Tomorrow might be April 1st, but T-Mobile's not joking around with their latest move: they're scrapping employer rate plans discounts. Gone is the supposed complexity that came with wondering what kind of discount you might get on your Simple Choice plan based on where you work, replaced instead with a T-Mobile gift card worth $25 when your purchase a new device… based on where you work. It's simpler than trying to figure out if it's 15% or 5% or 2.8% that you'll get off of your bill.
That said, it could also be a pretty big rate hike for a lot of people. T-Mobile has offered discounts of up to 15% off depending on where you work (including the United States Armed Forces), and the loss of that discount could add up to hundreds of dollars a year. Said T-Mobile CEO John Legere in a blog post announcing the change:
The old programs were designed to help big carriers close big corporate contracts, with employees as bargaining chips. We aren’t playing that game anymore. This change is about simplifying wireless for everyone… including employees of small and large companies alike.
If you upgrade your phone on a frequent basis, this change might work out really well with T-Mobile's Jump upgrade plan. But if you're not, if you're a normal person who keeps their phone for a good long while and doesn't like forking over a few hundred dollars every few months for a new phone, this change might not work out in your favor. T-Mobile customers with corporate discounts: what's your bill going to look like come tomorrow?
Source: T-Mobile
Reader comments
T-Mobile removes employer discounts from Simple Choice plans
I get an 18% corporate discount at At&t so this made my decision easy - I switched from T-Mobile to At&t today. I got a plan that works for me at about the same price as what I was paying T-Mobile, plus I'll have WAY better coverage from At&t. I appreciate what T-Mobile has done to shake up the industry, but on a recent 8 hour road trip I realised just how bad T-Mobile's coverage is compared to At&t's coverage (my wife is on At&t). And I own my phone so I'm not signing any contracts. If At&t tries to burn me I'll go somewhere else.
Slap in the face by Tmobile, I switched from at&t because of their jump plan and I had a better discount. This blows.
Posted via Android Central App
My corporate discount was short lived. That sucks.
Disappointment. Well I'm with Sprint but feel for T-Mobile because I was thinking of switching
posted via Galaxy S4
Maybe simplify wireless plans by including taxes and fees in the plans price already. It's easier to calculate the discount than what the fees are.
I think that is the next step. Metro PCS used to / still does? do this (They are owned by T-Mobile US). So maybe that might be UnCarrier 5.0? That would be cool! Good idea!
This sucks! We get an 8% discount...not cool
Hey! Android Central! Why don't you guys report on the fact that AT&T is removing ALL FAN discounts on Mobile Share Value, starting in two weeks? Oh, that'd be reporting and investigating. I get it, not click bait and worthless lame editorials from Phil.
Oh hey! Why not report on the state of the wireless carriers, how everything stacks up and how discounts are slowly being phased out at Sprint (No discounts on Framily), to AT&T & VZW giving discounts on the data bucket only?
Because you are paid fucking shills, that's why. This site, like Phone Dog, has become a complete joke. NOTE: Jerry Hildebrand is the ONLY guy I trust in this joint and whom I think should be running it. Seriously, you guys suck.
WUT?! For real about AT&T?
From what my brother told me, he is with VZW now & is a Farmers agent. He called AT&T to inquire about the Mobile Share Value 10 GB plan (Which I USED to be on when I was with AT&T, and had the Farmers FAN). AT&T removed my discount two weeks ago, so I switched to T-Mobile US. When he called last week, they informed him that they will be removing ALL discounts from THAT particular plan. Well see, but it makes sense. They essentially are the same price as T-Mobile, Apples to Apples now (if you select the 5GB LTE no overage plan on Magenta).
Actually you can get discounts on the data portions of a Framily plan if you you choose the 3 GB or unlimited data options.
Posted via Android Central App
April Fools joke? The timing seems.. suspicious. And even if this were true., wouldn't we be notified way in advance instead of a few hours notice?
Posted via Android Central App
Its been announced almost for a week. Its the shitty "reporting" Phil likes to espouse on here.
I never understand why people oay attention to how much they pay per year, or over 24 months. You pay your wireless bill each and every month, so therefore, I pay attention to how much I pay in a monthly basis, I don't pay annually or bi - annually. Excuse me, I make sense sometimes.
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This sucks. Bring back the discounts!
