Retail News CRM

Tag: Tmobile

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

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

    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.

    Lees ook:
    Lees ook:
    Lees ook:
  • T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    Just when you think T-Mobile is done delivering bad news, something new comes along. Just today, it was reported that customers are having a meltdown at stores after learning about the new fee for offline payments and now the carrier has dropped two more bombs.
    The Mobile Report spotted a change to the company’s terms and conditions and found two potentially worrying things. One of the clauses says that “you may still incur charges while an account or service is suspended.” This means that the company has the right to charge you even when you are not using their services because of a non-payment suspension.
    Your account may still accrue charges even if the Service is suspended. You are responsible for any charges that are incurred while your Service or account is suspended. You agree to pay all Charges we assess and bill you, including charges covering periods where your Service is suspended for non-payment, or Charges that were accepted or processed through all Devices and/or Products on your account, including while your service is suspended. If your account is unpaid or otherwise not in good standing, your service may be reduced, suspended, or terminated. Charges may not be prorated while your Service is suspended. If you port your number to another carrier, your Service will be deactivated immediately once the number is ported, though you will still be charged for a full billing cycle.

    And even though the website uses the word “may,” The Mobile Report has received a screenshot of an internal document that says that customers will be charged during account suspension.

    This went into effect on July 19 and employees have apparently been told that the charges are not prorated – meaning customers will be charged the full amount for the entire billing period – and they will not be credited.
    As is the case with the offline payment fiasco, employees will have to deal with disappointed customers and this time around, T-Mobile doesn’t even explain why it has made this change.
    Verizon is the only of the big three carriers that does not charge customers during non-payment suspensions.
    Besides that, T-Mobile also says it’s “not responsible for any… …information, goods, or services provided by third parties.” So if you do business with a third party and something goes wrong, you can raise a dispute but it would be up to T-Mobile if it wants to help and it can walk away scot-free.
    This means that customers will have to be a lot more careful about where they shop from as T-Mobile can simply refuse to help if something goes wrong with the device you were provided or you were misguided about a plan by an authorized retailer.
    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • T-Mobile subscribers can make hands-free calls using the Alexa digital assistant

    T-Mobile subscribers can make hands-free calls using the Alexa digital assistant

    Back in 2020, AT&T subscribers could use the Alexa digital assistant on their Echo smart speaker and smart display to make and take phone calls over the AT&T network. These calls could be going out to numbers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, or coming in from callers in those countries. A year later, Verizon subscribers were allowed to link their phone numbers to the Alexa digital assistant on their smart speakers allowing them to make or take hands-free calls.

    T-Mobile subscribers are now able to connect their phone numbers with Alexa allowing subscribers of the nation’s second-largest carrier to make or take calls hands-free through Alexa. A tip  The Mobile Report (formerly The T-Mobile Report) received included an image showing a cartoonish T-Mobile subscriber saying “Alexa, make a call.”  The rest of the copy on the promo says, “Link your T-Mobile number to your Alexa speaker to connect to the people & places that matter most-with the same hands-free convenience you’ve come to expect from Alexa.”

    T-Mobile has put up a support page explaining how to set up Alexa to make calls. First, to link your T-Mobile account to Alexa you will need the following:

    • A T-Mobile account with a Voice line
    • A T-Mobile ID
    • An Amazon/Alexa account
    • Alexa Speakers
    • iOS 14 or Android 8.0 or newer smartphone to pair via Alexa app
    To link using the T-Mobile with Alexa skill, open the Alexa app on your phone and go to More > Settings > Communication. Under accounts, select T-Mobile and follow the directions on linking your T-Mobile account.
    To link using the settings in the Alexa app, follow these directions:
    1. Download and sign in to the Alexa app.
    2. Select More > Skills and Games.
    3. Select the Search icon in the top-left corner and enter “T-Mobile”, then select T-Mobile with Alexa.
    4. Select Enable Skill.
    5. On the T-Mobile login page, enter the phone number or email address and password you used to create your T-Mobile ID, then select Sign in. You will be prompted to verify your account via text message with a T-Mobile verification code.
    6. Once verified, select the line you’d like to use for calling on Alexa and confirm your address for 911 calls.

    To unlink your T-Mobile account from Alexa, open the Alexa app and go to More > Settings > Communications. Under accounts, go to T-Mobile > Disable Skill. Follow the directions.

    To make a phone call, Say, “Alexa, call [contact name or phone number]” When there is an incoming call, Alexa will ring and announce the call / caller ID. Say “Alexa, answer call” or “Alexa, decline”. To make an emergency call, Say, “Alexa, call 911.” Alexa will share your e911 address with the operator prior to the operator answering the phone call.
    When you’re home in a room where you have one of your Amazon Echo speakers or screens, using Alexa sure is a convenient way to make or take calls without having to reach for your phone.
    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • T-Mobile introduces a more secure way for authorizing SIM changes

    T-Mobile introduces a more secure way for authorizing SIM changes

    In an internal notice sent to its stores, as reported by the T-Mo Report, T-Mobile informs its employees of a new, more secure method of authorizing SIM changes. The customer will now be required to provide SMS verification when requesting SIM changes, such as transferring a number to a new SIM. The alternative is the change to be verified by two employees using their credentials.

