So I went through the application process and got approved but now T-mobile is telling me that my home internet is not eligible for the benefit. What gives? Why have it on the page advertising it if their plan does not qualify? What does someone need to do to qualify? They are advertising that they are a part of this yet no one is having success in setting it up.
Best answer by tomwil
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I opened my home internet account the second it was available in my area (August 2021). At that time, none of the T-Mobile store even had the home internet gateway in stock. T-mobile cannot claim that you had to have been signed up with them before the date they stated when the company didn't even HAVE the service available here at that time!
I signed up and switched ISPs with the promise (on day one) that my EBB eligibility would transfer over from my former ISP. Not true. Didn't happen. Since that time, I've had to call T-Mobile on a MONTHLY basis, to correct billing mistakes and to ask why I was not receiving the EBB I qualified for. Every time I got off the phone with a rep, it was with the assurance that I would see the discount applied within 1-2 billing cycles and the it "would be worth the wait." I even did the T-Mobile application over the phone with a rep and had them submit it for me. NOTHING HAPPENED. Wash-rinse-repeat month after month.
Now there is no EBB. The credit has gone from $50 to $30 on the new program. Fine. I'll take whatever help I can get! But I can't even get that! I never got the EBB, and now I'm told that I WILL NOT get the new $30 credit unless I switch to a whole other ISP provided by T-Mobile. That means getting rid of my T-mobile gateway and praying that I get the same internet quality with the other provider. This is grossly unfair of T-Mobile. I have filed a complaint with the FCC (something I did not want to do, because I really love this company outside of this horrible experience.) I have yet to hear anything at all from anyone regarding the complaint I filed.
Does anyone have any further information on the who T-Mobile directs qualified consumers to go to for home internet so they can receive the $30 discount? What's the service like? It's it as good as what you had with the T-Mobile gateway on 5G?
I spent several hours pursuing the EBB for my account and this is what I was told:
♦ Home Internet only qualifies if you don’t have any voice lines on your account. Port out your voice lines and you will qualify.
♦ The only published plans (Non-Grandfathered) eligible are Magenta (Regular no Max, 55+ etc) and Essentials.
♦ Overseas CS has no idea about prepaid plans or how to contact someone in the prepaid dept. that knows anything about EBB.
I currently have Magenta 55+ and the difference between my current plan and Regular Magenta with EBB is $15mo. Go Figure.
From my understanding, T-Mobile has a 3rd party they employed to take calls to make their customer service 24/7 accessible. I suggest calling at your local time zone from 8AM-7PM. This ensures you that you will be able to speak to an actual T-Mobile customer representative. Most of the 3rd party that answers the phone will disregard your circumstance and read the generic reply they’ve been told to say. From there, either get home internet ($50) or get it applied to your phone bill by filling out this T-Mobile application. https://t-mobile.custhelp.com/app/forms/EBB_Enrollment/session/L3RpbWUvMTYzOTU5OTA1MS9nZW4vMTYzOTU5OTA1MS9zaWQvZlVfbWl6eGtjZkM3cUllMVp1YmFHQmhGZHFrZWNXQUVETHh3YTJ1TklIc1l5alBEVVhBVjhfWGtNM1BtMDhTaG41NXBYWkNJR2JuV0dpMUQ2ZXBvS0g1TUo1blJSZE40QXFmcVlEdzBabDlFNFBjYmRoSVhNQUtRJTIxJTIx. This link is not easily found because T-Mobile doesn’t really want to give you the discount. Plus not all their employees are on the same page. From my understanding (I’ve talked to 10-15 T-Mobile reps & been on the phone with them for 10+ hrs so far), the third party employee response will always be “you had to apply by March 10 2021.” This is NOT TRUE AND WRONG, because why would T-Mobile have the program still up on their website well after 9 months if the promotion is still not offered. A T-Mobile rep. Should’ve seen it and notified their supervisors of the error. They do this to encourage you to sign up for their services (phone or home internet) to charge you for your first few billing cycles. They are aware this is wrong because they keep notes of your calls with them. T-Mobile will tell you the application with them and with EBB must be the same and the modem they give you has a DIFFERENT PHONE NUMBER THAN YOUR CELLPHONE NUMBER. Thus these are the steps I went through. Still waiting on my new application to be processed but I am hopeful this will happen.
1. sign up through EBB and get approved
i hope this helps you all ask you need to apply the discount by January 12,2022 or you have to reapply for EBB again. You still have to apply for the EBB discount through T-Mobile again after January 12,2022 just not EBB itself.
EBB is only available for home internet accounts that were established prior to March 10, 2021. Don't know why it's that way, but that's the way it is.