Posted via Android Central App
Obviously a April fools joke...
Posted via Android Central App
I know they ran the numbers and know they will still come out ahead. That said this leaves a bad taste to the people who received the discount. I have had it since January and they screwed it up the last two months. Thankfully they took the amount from the last two months off the current bill. Not that it matters after this.
It's this kind of moves that make people hate all the carriers. All that good will and hard work they did the last couple of months have been pissed away. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Heck they just blew off everything below the knee.
Posted via Android Central App
ATT is now only $5 more expensive a month for me now. I'll either be moving to ATT, or I'll take this opportunity to go to straight talk. Very unfortunate
So Sad:( I get a 15% discount through my work. I'm not switching carriers right now...hopefully tmob lowers the price for all by 15%!
Eh. What percentage of smartphone owners genuinely get a (legitimate) employer discount?
Anyway, it's horses for courses. If you have family overseas or travel internationally a lot, T-Mobile is still the head of the pack IMO. In comparison, the CDMA carriers are a non-starter in terms of (device/SIM) convenience and AT&T doesn't match T-Mobile's rates or flexibility. I wouldn't expect T-Mob to be best for everyone but they still excel in certain areas.
Actually vzw phones are unlocked. So that beats tmo
Posted via Android Central App
Goodbye T-Mobile hello AT&T. Way to start crapping on your customers.
Think tmo is trying to get money from other places. Just glad my place of employment does not have them. As a place of work with 24000 employees I think they deserve to pass some savings to emplyees since over half of our employees have corporate cell phones. Hope at and doesn't follow suit but there is a lot riding on this as employees we have a big choice on where our employer gets their services from and tmo will never see our 12000 lines.
Posted via Android Central App
I ditched T-Mobile for AT&T. My plan actually comes out slightly cheaper now. T-Mobile is starting to become very "carrier" again.
I have run the numbers in every possible way (that I could think of) just today. There is no way AT&T is cheaper than T-Mobile, unless you are getting some type of AT&T discount on their new low-price plans. But you can thank T-Mobile for dragging AT&T's pricing down so much.
I used to get a 25% discount from my old job and continued to get it after I left 4 years later. Thera no real way to regulate it so I guess that's why they got rid of it.
Do people really look at their bill and wander what their discount is every month. I get a 20% discount on at and t. My bill is 140$ a month. Not hard to figure out 20% of that. Discounts matter especially when you don't live in a big city and can't have T-Mobile as a 4g option since they started so late in the game. Plus a 25$ gift card to spend 600$. Let see on my discount that would be 120$. Not even close.
Posted via Android Central App
Whew! Thought they were taking away government discounts too, but they won't :-D
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I'm getting ready to switch soon from sprint because the network still sucks. It was down to AT&T and TMO. With this move it makes it worth it to pay for AT&T's far superior network in my area even without a discount.
Posted via Android Central App
We should all be thanking T Mobile for the fact that it brought in a price war. A year ago comparing T Mobile and Att for price would have been pointless. Now we have the ability to choose between a companies features and network with the prices between the two is irrelevant! I can have unlimited data on a smaller network or limited data network on a larger network with near to identical prices. This is the way it should have always been!
Posted via Android Central App
I currently pay $50 for 1000 minutes split between two lines . Add $20 for 2 GB of data each with my 15% discount my total bill was $71 after-tax.
Even though my bill is going to go up to $80 a month that still beats AT&T's lowest plan even with the 24% discount I would get through my employer.
If I hadn't gotten into my current plan before t mobile switched everything, losing my corporate discount would be enough for me to make me leave.
Well this changes everything. I learned recently that with the 2 lines on my plan, we could easily stay under 10 GB a month in data. Unlimited talk, text, and 10 GB data will be cheaper than what I pay T-Mobile today especially since I'll be able to get us a corporate discount on our two lines. At this rate, I'll be paying off my EIP and switching to AT&T. T-Mobile's been great, and even the cost increases for unlimited data, etc. were fine, but taking away the discount goes twofold. 1. I lose savings on T-Mobile. 2. I can get more savings on plans that are now cheaper on another carrier with a data cap that I can be comfortable with.
Mine was just approved..... This sucks
Posted via Android Central App
what is this "corporate discount" of which you speak?
