We planned to buy a new iPhone 8 from the Apple Store, but we decided to try T-Mobile instead because their deals looked better, and we didn’t want to renew our existing contract.
When we called T-Mobile to get an estimate for a new service with a two-year contract, we asked what would happen if we didn’t want to renew once the contract ended.
The representative told us we could keep our current price, which was $200 less than the price for new customers. They also insisted they couldn’t offer any discounts on phones.
A few weeks later, we finally received the contract and discovered a clause that said we would have to pay the difference between the contract price and the full retail price if we chose not to renew.
We did get a deal on the iPhone 8, but T-Mobile charged us more than the cost of shipping and setting up the phones. They even charged us over the phone, which meant we paid for $100 worth of service we never used.
If you’re unhappy with T-Mobile, you can switch carriers and keep your unlocked phone with the correct code. T-Mobile charges the same contract fee, but without a contract, you only get $100 phone value. When we requested a credit for extra charges, they warned of interest for not using it, despite already billing us.
When we later requested a revised contract, they said no changes could be made until the current contract expired. They then offered a contract for a different phone. We originally wanted the iPhone 8, but even with the new plan, we still couldn’t switch until the contract ended. This meant paying more for fewer phones.
In the end, we got a better deal, but only because a different representative handled our account—not the one who set it up.
If T-Mobile treats its employees this way, how can customers expect fair pricing?
This whole situation might sound silly to some, but this is exactly what happened. We previously switched cell plans when T-Mobile allowed plan changes but still charged more. In our case, we paid $15/month for our phone and contract, and we didn’t know the new contract terms before signing. They started charging us $45/month for the new contract without explaining the change.
We only realized the contract terms had changed when our agreement finally ended. We paid $105 under the old contract, but the new one cost $45 more for the same phone.
I now use my own iPhone because I switched carriers a few months ago.
There’s no option for me to upgrade from Verizon to AT&T or T-Mobile. In fact, a representative told me AT&T and T-Mobile are basically the same under the AT&T umbrella, and that I should look for AT&T-branded phones—the ones with “GSM” in the model number.
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So what can we do?
The iPhone 8 is unlocked for any carrier. To set it up, you just need to swap SIM cards and transfer your data. I prefer Verizon, but using an unlocked iPhone may require checking compatibility—you’ll need a Verizon SIM, and for AT&T, the phone must support their 3G bands with an AT&T SIM.
Right now, I can’t switch to AT&T or T-Mobile. A representative told me both carriers use GSM, so if I ever change carriers, I may need an AT&T-branded iPhone instead of a fully unlocked one.
My phone situation has gotten messy. I entered a new contract in December, paid off my phone in June, and got another device in August—making this my third “discounted” T-Mobile phone for existing customers. I previously had great customer service with T-Mobile, but I switched plans because my family wanted better phones.
Over time, I’ve gone through several devices due to problems like low battery life and unresponsive screens. I kept changing phones and contracts because my family members didn’t want the devices, and each switch added new costs.
Now I’m paying far too much—both for the new phone and for the new plan in the same month. My family loves their phones and refuses to switch carriers, which leaves me covering the extra expenses.
If you have advice, please reply. Also, let me know what you pay monthly for your phone and what your first-month costs were.