T-Mobile breaking promises to seniors who were offered price-lock guarantee for life on 55+ rate plans

I'm very disappointed with T-Mobile's decision to shaft the Senior 55+ participants. I am in lockstep with the other contributors preceding my comments. 
I would welcome a class action lawsuit to straighten this mess out, considering others that called the company to express concerns fell on deaf ears. I too am looking for a better place to land.

Deborahlpierson wrote:

I have been with TM for over 22 years and on the One55 plan locked price. I also got a message of a $5 ,increase. Honestly, I don't mind because there isn't anything out there that comes even close to the benefits TM offers automatically with each plan. If it is the point that we are supposed to be locked in, ok, I get it. However, it has been well over 10 years since I have had any price increase even though I benefited from upgrades without paying. Such as 5G. I took this time to upgrade my plan and got amazing benefits and specials. Yes, it is an increase in my bill but I'm saving on the back end because I can cancel some of my streaming accounts. I'm on a tight budget and fixed income as well, but if you do a little research and talk to an agent politely, you might find switching plans could save you money in the end. If not, Is $5 really that bad/much considering what they give us for free? I personally don't think it's asking too much. I haven't found anything else out there that comparable to what TM offers in the same price range. 

I have also been a T-Mobile customer for 22+ years, but to me it is NOT a matter of 5, 10 or whatever dollar amount is involved… IT IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.

If you say YES to their Breach of Contract now, then you should not have an issue when they increase it in the future… right?  You "fell hook, line, and sinker" to T-Mobile's Bait & Switch Scam !!!  Enjoy it !!!

We have been with T-Mobile for many years, never missed a payment,  and felt that we had finally found a company worth doing our business with.  Most of the store reps have delivered excellent customer service over the years.  But now it appears that the top leadership of the company has just flushed all those "trusted" years down the corporate toilet.  We, as thousands of other seniors signed a contract that stated that the Senior Unlimited 55+ Plan had a "Guaranteed Never to Go Up" price lock.  Now we are being told that each line will go up $5.  And this is the second time that T-Mobile has purposely taken the liberty to raise our agreed contractual price lock (credit card to debit card change penalty).  We, as most seniors, are on a very tight budget; obviously not reaping the rewards of T-Mobile's yearly profits, which is evident in its top executive salaries (easy to google).  We will not only be forwarding this letter to Mike Sievert (CEO)(mike.siever@t-mobile.com) and the other top executives; but will be encouraging all our friends, neighbors, and any others to do the same.  And if this increase is not reversed, and T-Mobile no longer honors its contractual obligations - we will be looking elsewhere to do our business.  And we will be encouraging others to do the same.  Our trust level with T-Mobile has greatly diminished with this rate increase.

Like so many others on this thread, I signed up for this 55+ plan years ago, banking on the guarantee that T-Mobile provided which was that the only one who could change this plan was me. I filed a complaint with the FCC (received an acknowledgement that they received my complaint) also filed a complaint with my state's Attorney General, and with every local TV station that has a consumer reporter and with every tech show I could think of. I also contacted T-Mobile, first by phone and then by email, to let them know that I am not willing to accept the change to my plan. I called a local radio station who has a show hosted by an attorney that dispenses 'marginal legal advice' - he cautioned me that if I do nothing and just go along with the price increase, T-Mobile could later use that against me, saying in effect that when they raised the rate and I paid the increased rate, that was a sign that I accepted the price increase.   On May 29th I received a phone call from Brandi Ware in the T-Mobile corporate office, offering me a one time credit of $120, (i.e. $5 per line for 12 months) to offset the increase and to give me time to find another carrier. I thanked her for the offer, and told her (by email) that while her offer might seem generous to her, it was unacceptable to me. What I wanted to see was 'specific performance' - i.e. T-Mobile honoring their guarantee of no price increase for life. I told her that failing that, when the price increase appeared on my bill, I would file a claim in small claims court against T-Mobile. I told her that based on my estimates (and I still need to crunch the numbers to come up with an exact figure) I have lost about $2,000 by sticking with T-Mobile over the past seven years (84 months), and not switching back and forth between other carriers to take advantage of their artificially low introductory rates.  I'm in a waiting game right now, because I can't do anything until the rate increase shows up on my bill. And even though the text notification I received from T-Mobile told me that it would be effective on my first bill after June 5 - my latest bill was today (June 6) and it was at the old $60 a month rate for two lines, so until the rate increase shows up, I have no damages to recover, but when it does I will plan to file a small claims action to try and recover what I lost by taking T-Mobile at their word that they would never raise my rate.