Ouch...I have a 30% discount on two devices with T-Mobile that I'm going to stop getting...that's a bit painful.
Call me crazy, but I pre-ordered a Galaxy S5 from AT&T, that's a $13.50 loss for me, which is unacceptable and a $25 git card isn't going to change that. It's not even that however. I reached out to T-Mobile about this and explained that I was upset by them and their reply:
The other guys’ best deals with corporate discounts still can’t match the value of our Simple Choice plan. We offer the best deal in wireless.
That comes off as a "whateva whateva I do what I want!" reply which is unacceptable to me, so come April 11 I will be leaving T-Mobile and their sub-par network and moving to AT&T.
Was what the rep said true? Would removing your discount still keep you under the competition's price?
No, in fact I would be paying more by staying with T-Mobile.
There is no way T-Mobile is more expensive than AT&T for similar functionality.... UNLESS one can get some type of discount on AT&T, typically would have to be 15%. I just ran all the numbers today. In every case- individual, 2 phones, 3 phones, various data options, etc, T-Mobile was always less expensive.
This isn't earth shattering as I still get unlimited data. But it is annoying. $20 more a month does not make me happy.
Posted via Android Central App
Caca
Posted from the surface of the moon using my LG Optimus G Pro on T-Mobile with 0 Death Star bloat...
+2
1 for being a fellow G Pro user, and another 1 for not having ATT...
Posted via Telepathy, Android version HAL 9000 "Carne Asada"
And +1000 to you for being a BTTF fan dude! Best movie trilogy ever.
Yeah this news really bums me out. I save about 20 bucks a month with my discount :/
Posted from the surface of the moon using my LG Optimus G Pro on T-Mobile with 0 Death Star bloat...
So now AT&T is actually cheaper
2 lines with 10 GB shared data= $130 on AT&T
2 lines unlimited data on T-Mo=$140
and i can get a $15 discount on AT&T(for the time being)
Apples v. Oranges. Why don't you compare 10GB of data on T-Mobile? The plans exist.
Yep. 2 lines on T-Mobile with 5GB for EACH phone (without having to share) = 10GB = $120, which is $10 less per month than AT&T.
In any case, the PRIMARY reason the other carriers suddenly have competitive pricing AND no contract plans now is thanks to T-Mobile.
And I bet this move is going to allow T-Mobile to drop their pricing for EVERYONE again, instead of just those who have special corporate discounts... just a prediction....
They just raised prices so don't your breath.
No they didn't. They only raised prices on just one option- unlimited data (by adding a 5GB one inbetween). On all the other plans, the price remained the same but they added more data at no extra charge...
Technically it doesn't.
It would be 5GB each line.
Although it does add up to 10GB it's not the same
If went to AT&T the data would be split 8 GB and 2 GB or 7GB and 3 GB.
You don't get to split it based on what you want at the beginning of the month. The user just uses whatever data they want at the expense of everyone else. And to me, that would be unacceptable. I need to know how much data I have on my own device. I would never want to share a pool with other people! Perhaps some might find flexible sharing option useful if they KNOW the other people on their plan are never going to need half or whatever.
I'm not splitting anything. I just know how much data we use by tracking it.
It's usually 8 and 2 or 7 and 2.
No need for many people to compare 10 GB as that is well below the average data people use. I'm only around 4G a month.
I was about to move the whole family over to my plan from at&t. Now I'll have to wait and see if other companies follow up with this. Thankfully t-mobile is pretty good at not having early termination fees. Makes it easier to leave them, I lament to say that though. I really liked them.
Well I compared the plans that I would get on each carrier.
I use about 8GB monthly and my wife uses about 2. So 10GB is ideal for me.
Then you should compare one phone on unlimited and one on 3GB on T-Mobile. And that is $120. Still cheaper than AT&T.
AND AT&T CHARGES FOR DATA OVERAGES!!!
Thought they throttled. Oh well. I can always slow down when i'm close to hitting 10GB.
But good point on unlimited and 3GB
Where are all the CFO , uncarrier supporters at? :)
I get a 22% employer discount with AT&T. I hope this doesn't rub off on them.
Yeah same here. Although, it does mean they now have a competitive advantage without any cost to them.
I'll be exploring my options, but expect other carriers to follow the same path soon...
Posted via Android Central App
I have that same feeling too... And that'll really suck.
