T-Mobile bumping per-text rates again
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Jun 30th 2008 2:13PM
posted Jun 30th 2008 2:13PM
Just a little over a year after going to 15 cents per message, T-Mobile's at it again, bumping the rate to 20 cents for those who go over their monthly allotment. For anyone with an unlimited messaging plan, it's obviously not an issue -- but many folks aren't, so this could end up stinging the pocketbook just a bit when it goes in effect come August 29. For what it's worth, T-Mob just seems to be responding to the 20 cent trend that's going on in the industry right now -- but it still hurts something fierce, and it's a pretty solid reminder that even casual texters are better off on a legit messaging plan these days.[Thanks, Ryan J. and Mike]
Does this mean we can end our service without an ETF?
this change absolutely allows you cancel without ETF. You will need to "follow the instructions" on the notice ... but I haven't found any. My contract says I need to cancel with 14 days of my notice, but I don't know if that begins today, or when they mail me the notice.
Regardless, I'll be switching to the DeathStar on July 11th anyway for my iphone3G, which means I won't have to pay the $200 fee. Thanks T-mobile, it's been a great 5 years with ya! (I will miss their low rates and great customer service!)
Time for a text messaging windfall profits tax on cell companies!
This of course includes International SMS as well. AT&T is the only carrier that offers an International SMS bundle.
This is such bs! Shouldn't this crap be getting cheaper? Do they really need to be charging 3 grand per megabyte of info? I swear, metro pcs / cricket are looking better and better - Iphone be damned!
Step by step cancellation guide I put togther.
Please note this is only valid for people who do not have a messaging plan. If you pay for a bundled messaging add-on you can not use the increase as a reason for breaking the contract since the increase does not affect you. This is also only valid for people not worried about losing your current phone number. If want to keep the phone number you will have to do some more hagling with the CR you talk to.
1. This step is very important. If you have not sent or received a SMS message within the past three months send a SMS message to your T-Mobile phone now. If you try this without having a recent text message on your account. T-Mobile will deny your request stating that the change will not affect you since you do not use text messaing.
2. Log into your T-Mobile account. Click on Billing, then Current Usage. Verify you see the SMS Text message. If you do not see a message wait a few hours and check back. Based upon my experience the site updates a few times per day. If you do not see the message the CR will not see it.
3. Call T-Mobile's main support number at 1-800-937-8997. When prompted by the automated system say "Cancel my Account". This should send you to the right department.
4. When the customer service (CR) person asks why you are calling say, " I want to cancel my account. I was notified today that the SMS messaging rate will be increasing from $.10 to $.20. on 8/29." Some CRs seem to know about this and others don't. They may put your on hold and verify the change.
5. The CR will probably come back and offer you incentives to keep your contract. Deny all offers.
6. If you haven't used text messaging within the past 3 months the CR will say the change doesn't affect you and you will need to pay the ETF. Tell them you sent/received a text message today and it will affect you. Tell them to check your recent activity.
7. The CR may say the change doesn't take effect until 8/29. Quote T-Mobile's Terms of Service here. Tell the CR that according to the ToS you must cancel within 14 days of receiving the notification. If they argue over this point or any other point simply read the following exerpt from the ToS
Section 3:
IF WE MODIFY A MATERIAL TERM OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH YOU AND THE MODIFICATION WOULD BE MATERIALLY ADVERSE TO YOU, WE WILL NOTIFY YOU OF THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION AND YOU CAN CANCEL THAT SERVICE WITHOUT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE (WHICH IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY) BY FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SERVICE BY FOLLOWING THOSE INSTRUCTIONS, OR YOU OTHERWISE ACCEPT THE CHANGE, THEN YOU AGREE TO THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION, EVEN IF YOU PAID FOR SERVICE IN ADVANCE. IF THE NOTICE DOES NOT SAY HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO CANCEL, THEN IT IS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE NOTICE, UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
7. The CR should then put you on hold to cancel the account.
8. Once done log back into your T-Mobile account. You should not be able to view any current details or current plan details.
9. If you can not get anywhere with the CR ask to speak to a manager or hang up and call again to get another CR.
10. If all else fails tell the CR you will file a report with the FCC and fill out the form located at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. Most of the time filling out this form will result in swift action by the service provider.
In my case I contact support early in the day and requested the cancellation. Since I hadn't used text messaging in the past three months the CR told me I would have to pay the ETF. This CR knew about the change and was very friendly about it. He told me to just send a new text to my phone and wait a few hours and call back. I sent the text and waited until it showed on my online account manger. The second CR had no idea about the change and it required a lot of prodding on my part to get him to cancel it. Getting a good CR is just the luck of the draw. The process can be very easy or very difficult based on the CR you talk to.
http://www.digitaljargon.com
Also, make sure you tell them you need to port your phone number, so they can't cancel your contract yet. They are not allowed, by federal law, to prevent you from porting your number.
You have to switch to AT&T before cancelling with T-mobile or else you lose the number.
