T-Mobile is Trying (and Failing) to Distract Customers from Price Hikes

For the first time in a decade, legacy T-Mobile customers have felt the effects of inflation. Recently, the cell provider announced that they’d be hiking up prices, even for historically loyal customers.

After that initiative rolled out, the third-largest wireless carrier in the country is in hot water again. Thanks to a string of recent price hikes, T-Mobile has received significant backlash from its customers, with many escalating their complaints to the Federal Communications Commission.

Consumers claim that the company misled them with its “Un-contract” offer, which supposedly promised no price increases. T-Mobile instead says the program never guaranteed fixed prices, but offered to compensate customers who chose to leave the carrier.

But all of that fanfare is for naught.

T-Mobile offers the “Price Lock” guarantee to shield customers from rate hikes. However, contrary to its promises, customers report multiple unexpected price increases despite the guarantee, adding another source of dissatisfaction with the carrier.

Freebies can’t really fix that.

Frustrated customers still feel deceived by T-Mobile’s explanations and have gone one step further, taking their complaints to the FCC. Some have even cited a 2017 deleted press release as evidence that T-Mobile’s "Un-contract" program did, in fact, guarantee that prices wouldn't increase.

T-Mobile has tried to offer alternative solutions to affected customers, like freezing rates or foregoing early termination fees, but most have found the company’s efforts insufficient or dismissive. According to Reddit, one customer even claims the company sent a legal letter asking them to drop their price hike-related FCC complaint.

The company has put itself in a vulnerable position, with persistent issues and dissatisfied customers opening the door to regulatory scrutiny and potential class action lawsuits.

T-Mobile’s empty promises regarding customer rates and contracts have led to potential legal challenges and definitely many unhappy customers. While the company has tried to improve the situation, most customers don’t find its efforts enough.

At a time when folks are thinking extremely critically about how to spend their hard-earned money, gimmicks just aren’t going to do the trick.