SHUX. I just joined T-Mobile with my girlfriend last month and just found out we do get 15% off the bill.
Loving my 10% a month off a month with Sprint just for being a Credit Union member. That's roughly 25 bucks a month.
I'm pretty sure the corporate discount system sees rampant abuse, with loads of people getting discounts they shouldn't. So that may be a factor. I got a 15% discount at my old job and continued getting it for a full year after I stopped working there. But there have to be other ways to curb abuse than eliminating it entirely. I don't get a discount now, and I'm on the $30 plan anyway. Still...for people with legitimate discounts, this sucks.
Feeling pretty happy they can't get local Omaha numbers now. Without the discount they are the same price as Verizon with my corporate discount.
Sent from my bathroom
unlimited data on verizon plan?
No, but wasn't going to be on T-Mobile either.
Sent from my bathroom
The Verizon discounts are nearly worthless now as they only apply to the data fee. We pay ~~$270/month but the discount now only applies to ~$80 of that.
I think TM in right on this one. They are reducing the complexity and going to market on their product and service offering. Some will be unhappy, of course, but that will soon pass as they continue to shed all of the BS the other carriers still try to pull.
I have to agree. It might also enable them to drop EVERYONE's pricing some... or prevent an increased for EVERYONE when other carriers go up.
Even with my hefty 20% Sprint discount, when I switched to T-Mobile with no discount, I still came out ahead. Not by a lot, but I am a lot happier and still saving money and not in a contract.
They are trying to increase bills, that is all. Corporate discount are not that hard to understand, and believing the spin is kind of ignorant.
Sent from my bathroom
Crap!
I read in another site that the military and gov't employees will keep the discount, since thats what I have I certainly hope its true. Anyone else hear that?
Posted via Android Central App
That is true, Military and Government discounts will stay on.
Do you have a source or link? Friend of mine is a "thrifty" person and is military and on T-Mobile.
Posted via Android Central App
This is the link that I found it at
http://www.tmonews.com/2014/03/t-mobile-advantage-discount-is-disappeari...
Posted via Android Central App
Call customer care and have them do it... you may have to ask to speak to the customer LOYALTY dept. Its a 15% discount so I think its worth the extra leg work.
Posted via Android Central App
I've been a T-mobile customer since the G1 and my employer discount was one of the primary factors for keeping them as a carrier, since their service is not the best in my area. Time to re-evaluate AT&T pricing.
Well T - mobiles price just got that much closer to AT&T. With AT&T having superior coverage this one is a no brainer.
Posted Via AT&T Galaxy Note 3
Just don't ever sign a contract with AT&T, or you'll find yourself treated like like the weak partner in an abusive relationship.
Well shit, that was $25 a MONTH, that I was saving. So basically I have to upgrade every month to save that again. This is the biggest thing tmobile has ever done that upsets me.
Posted via Android Central App
Effing a, if they really remove my discount I might have to ditch them. After my upcoming international trip of course, I still want that free data.
D'oh, there goes that option. T-Mobile with no discount is more expensive for me than AT&T with my discount. Oh well, I've been evaluating them with the Walmart $30 plan and while there are definite holes, it's not as bad as it was last year. Might still stick with the $30 plan but postpaid is no go now.
I was saving about $20 a month, now I will be saving maybe $50 a year... Not a good feature
I wonder if this means they'll REMOVE the discount already on the plan or just save this for new sign-ups.
Posted via Android Central App
According to Engadget, it disappears for existing customers on April 25.
on april 25th they will be removing it from plans that already have it and setting them to get the gift card when upgrading, it will affect me but only by about 8 dollars a month since i didnt get much of a discount
That's almost 100 bucks a year. So you don't care? If you don't I'll give you an address to send it too.
it sounds insane, but ive only had them 6 months now and ive been saving about 30 a month since switching from verizon. i know their plans are dirt cheap already so i understand the need to recoup some money to keep investing in their tower expansions.
I`m with Sprint and I`m saving $15.00 @ month on one line.And I get $10.0 employee discount @ month, which total $35.00 a month.
Nice math... I think you meant you're saving a total of $25.00/month, unless you're saying your bill is only $35.00/month.
Interesting decision
Posted via G2 + Nova
My life is complete.. whos number 1?