    T-Mobile’s new measure against unauthorized SIM changes may come in response to the new requirement proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC proposed that service providers identify the customer before beginning a port-out to another carrier and notify customers immediately when a SIM change or port request occurs.

    The new T-Mobile measure is a step forward in solving the problem of unauthorized SIM changes because T-Mobile defenses against attackers have been breached more than once.

    Over these few years, T-Mobile clients have become victims of constant SIM swap scams and port-out attacks. As attackers utilized the stolen phone numbers from the SIM swaps to receive two-factor authentication SMS codes, many clients lost a lot of money due to these scams, including cryptocurrency.

    In August, T-Mobile became a victim of a data breach. The hack affected over 54 million people. Customer names, driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, and device identification numbers were all leaked.

    The new SIM change procedure was implemented on December 14th and is now in effect.

    Lees ook:

  • Sprint/T-Mobile deal may get FCC approval

    Sprint/T-Mobile deal may get FCC approval

    In a move that was looking increasingly unlikely over the past few months, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has signaled that he will recommend that Sprint/T-Mobile merger be approved. The $26.5 billion mergers aren’t necessarily out of the woods yet as no vote has been taken and the other four commissioners have not been heard from yet and there is still the DOJ to persuade. But nevertheless, the deal has crossed a threshold and may now be back on track to close in the coming months.

    In order to get past the FCC’s concerns, Sprint and T-Mobile had to make a few concessions. The Boost prepaid business will be sold off, a 5G network will be built out over 3 years, and pricing will not be raised during that construction. Promises were made to ensure ‘robust’ infrastructure in rural areas and to work on in-home broadband offerings.

    The markets liked the move, and all four US wireless giants saw their stocks surge in response, Sprint and T-Mobile for obvious reasons and Verizon and AT&T due to the prospect of a reduction in the competition overall. Infrastructure providers, however, saw the opposite given the consolidation synergies that will inevitably come at their expense.

    The news comes just over a year since the deal was announced after years of dancing. I think we’re all tired of the dance at this point. I wonder though if a tweet will send things the other way in the next 24 hours.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • T-Mobile promises cheap 5G services

    T-Mobile promises cheap 5G services

    T-Mobile has just announced that it’s starting limited home internet pilot, an invitation-only test for in-home internet service on LTE, which is meant to connect up to 50,000 homes by the end of the year, in both rural and underserved markets in the United States.

    The carrier states that due to LTE network and spectrum capacity constraints it can’t expand the pilot to more than 50,000 households, but if T-Mobile’s pending merger with Sprint is approved, it will most certainly cover more than half of US households with 5G service by 2024.

    If you’re interested, then you’ll be happy to know that the T-Mobile Home Internet pilot is offered exclusively in areas the carrier expects to deliver speeds of around 50 Mbps through fixed unlimited wireless service over LTE (no data caps). The cost is $50 per month with AutoPay, and there are no annual service contracts, no hidden fees, and no equipment costs.

    Considering customers pay at least $80 per month for wired in-home broadband service these days, T-Mobile pilot programs seems quite a good deal. Moreover, the carrier claims that if the merger with Sprint is approved, it will be able to cover more than half of US household with 5G broadband service by 2024 possibly at the same price.

    Upgrade from LTE to 5G for free, but the monthly fee could be different

    If you’re eligible and chosen to take part in T-Mobile’s Home Internet pilot, a small router will be shipped to you and you’ll be given simple step-by-step instructions on how to install it. You’ll also have to install a mobile app on your phone to optimize placement of router in the house, but that’s just about all you need to do to access T-Mobile’s LTE speeds.

    The router will be upgraded to provide customers 5G services when they will be available in their region, at no additional costs. However, it’s yet unclear whether or not the monthly price will be increased when that happens.

    It’s not the first time that T-Mobile’s CEO John Legere promises something, but it’s also worth mentioning that he kept his promises most of the time.Two weeks ago, I laid out our plans for home broadband with the New T-Mobile. Now, we’re already hard at work building toward that future. We’re w alking the walk and laying the foundation for a world where we can take the fight to Big Cable on behalf of consumers and offer real choice, competition and savings to Americans nationwide.

    Even if 5G services won’t be as cheap as we want them to be, it’s quite clear that thanks to competition customers will have at least a couple of alternatives that will fit their budget. And when it comes to competition, T-Mobile has been able to undercut its rivals many times in the past.

    T-Mobile’s Home Internet pilot is an admirable initiative

    Although all major US carriers announced plans to roll out 5G networks across the country by the end of the year, none have been willing to share anything about prices. Well, at least T-Mobile says it will offer lower prices if Sprint merger is approved.

    T-Mobile’s initiative is quite admirable considering that almost half of American households have no competitive choice for high-speed in-home broadband with speeds of 100Mbps, and in rural areas, more than three quarters have no high-speed service or only one option at their disposal.

    The Un-carrier won’t just bring better internet speeds to rural and underserved areas, but it will also allow 9.5 million households to cut the cord if the merger with Sprint is approved.

    At the other end, AT&T and Verizon are expected to announce their 5G network pricing as well, as both are preparing to launch home 5G services before bringing them to smartphones. It’s a fight between three giants that will have at least one winner: consumers.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: