“I am still alive”: Users say T-Mobile must pay for killing “lifetime” price lock

One of them, Rhode Island resident Kathleen Odean, told us that she had several recent conversations with a T-Mobile employee who “seems to have been appointed to contact people who filed complaints with the FCC and/or their state attorney general. During our contacts, her argument kept changing and finally settled on telling me that the press release [announcing the Un-contract deal in 2017] was essentially a broad overview and not to be taken literally.”

In 2017, Odean and her husband switched from Verizon to get the T-Mobile price-lock deal that cost a total of $60 a month for two lines. Odean said they are still on the same plan but added, “I will look around at other options once I have the energy and accept that they won’t keep their promise.”

Another customer we spoke to for the previous article, Georgia resident Michael Moody, had switched his business and family accounts from T-Mobile to Verizon upon learning of the price hikes. Moody tried to get T-Mobile to cover his final month’s bill, but the carrier told him that he didn’t act fast enough. An email from T-Mobile to Moody said the carrier wouldn’t pay the final bill because “notification of cancellation from your end came after the cancellation had already been processed.”

Moody told us recently that T-Mobile never changed its stance and has “continue[d] to deny and deflect, including in their response to the BBB.” On the plus side, Moody is satisfied with his new carrier.

“I’m very glad I switched to Verizon. Their customer service has been far more responsive, and they uphold their commitments, unlike T-Mobile,” Moody told us.

Customer’s goal: “Make T-Mobile feel the pain”

We also previously talked to T-Mobile customer John Schlatter in South Carolina, who filed complaints with the FCC and FTC. He told us on September 23 that he hasn’t received any further follow-up from T-Mobile and isn’t going to change carriers “because of the hassle involved.”

“I figure if the [class-action] suit is successful, I’ll get some communication about a settlement,” Schlatter said. “I’m not interested in money, although it would be nice if they’re forced to roll back the price increase. My goal has always been to make T-Mobile feel the pain for their shady actions.”

Although T-Mobile hasn’t reversed the price hike yet, Schlatter said the many complaints to federal regulators and the class-action lawsuit should inflict “a good bit of pain.”