Tell them to keep your account active, but note the ETF credit so it doesn't get charged. Then go to AT&T and switch your service and sim-card.
Nice guide. However, three points that I learned by calling customer service:
1) You CAN get out of the ETF with a messaging plan IF you have incurred an overage in the last three months! So if you have not incurred an overage, start sending text messages TODAY like crazy to someone who has an unlimited plan. Make sure you go over by at least 1 message.
2) You CAN'T cancel before you receive your next bill. In that bill with be the OFFICIAL NOTICE that the messaging rate has gone up. For me it is July 3rd.
3) Once you receive the bill you have 30 days to cancel. There is no special way you need to cancel. You can cancel by activating an AT&T account and porting your number over. Though you will want to scan you last t-mobile bill for the ETF (or lack thereof).
This is what I got as reply to my email query. I am filing complain with FCC now. It is ridiculous because one CSR did tell me that ETF wouldn't apply. To confirm I had emailed support and got this:
I know how upsetting it is to have increases for this usage. The
bill inserts regarding the Early Termination Fee waiver will be mailed
starting June 27. After reviewing your account I see that you have
already transferred your number to another provider and cancelled your
T-Mobile service. Since the messaging rates do not change until August
29 and you have cancelled now while under contract, the Early
Termination Fee will be applied and cannot be adjusted. Customers who
qualify for the waiver have 30 days from the receipt of their bill
insert to terminate their contract without an ETF. After 30 days, you
will no longer be able to cancel your contracts without an ETF, and the
communicated rate changes will be effective August 29. We are sorry that
you have decided to leave T-Mobile for this reason. Although the
messaging rates will increase T-Mobile will be offering a blocking
feature in late July which will alleviate many text charges. I am sorry
that you did not wait to have all this explained to you. The $200 early
termination fee is a valid charge since you have cancelled while under
contract. If you decide to return to T-Mobile we would love to have you
back. You will have 90 days to return without having to pay a new
activation fee and the termination fee will be adjusted for you. After
60 days you would need a new SIM card though and after 90 days, a new
activation and SIM will be required and the termination fee will not be
adjusted.
I was told by a CSR this weekend that I needed to wait until my next bill came. With that bill, I would recieve an insert that stated the change. They said I had 30 days to cancel from the day I recieve that to avoid ETF fees. My CSR did not know about it, but I noticed it on their website on Saturday and he put me on hold to get me these details.
"it's a pretty solid reminder that even casual texters are better off on a legit messaging plan these days." which is just what the carriers want you to do! Considering that text messaging costs the carrier pretty much close to nil it's a good way to get you by the short ones.
The reason T-Mobile is doing this along with other stuff like no round the clock CC any longer is that they think they are in the same league with the big boys (death Star and Verizon.) Well, they're better than they were but they're hardly in the same league as the "big boys." T-Mobile always competed on "value" but I can see that's going to come to an end as well. Increasing your text message rate by 400% (it wasn't that many years ago that it was only 5¢/message) over five years shows "how far they've come."
What if I cancel my texting plan today and then cancel next week?
evo/
I would not cancel my text plan, UNLESS it's an unlimited plan. Basically to get out of the ETF you need to have incurred a $0.15 text messaging charge in the last 3 billing cycles (which is not possible with an unlimited plan). So, if I were just hit your max and incur at least one charge for overage on your text message plan BEFORE your next bill. It is KEY that you do this before your bill or you can't get out of the ETF.
yeah, i wanna know to, will that work?
cancel my texting plan today and then cancel next week?
I would not cancel my text plan, UNLESS it's an unlimited plan. Basically to get out of the ETF you need to have incurred a $0.15 text messaging charge in the last 3 billing cycles (which is not possible with an unlimited plan). So, if I were just hit your max and incur at least one charge for overage on your text message plan BEFORE your next bill. It is KEY that you do this before your bill or you can't get out of the ETF.
If I have a family plan and only have a 1000 Text Message Plan on one phone, do I still qualify to cancel without the ETF? Otherwise, can I cancel the plan today and then qualify? I really need to switch to ATT, I have no coverage in my new home with T-Mobile.
Thank God for Buddytime!!
If I have the sidekick and the unlimited messaging, if I cancel the unlimited before I recieve the notice and then recancel can I end my contract without the penalty?
Hi my name is Mike,
we just had our 2 yr. plan ended last may. My mother for some reason reactivated the plan starting july 1st. could this apply to us also since we've already had 2 yr. plan with them. Should we wait to get new phones and start texting before we try calling them? I really want to change to ATT cause i have no signal whatsoever in my house.
This will be diificult to argue. I am sure they will try and state that you reactivated after the notice. However, you should claim to not have received notice until your bill comes in the mail with the insert. Do not call CS before then. And until then, send text messages from ALL of your t-mobile phones.
