U-turn at T-Mobile: they'll make you pay more as thousands of Americans grow desperate

If you're a T-Mobile customer and you thought the worst was over regarding price increases, get ready for a new surprise. Although the company assured that it wouldn't raise its rates any further this year, it has found another way to increase your expenses. It's doing so in a way that many users consider unfair: through late payment fees.

The change is already causing concern among thousands of Americans who rely on T-Mobile's service for their daily lives. Currently, the company applies a penalty to those who don't pay their bill within the established deadline. This fine is, in many cases, unavoidable for those facing financial difficulties or who simply forget the due date.

Until now, the late payment fee was at least $7 or 5% of your total bill, whichever is higher. But that's about to change.

The change T-Mobile will introduce

Starting in November, this fee will increase to a minimum of $10. It's a decision that has drawn criticism from T-Mobile users and analysts. The change will especially affect customers with lower bills, for whom the increase represents a greater proportional impact.

Although in some states like New York, Maryland, and Washington D.C., there are legal limits that restrict the amount of the fee. For example, between 1.66% and 2.08% (1.66% and 2.08%), but most of the country will see this charge become more expensive.

T-Mobile justifies this fee as a way to encourage users to use its AutoPay service. It allows the bill to be automatically charged each month from a bank account or debit card. Although this option is free and convenient, not all customers can or want to use it, which leaves many exposed to the new fee.

This isn't the first time T-Mobile has changed its fee policy. In 2022, the company had already increased the late payment penalty, going from $5 to the current $7 or 5%. Now, with this new adjustment, it seems the company is looking for ways to increase its revenue without directly touching plan prices.

Customer discontent with T-Mobile

What bothers customers most is the sense of contradiction. T-Mobile used to promote itself as the company that didn't raise prices and that cared for its users. However, since it eliminated its fixed price guarantee, increases have appeared through other means.

Not paying on time doesn't just mean taking on the new fee. If the debt is kept, T-Mobile can suspend the service, and to reactivate it you'll have to pay a $20 restoration fee per line. These kinds of measures have led many users to express their frustration on social media and forums.