“I am still alive”: Users say T-Mobile must pay for killing “lifetime” price lock
T-Mobile promised users who bought certain mobile plans that it would never raise their prices for as long as they lived—but then raised their prices this year. So it's no surprise that 2,000 T-Mobile customers complained to the government about a price hike on plans that were advertised as having a lifetime price lock.
"I am still alive and T-Mobile is increasing the price for service by $5 per line. How is this a lifetime price lock?" one customer in Connecticut asked the Federal Communications Commission in a complaint that we obtained through a public records request.
Both of those customers said they purchased T-Mobile's senior plan marketed to people aged 55 and up. While the price hikes apply to customers on various plans regardless of their age, many of the complaints to the FCC came from people in the 55+ age group. Some pointed out that if T-Mobile simply waits long enough, the carrier won't have to serve 55-and-up customers forever.
"What happened to my price lock GUARANTEE?" a Massachusetts resident wrote. "You can charge more to new customers, but do not change the terms of our contract!! Eventually we will age out..." A California resident on the 55+ plan, who reported being a T-Mobile customer for over 18 years, wrote, "We want that rate back for the remainder of our lives."
