This week, T-Mobile customers on older cell phone plans began receiving alerts that they would soon be migrated to a new plan. T-Mobile has confirmed that older legacy plans are being retired, and affected customers may see a price increase on their next bill.
In this article, I’ll share how to know if your plan has been retired, what to expect with your new plan and how to prevent higher monthly prices on your cell phone bill.
T-Mobile Legacy Phone Plans
On June 29, T-Mobile sent out alerts to customers on its legacy plans that their plans were being retired. Instead of an optional upgrade, T-Mobile is automatically migrating these customers to new plans.
While T-Mobile isn’t sharing a list of the specific plans that will be retired, here’s what we do know about the changes taking place at T-Mobile:
Many of T-Mobile’s older plans are being fully retired, with no option to keep them.
Once the plan is retired, customers will be transitioned to modern plans and will keep their current benefits.
Expect updated plan details and a possible price increase if you are impacted.
Affected customers will have been notified by the end of the day on June 29.
If you aren’t happy with the price of the plan you’ve been transitioned to, you can call T-Mobile’s customer care to explore other available plans. You can also avoid the price increase altogether by switching to a different service provider.
What To Expect if Your Plan Is Retired
Based on reports from customers who have received notifications, the expected price increase is ~$6/month per line. While the price difference will vary based on your plan and number of lines, this means a family of four could face a $288/year price increase.
Unfortunately, legacy phone plans may not be the only T-Mobile service subject to upcoming price hikes. Additional reports warn that watch and tablet lines will also increase by $3/line, and customers with 5G Home Internet can expect a $6 price increase.
If you do receive an alert from T-Mobile that your cell phone plan is changing, you have three options:
Take no further action. Affected customers won’t need to take any action to complete the migration. You’ll be moved to a new plan automatically, and you’ll see the changes reflected on your next monthly bill.
Choose a different plan. Contact T-Mobile’s customer care team to discuss available plans. Migrating customers may have access to discounted versions of current T-Mobile plans with taxes and fees included, plus a five-year price guarantee.
Switch to a cheaper service provider. If you want to avoid the increased pricing altogether, you can shop for an affordable plan that provides access to the same network. With options beginning as low as $10/month, you may even find a deal better than your T-Mobile legacy plan. We’ll explore this option further in the next section.
Avoid the Price Increase: Cheap Access to T-Mobile’s Network
Staying loyal to your cell phone service provider is common for many customers with one of The Big Three. However, when your loyalty isn’t rewarded, it’s a good opportunity to see what else is available.
If you’d prefer to stick with one of The Big Three, both AT&T and Verizon recently launched new, affordable plans that allow you to save money while keeping a familiar provider. AT&T’s Build-A-Plan begins at $15/month for one line, and unlimited data is available for as low as $35/month. Alternatively, Verizon Simplicity includes unlimited high-speed data for as low as $30/month for new customers.
If T-Mobile has the strongest service in your area, you can also access the same network for a fraction of the price by switching to an MVNO. These providers partner with T-Mobile for service, which means you’ll be able to keep the same coverage you’re used to:
Tello Mobile (Team Clark’s Review): Plans begin at $5/month. You can get unlimited talk, text and 2GB of high-speed data for $10/month. Additional options include 10GB for $15/month, 20GB for $20/month and unlimited data (50GB high-speed) for $25/month.
US Mobile (Team Clark’s Review): US Mobile’s “Light Speed” network utilizes T-Mobile’s service towers. With US Mobile, plans begin as low as $10/month for 2GB of high-speed data ($8/month when prepaid annually). Unlimited plans begin at $25/month. New customers can get the same plan for $16.60/month for the first year when prepaid annually.
Mint Mobile (Team Clark’s Review): New customers can get 6GB of high-speed data for $15/month, 17GB for $20/month, 23GB for $25/month or unlimited for $30/month when prepaying three months in advance. After three months, prepay annually to keep the same monthly rate.
For more options, check out our full list of the best T-Mobile MVNOs.
Final Thoughts
Price increases from The Big Three are no longer uncommon, especially on legacy plans. However, you don’t have to accept the higher monthly bill. Switching to a different service provider may seem intimidating, but it’s actually an easy way to save money every month.
If you’re thinking about leaving T-Mobile to avoid the upcoming price hikes, check out our full list of the best cell phone plans and providers to get started. When you switch, you’ll likely be eligible for new-customer deals and discounts. You can see a full list of the best current cell phone plan deals here.
You can also directly compare plans that will meet your needs using our free Phone Plan Finder.
Once you’ve decided on a new provider, follow these steps to switch.
Is your T-Mobile plan being retired? Tell us about your experience in our Clark.com Community.
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