In a bid to follow changing trends in the wireless industry and maintain competitive advantage, T-Mobile has announced the intention of prorating both new and current customer termination fees beginning in the first half of 2008.
Under the new policy, the amount a customer pays to terminate a contract early gradually decreases as each month of the agreement passes, giving a customer greater flexibility instead of being forced to remain solely due to a large fee.
Verizon and AT&T were the first to implement this practice as a way to improve customer service and address longstanding customer complaints regarding inflexible contract terms.
Why are they telling me I must pay the entire early termination fee on my contract when they are going to prorate for others? Or, has this not taken effect yet. If not, when will it be taking effect. I have always thought this should be prorated especially for someone who has had their service for a long period of time.
As far as I’m aware, the new policy has not taken effect yet.
Why in the heck would a customer get a “discounted” Early Termination fee? YOU ARE CANCELLING!! why would you think that we would give you a “break” your leaving?? The new policy has NOT takin effect..and it only decreases the length of time you start with T-mobile, for example….you start with T-Mobile on March/1/2008 then then you decided to cancel in june… thell give you a lower etf but if you had t-mobile BEFORE you wont get credit for that… duh
I wish there was none of this ETF stuff because T-Mobile customer service has treated me horribly, charging me for features they told me they were not enabling, then putting the responsibility on me because apparently the rep. I spoke to “forgot” to note that detail. Since T-Mobile knows I’m “locked-in” to my contract or stuck paying the ETF, they can treat me like CRAP and still win! The laws should change and not allow ETF!!!
wow, people really don’t understand why the ETF is in place. When you open a new plan and get that shiney new phone for FREE or maybe a small fee, you are now in debt to your provider. That shiney new phone is typically an expensive piece of hardware, typically $100-$300 and you just got it for next to nothing. The ETF is there to ensure that if you cancel your contract early, you will pay them back for that phone they’ve given to you.
Prorating makes perfect sense because if you stick out 1/2 of your contract in effect you have paid for 1/2 of the phone. It’s pretty absurd that 2 months before the end of the contract you still must pay 100% of the ETF.
It’s about time!
I just talked to t-mobile customer service on the phone, and apparently the new prorated ETF only applies to customers either starting or extending their contract as of 28 June. This is very annoying, as I’ve been a customer with t-mobile for almost four years now, but the quality of service and pricing are just too much to handle now. I have two and a half months left on my contract, and according to them I can either wait it out or pay the full ETF. I think this is especially shady, since it will be another 18 months before the new system will even be profitable by customers. It seems they know that they will be loosing money on this, and by only applying it to new customers, they’re solidifying their profits for at least the next year and a half.
I am so thankful that T Mobile has given me the shiny new phone for next to nothing. I am so grateful to pay the high plan rates and stay with them for as long as they think necessary. Thanks for everything. Please do not prorate the ETF. Increase it..
Quincy, what is the matter with you. That is one of the most absurd things I have ever heard. Sorry hun, but not everyone has money to throw away, typically, we’re all trying to save money. It must be real nice to have so much money that you can wipe your butt with it, huh?
T-Mobile still isn’t prorating the CTF. I only have one month left in my contract. Do you think they’d just take equivalent of one month’s bill to terminate my contract? Nooooooooo! They still want to charge me $600, instead of taking $87 to terminate early. So I’m just going to have to stick it out for one more month while have to provide me a service that they could have been relieved of. Their thinking doesn’t make sense. I could understand it if I had tried to terminate 7 months ago.
7 * $87 = $609
$609 is slightly bigger than $600.
In one more month, I’ll be saying, “Adios T-Mobile!”
can anyone tell me why tmobile would charge me $164.00 dollars in excess of my $200.00 etf account not notified 30 day’s prior to cancellation when I paid $50.00 a month for a hot spot that didn’t work, and i had no contract on my phones. they are trying to charge me an extra month for my hot spot and phones when the contract was only for the hot spot.
thank you,
going to court is next!