Today I received in my mail a copy of a reply that T-Mobile sent to the FCC in response to my complaint filed with the FCC.  T-Mobile went through a few paragraphs about both "Un-carrier" and "Price Lock", and basically said "tough luck".  They asked that the FCC close my complaint.  Neither Un-carrier or Price Lock was EVER discussed when I signed up.  I was simply PROMISED that, as long as I maintain the account, my monthly cost would NEVER change.  T-Mobile is trying to muddy the waters and add confusion to their broken promises.  I immediately sent an email to the FCC supplying my comments on the T-Mobile letter.  In hopes that it may help someone else, I'm pasting basically what I just sent to the FCC:

“Good Afternoon,

Today I received in the mail a copy of a reply sent to you in response to my complaint regarding T-Mobile, your Ticket No. XXXXXXX.  In that reply, T-Mobile has pointed to two separate packages that they have offered.  First they explain the "T-Mobile Un-contract", then they explain the "Price Lock".  Neither of these packages were what was discussed when we signed up for the T-Mobile Magenta 55+ Plan in November of 2021.  The simple fact is this:  When I signed up with T-Mobile, I was promised that the price of our plan would NEVER increase as long as we maintain the plan.  (Note:  This same promise applied to hundreds of other T-Mobile seniors.  You can find evidence of this on the T-Mobile Community online.)  I have paid our bill every month through "autopay".  Initially, T-Mobile took my monthly payment from my credit card.  Some time back, they disallowed credit cards as autopay, and insisted that they had to debit my checking account instead.  I went along with that with no issue.

In trying to tie my plan to either "Un-carrier" or "Price Lock", T-Mobile is trying to imply that my wife and I fall under one or the other of these packages. That is untrue.  We had an agreement at the time of signup (not a "named package") that our price would not increase.  When I initially called T-Mobile support after receiving a text telling me my rate was increasing, I argued that they had promised me that the rate would remain the same FOREVER.  Two separate representatives from T-Mobile agreed that I had, in fact, been made that promise, but that "with things going up and with inflation, we find we have to make this increase".

I hope that you will be an advocate for (mostly) senior citizen consumers who were made this promise, and not allow T-Mobile to "weasel" their way out of the promise by falsely trying to tie us to two plans that were never brought up when we signed up with them.  Integrity in all matters is important, and this company MUST  NOT be allowed to simply raise prices at their whim despite the promises made to my wife and me and many others.

In their response to you, T-Mobile ends the letter by saying, "Based upon the foregoing, we respectfully request that this complaint against T-Mobile be closed."  To that I say to you, they are basing their response on false and misleading information, and I request that you do NOT close this request, but continue the search for integrity within T-Mobile.

I will be happy to explain this situation verbally should you need to contact me by phone.

Thank you very much,”

I am really disappointed with T-Mobile raising prices for seniors when we were told they wouldn't ever increase our rates. We cannot let them get away with this. My internet  also came with a price guarantee and they will most likely try and raise that next. Flood the Better Business Bureau with complaints because their rating will go down with them if they don't try to resolve customer complaints. Also contact agencies and president mentioned above. We need to have our voices heard!

Woody NE FL wrote:

Just went thru the same "Your current plan says nothing about a Price-Lock" goat rope with a young T-Mobile Customer Svc Rep. Sadly, he's the one that has to to endure our rath. Anyway, after sharing I'd enrolled in the (Then) Senior Unlimited 55+ Plan, that included a "Guaranteed Never to Go Up" Price-Lock back in December 2017 AND I needed to know why it's now called "One Plan 55+" and there's no longer a lock. Told him I wanted an email address that I could send my concerns to, toward resolution, and was informed there are NO T-Mobile email addresses, but he would be happy to transfer me to his Tampa Supervisor. I gladly accepted that offer and eagerly awaited the end of the Elevator Music, which not surprisingly never ended,  I hung up after 15 minutes. I will be doing the 611 thing AGAIN, and this time tell a Supervisor (among other things) to Read the discuss on their Community Page. I may need to give him/her the link to the page.

