Eligible New York customers will receive options to cancel with reimbursement, upgrade certain phones or keep current plan prices frozen through May 2029.
T-Mobile price guarantee refunds and other benefits will be offered to qualifying New York customers under an Oct. 20 agreement with state Attorney General Letitia James.
The settlement is expected to provide more than $38 million in value after the Attorney General’s Office found that T-Mobile raised prices on certain plans marketed from 2017 through 2019 with promises that customers’ rates would not increase.
New Yorkers enrolled in about 252,957 affected plans saw increases of approximately $5 per line in 2024, according to the state. The formal agreement says the average increase was about $12 per account.
Who may qualify for T-Mobile price guarantee refunds
The 18-page settlement defines covered accounts as New York-billed T-Mobile ONE plans opened from Jan. 1, 2017, through April 30, 2019, that remained on the plan when T-Mobile imposed its 2024 price increase.
That means not every current or former T-Mobile customer qualifies. Eligibility depends on the specific plan, enrollment dates, New York billing and whether the account remained on that plan during the increase.
T-Mobile will separate covered accounts into two groups. “Upgrade eligible” accounts have at least one line that T-Mobile knows is receiving less than 5G service. “Upgrade ineligible” accounts have all lines receiving 5G service or incomplete device information.
What covered customers can receive
Customers with an upgrade-eligible account
A covered customer with at least one line that is not receiving 5G service will have 45 days after T-Mobile’s notice to choose among settlement benefits.
- Cancel the account: T-Mobile will pay the final month’s recurring charge and provide a $25 cash card.
- Stay and upgrade: The customer can choose certain 5G phones valued up to $250 at no cost for each eligible line or receive a $150 credit toward another qualifying phone.
- Stay on the plan: T-Mobile cannot raise the plan’s monthly recurring charge before May 30, 2029.
The agreement says T-Mobile cannot charge switching, transfer or activation fees for the settlement phone upgrade. Device availability and the final list of phones will appear in the customer’s notice.
Customers already receiving 5G service
Other covered accounts, including those with all lines receiving 5G service, can cancel within the selection period and receive their last month’s recurring charge. If they stay on the current plan, T-Mobile cannot increase the recurring plan charge before May 30, 2029.
The $25 cash card and phone-upgrade option apply to the upgrade-eligible group, not every covered account.
When and how customers will be notified
T-Mobile must issue the first notices no later than 150 days after the agreement’s Oct. 20 effective date. That places the outside date at March 19, 2027.
The company must email the notice to every address associated with a covered account. If it has no email address or the message bounces, T-Mobile must send a notice by U.S. mail. Mailed-notice recipients receive five extra days beyond the standard 45-day selection period.
The first bill issued after the notification date must also include a reminder. Consumers should save the notice and the bill showing the reminder because the deadline will be tied to the individual notification date.
No universal claim website, phone number or deadline was announced in the Attorney General’s release. Customers should not pay anyone to claim benefits or give account credentials to an unsolicited caller.
What affected customers should do now
- Check old records: Look for the name “T-Mobile ONE” on bills or account documents from 2017 through 2019.
- Confirm contact details: Make sure T-Mobile has a current email and mailing address.
- Save 2024 bills: Keep statements from before and after the price increase if they are available.
- Watch for a specific notice: The settlement’s sample subject line is “An update about your T-Mobile plan.”
- Verify before acting: Contact T-Mobile through the number on a recent bill, its official app or its website instead of using an unexpected link.
- Compare the options: Consider the last-month refund, $25 card, phone offer, service quality, device needs and the value of keeping the current rate.
Customers should not cancel early based only on the announcement. Canceling before receiving and following the official notice could affect whether the settlement benefit is properly applied.
What the Attorney General found
The Attorney General’s Office said T-Mobile marketed the plans with statements including “never change the price you pay” and “abolishes price hikes.” The state concluded that website fine print did not cure the broader message because it contradicted what a reasonable customer would understand.
“New Yorkers deserve clear and honest prices, not misleading offers with hidden fine print,” James said in the state’s announcement.
T-Mobile neither admitted nor denied the state’s findings. The agreement resolves the investigation without the Attorney General filing a statutory proceeding based on the described conduct.
The company also agreed to pay New York $98,834.75, honor current and future price guarantees, and clearly disclose material limits on future guarantees.
What this means for Mohawk Valley customers
The settlement applies statewide. A qualifying customer in Utica, Rome, Herkimer or another Mohawk Valley community receives the same options as an eligible account elsewhere in New York.
The biggest practical question is not only whether an account qualifies, but which option has the highest value for that household. A free or discounted phone may help someone using older equipment. Another customer may value the rate freeze more. Someone already planning to switch carriers may prefer reimbursement after cancellation.
Before accepting a phone, customers should ask whether a device-payment agreement, trade-in, tax or other obligation applies. The settlement bars specific upgrade fees, but consumers should still read all terms shown in their individual offer.
Utica Phoenix has also covered New York refunds involving misleading dealership fees. Both cases show why consumers should save advertising, contracts and bills when a company promises a fixed price or adds a charge.
How to report a problem
Customers who believe they qualify but do not receive a notice should first ask T-Mobile to review the account history. Keep the date, representative’s name and any case number.
New Yorkers can submit a complaint through the Attorney General’s consumer complaint portal. Include copies of relevant bills and communications, but do not place Social Security numbers, full payment-card numbers or passwords in a public comment.
Community question: Did a promised price influence your choice of wireless plan? Share the general impact in the comments, but protect account numbers, phone numbers and other personal information.
