T-Mobile admits billing errors in plan migration but confirms price hikes remain
Technical glitches during a forced migration to new rate plans have cancelled free-line discounts for some long-term users, though the carrier insists broader price increases of up to $6 per line will not be reversed.
T-Mobile has acknowledged technical failures during a mandatory migration to new rate plans, which inadvertently cancelled free-line promotions for certain long-term subscribers. The carrier is currently reprocessing affected accounts to restore discounts and apply backdated credits. The migration also triggered ancillary billing errors, such as incorrect Hulu subscriptions and unexpected hotspot data charges. Despite these rectification efforts, T-Mobile confirmed that broader plan adjustments, including price increases of up to $6 per line for some customers, will remain in effect.
The telecommunications giant admitted that the loss of free-line promotions was a mistake resulting from technical errors, rather than a deliberate policy change. A company spokesperson stated that the priority is to ensure customers retain the benefits of their current plans. The carrier identified that promotional discounts were not reflected correctly for a small number of users following the migration and is actively working to correct these discrepancies by reprocessing accounts and backdating credits where necessary.
Beyond the cancellation of free lines, customers reported additional billing anomalies linked to the system overhaul. These included incorrect charges for Hulu subscriptions and unexpected hotspot data add-ons that could increase monthly bills by up to $15. T-Mobile apologised for the confusion regarding the streaming service charges and stated it is investigating the root cause to ensure customers are made whole. The company emphasised that these specific errors are being addressed separately from the structural changes to the rate plans.
The migration was part of a broader strategy to eliminate legacy billing codes and consolidate older plans into new tiers, such as Experience Signature. According to internal communications obtained by media outlets, the carrier is removing approximately 1,100 legacy billing codes to simplify its back-end systems. While T-Mobile promised that customers would keep their current benefits while gaining improved network features, the execution of this transition has resulted in significant billing disruptions for some long-standing users who had accumulated free lines through previous loyalty promotions.
While T-Mobile is rectifying the specific errors related to free lines and ancillary charges, the carrier has confirmed that the underlying price adjustments associated with the new plans will stand. Some customers are facing price hikes of up to $6 per line, a change that has drawn criticism from subscribers who had previously signed up for lifetime price locks. The company maintains that these increases are part of the standard transition to more modern service tiers, distinguishing them from the technical errors that are being corrected.