Those with unlimited texting do not qualify for the get out of jail for free card...
ive heard a few times that with an unlimited text messaging plan you can simply ask the rep, "if i decide to cancel my unlimited plan in the future will this effect me?" Do you think that would work? I am on a family plan with my parents and sister and i'm leaving it in a few days, i am the only person who uses a lot of the text messages on the plan, before i was on it (i joined it back in jan) they paid per message. Now that i'm leaving this whole text message thing kinda screws them over...any suggestions?
does anyone know if i have a family plan and only ONE phone out of three has a 1000 text message plan (NOT unlimited), do we qualify?? i need to know so i don't end up out of luck on the phone with the csr.
If i have the bundled messaging add-on can i cancel it and then try to qualify for no etf? My next bill is july 14.
If i have the bundled messaging add-on can i cancel it and then try
to qualify for no etf? My next bill is july 14.
I am on an unlimited text plan. However, I texted someone in Europe multiple times a few months ago while I was in the US. This was billed to me at 15 cents per message, and this will be going up to 20 cents... I think I would qualify...
Maybe you could use this to your advantage if you have an unlimited plan, text someone in europe or somewhere and get billed for it...
Ill be calling tmobile tomorrow to see.
Oooh! I have Sidekick Unlimited but I've been texting my best friend who's in Australia (and getting hit hard for the 15 cents per).
I hope this applies to people like us who are texting abroad.
Anyone know for sure?
What a bunch of whiners. You signed a 1 or 2 year contract were provided an oppertunity to read the contract and chose not to and now are looking for a loop hole to get out of a leaglly signed contract. This should keep the lawyers busy for months. The company will explain the rules to you in your bill insert and then it is up to you,the consumer, to figure it out or get someone to explain it to you. This will mean that you will have to be responsible for yourselfs and not pick up the phoen and whine to some poor CSR that is trying to feed his family and make ends meet about how you are harmed by this change. Heave forbid that a company in a Capitalistic society try to make money, I mean you should be given something for free there should be a place where you can get what you want for free, oh wait they have a place like that it's called Cuba,welcome to Communism Comrade. As you whiny SOB's are on the way out the door. GO to all of the other Cellphone providers websites and take a moment to read the T&C's. For you no signal in my home, car , work office, bathroom, doghouse, remote Antarctic research station crybabies, in all companies T&C's it explicitly notifyies you that it doesn't guarantee service. Not 911 or anything else because it is against the laws of physics to make that claim. Radio and Satellite are effected by anything form trees to concrete and then there are equipment malfunctions to consider as well. Cellphones are what they are a WANT not a NEED. Accpet this fact and move onto more important things like being responsible for your life and your actions
Aww, poor baby. You sound like an embittered CSR who's been yelled at one too many times. Just like it is okay for Capitalists to try and make money, it is just as well that consumers do what they can for themselves. If there is a loophole in a contract that the company KNOWINGLY put there, then who's to say people shouldn't be allowed to take advantage of that?
Obviously people have come here for advice or information, not to read some pathetic, poorly written (and spelled) diatribe.
If you just wanted to unload, glad you could do so. Unfortunately for you, no one really cares about what you have to say.
I just called tmobile. Contrary to the comments listed above, it's 30 days for cancellation. See the contract's section "5. Our Rights to Make Changes."
http://www.t-mobile.com/Templates/Popup.aspx?PAsset=Ftr_Ftr_TermsAndConditions&print=true
I do not receive my bill until July 18; however, the my tmobile page already list the rate change info (cancellation in footer section of page). The tmobile representative said that I have from now to 30 days from when I receive my bill to cancel - thus aug 18.
I confirmed with him that the procedure was to port the number (which will automatically cancel the contract) and then call tmobile to make sure that the ETF waiver was applied. Lastly, I recommend calling tmobile FIRST to make sure that you qualify for the ETF waiver.
So I tried to call in and cancel because of the rate change but the CSRS i spoke to refused to let me out without an ETF. I currently have the 400 text rate plan and they said that I haven't gone over in the past 3 months and therefore am not eligible to have the fee waved. I tried to bring up future charges I may inure but they said it only counted if it was within the last 90 days.
Any ideas on how I can get out of this?
I was in the same boat. Called multiple times to no avail.
I just filed a complaint with the FCC. Thinking of also doing it with the Better Businnes Bureau.
How fast will T-Mobile know about the FCC complaint and call me to apologize?
I'm looking to get out as well. I have the bundled package of 400 messages but I get my bills online and didn't receive the notice that the fees are increasing. If I go over my limit today - before the fees increase will I still be able to get out of it with my next bill?
Please help. A new iphone is calling me.
- q
Jeremiah: start texting :)
I actually brought that point up to the CSR on the phone, and asked if I was to over my limit before the rate went into affect would that "count". She said no, since I am now notified of the changes I will simply incur those changes and have to pay for them
Thanks the for idea though =(
I have another question... I have the unlimited texting plan, and want to cancel. From what I read... please correct me if i'm wrong, but to send a text message to someone in London is not covered in the unlimited text package and you will be charged the 15 cent fee. When the text increase goes into effect they will be 20 cents too. So, can you get out of contract that way? Thanks!