One gripe about the 15 day test drive - you are charged for the 3-4 days it takes for the gateway to be delivered

  • 3 March 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 116 views

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Hello,

 

I am a big fan of T-Mobile wireless and am now incurring my first month of charges for their Home Internet since the 15 day test drive ended two days ago. Because I installed the gateway at a vacation home, I have not been able to spend enough time there yet to know if it will meet my needs although I am hopeful.

Here’s my small gripe. T-Mobile is up front about the fact that your first month’s charges start on THE DAY YOU ORDERED THE GATEWAY. This of course makes no sense. My gateway arrived 4 days after I ordered it. Why should I or anyone be charged  for the time it took for the order to be processed and for the gateway to arrive. Other internet companies like Verizon and Spectrum don’t start charging until you ‘activate’ your service after their modem arrives.

Like I said, it’s a small gripe but still seems unethical to me to be charged for the time you couldn’t possibly be using their internet service. It disappoints me that a company I always trusted would do this.


4 replies

This is sneaky of them and makes me frustrated for internet customers! I had at&t fiber installed 2 weeks ago and my first bill charges start on the activation date. I'm sorry you had this experience, very disappointing business practice indeed.

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It's not just my experience. T-Mobile informs you that this is the case after your test drive ends. This was in an email that I just got. Also, I was under the impression that the 15 day test drive was actually a 15 day free trial but I was wrong.

The start of your service

You will see home internet charges beginning when your gateway ships, or is picked up from one of our stores, through your current bill cycle.

Userlevel 3
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Why should I or anyone be charged  for the time it took for the order to be processed and for the gateway to arrive

I guess TMO figures it’s easier to track the date they ship the gateways than it is to track the date new subcribers activate their service. Some might activate the service the day they receive the gateway, other migh not do so for a while before activating their service (days, weeks, or months?). And, in the meantime, they are holding on to the gateway TMO sent them at no charge. 

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It would be extremely easy for TMO to start charging on the delivery date or they could say if you don’t activate your service within 3 or 5 days of receipt, charges will be initiated.

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