. Customers claimed that their plans, which had been marketed to them as price locked forever, also saw increases in monthly cost. Since then T-Mobile has been a lot more careful about promising price locks and new offers clearly state how long such guarantees will last.

Naturally the revelation about older plans being no longer incentivized for store employees was met with criticism. One user even said that T-Mobile, which calls itself the “un-carrier”, is now just becoming another carrier company like AT&T or Verizon. AT&T and Verizon don’t offer plans with included taxes and fees and T-Mobile only started doing so around eight years ago.

Including the taxes and fees in the price upfront makes it a lot easier for customers and employees. In fact representatives say that T-Mobile has gone back in time with its latest moves and they now have to once again tell customers that taxes and fees are separate. To me this feels like T-Mobile is getting ready to completely phase out plans with included charges in the near future.

Questions & Answers

Q.

When do these new instructions for T-Mobile store personnel take effect?

A.

The new instructions for T-Mobile store personnel, which direct them to promote new plans without included taxes and fees, are set to take effect from May 1.

Q.

Why would store representatives be hesitant to activate older plans with included taxes and fees?

A.

Store representatives would be hesitant because, according to multiple employees, they will no longer receive commissions for activating these older plans. They are instructed to push new plans only.

Q.

How did T-Mobile's previous pricing updates to existing plans affect customers?

A.

Customers experienced increases in monthly costs for their plans, which had previously been marketed as having a 'price locked forever' guarantee. This led to online backlash against T-Mobile.

Q.

When did T-Mobile begin offering plans that included taxes and fees in the price?

A.

T-Mobile started offering plans with included taxes and fees in the price about eight years ago. This move is now being reversed with their latest changes.

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