I also spoke to a customer rep and was told it's far above his pay grade. Told me to write to corporate. 

T-Mobile Wireless                               PO Box 37380.                            Albuquerque, NM  87176

I intend to treat this as "False Advertising" and may seek an attorney for this, if not satisfied with their answer. When a corporation advertises "For life", I expect them to honor it. They,  most likely, would save many dollars in legal cost if they would just honor what they say. I get so angry when these large corporations think that they can get away with nickel and diming their customers. They just finished hitting us with fee's for using credit card auto-pay. They could save millions of dollars, by simply reducing or eliminating, the amount of free stuff that they think we are interested in. 

I had the Magenta 55+ with the "price lock guarantee" as well. Signed up in December 2021. One line was unlimited talk text and data. One line was talk and text only. I was very satisfied with my service until we got the messages that our bill would be going up. I have gotten FOUR different stories from Four different reps and all conflict.

1) first call -  I was told that one of the lines, the talk, text, data line was priced lock guaranteed, and the other was not. I know it was a price lock guarantee on both that I was initially given. I had my notes from the call  2 1/2 years ago where I asked them three or four times to confirm, and they did. The representative during my first call a few days ago suggested to keep the bill down to change to the essentials plan, as my usage was not that high anyway. I stupidly changed. I then made a comment on T Mobile site on Facebook and they asked me to chat. So I did.

2. Chat number one - in the chat, I was told that the first representative was wrong, and that the line that went up was the talk and text only line. He assured me that the magenta 55 line was price lock line. He changed me back to my prior plan and assured me there was no problem with doing so, everything would stay the same.
3. then I get a text message about when my bill would be drafted on auto pay and it was $25 or so more than it was supposed to be so I had to call and speak to a third person. The third person assured me that the second person was wrong and that the first person was correct in which line was supposed to have been price locked. Then they tell me that NONE of the lines were ever price locked. The bill did get adjusted back where they took the $25 off and the bill was only five dollars more  not $30 more. However, the fact remains that the bill went up. Again, where is their price lock guarantee? 
   4.  Just now, I saw a comment on their Facebook page about the same issue, so I made a comment. Of course they wanted to chat. I know it's going to do no good, but I'm in the middle of one now. This person tells me that the magenta 55 with the data is on the price lock.  See update below.

so what is it? I have four different answers or opinions which all conflict. I don't know what T Mobile is doing besides lying to customers. The initial representatives when I switch to T-Mobile confirm the price lock, which is now somehow gone. Are they lying Just to sign people up? is it because T Mobile is purchasing another company and they want more money? 
 

5.  And now, the current chat - Rep tells me initially that her first info given to me in this chat  is incorrect in that only one Line is going up, but NOW - same chat - so sorry,  BOTH lines are going up!!!!!, The other three said only one line was. So this is story number FOUR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Made a Facebook comment just now, and again, they want to "chat", or for me to IM them my phone number. As if I will get any satisfaction at all.  They are saying what they want to keep people in a conflicting circle of lies.

They do not know their butt from a hole in the ground, or they are just instructed to say anything at all to get rid of dealing with the customer.

I don't know where to turn because you get a different story each time. All I know is it's a bunch of lies.

T MOBILE.     YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED !!!!!!!!!!!!  But I know you are not.

PATHETIC.

T-MOBILE is absolutely lying to us. Our rate was guaranteed for life. I would not have signed up otherwise. We need to complain to the FCC. Once they raise our rate every year or so. I cannot believe they just lie about this promise they made. Maybe a lawyer would be interested in a class action lawsuit 

We are on the senior unlimited plan guaranteed ( for the life of -- hmmm ). We use less that a GB of cell data/mo. Our texts mostly go over wi fi as do most of our calls.  Can't see how this is a drag on their profits. Seems like we are laying golden eggs at $30/line but we are on the chopping block.