That’s also interesting because according to this press release that they seem to have taken down, they were still advertising it as a benefit as of May 3, 2021. It even states that enrollment starts on May 12:
May 03, 2021
To ensure households struggling to pay for Internet service during the pandemic are able to stay connected to work, education and healthcare services, T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile are participating in the FCC’s temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB).
When enrollment opens on May 12, qualified T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Assurance Wireless and Sprint brand consumer and government customers in the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands may be eligible for an up to $50 discount (up to $75 on tribal lands) per household on service each month on qualified plans for the duration of the program.
For more information about the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit program, starting May 12 visit www.t-mobile.com/emergency-broadband-benefit.
I found a different form and submitted my information through it. Worth a try at least.
I found this page through Google, so here are a few more terms for the algorithm to push this post to the top of the results.
T-Mobile home internet EBB Emergency Broadband Benefit FCC qualify rate plan Covid pandemic assistance
https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/emergency-broadband-benefit
“We’re proud to participate in the FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit program, which offers temporary payment assistance on internet services to customers in eligible households impacted by the pandemic.”
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB) is a temporary program launched by the FCC to help subsidize the cost of high-speed Internet services for households struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
T-Mobile is participating in the FCC's Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to ensure households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are able to stay connected to work, education, healthcare and other services.
T-Mobile will contract directly with government agencies to provide EBB-supported service to qualifying households. The government agency will be responsible for paying for the cost of eligible service.
EBB is only available for home internet accounts that were established prior to March 10, 2021. Don't know why it's that way, but that's the way it is.
I’m sorry, but this is total bullcrap. They are STILL advertising EBB as a benefit to their home internet subscribers. I literally signed up because I was approved for the benefit THAT I SAW ADVERTISED ON THEIR WEBSITE. T-Mobile has ZERO reason to exclude ANY customers based on WHEN they were approved. The FCC has NO requirements stating this. As long as the benefit program is running, they are still getting paid for the service. It is entirely on T-Mobile for setting an arbitrary cutoff date for qualified accounts. They should be absolutely ASHAMED that they are doing this to people, and I hope they receive some serious pushback and/or face consequences from the FCC for this bait-and-switch.
EBB is only available for home internet accounts that were established prior to March 10, 2021. Don't know why it's that way, but that's the way it is.
No this is still an issue. I had one rep tell me via text I can use the ebb for my home internet but when I called to actually do it I’m getting denied. Ridiculous
Same here, the person that i ordered the t mobile home internet said i can use my ebb benefit with this service, but when i try to claim it via the t mobile linked application it always comes back as an error on my part. Its complete BS.
No this is still an issue. I had one rep tell me via text I can use the ebb for my home internet but when I called to actually do it I’m getting denied. Ridiculous
Ditto, I too was taken by this scam, switching my home internet service to T-Mobile after qualifying for EBB. No one gave me any information to the contrary when I did so, but when things didn’t appear correct on my bill, I contacted customer service; only to be put on hold for excessive long periods of time, transferred repeatedly, and told different information by everyone (oh, and disconnected several times!) At some point, they started throwing around the March 10, 2021 date, saying you had to be signed up for home internet by then to be on that plan, but this EBB program only allowed people to start signing up for it May 12, 2021, so that makes no sense!? I was told that only a “Hot Spot" was offered by T-Mobile for that program, but nowhere on the national EBB site or T-Mobile does it say anything like that. As a matter of fact, if you look on the national site to the companies participating it this program, they have T-Mobile listed as offering both Fixed/Mobile options and on T-Mobile site they say they offer several EBB plan only excluding Magenta Max. This is just wrong and bad business, I hope everyone does file a complaint.
Does anybody know if T mobile has fixed this issue yet
I signed up the Home Internet service today and went through a two hours run around of speaking with different representatives who seemed utterly incompetent regarding the EBB sign up process. I’ll be filing a complaint with the FCC regarding this farce.
My complaint is getting filed now with the FTC, AG in both states, BBB and the white house.
I signed up the Home Internet service Emergency Broadband Benefit Program EBB program 10/7/21 and went through my t-moble account check Not show up The EBB program call customers service said you have pay two pay cycles to get EBB program Emergency Broadband Benefit Program? Why ? Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
So I went through the application process and got approved but now T-mobile is telling me that my home internet is not eligible for the benefit. What gives? Why have it on the page advertising it if their plan does not qualify? What does someone need to do to qualify? They are advertising that they are a part of this yet no one is having success in setting it up.
According to T-Mobile, only T-Mobile Home Internet accounts activated before March 10, 2021, are eligible for the EBB.
Well, this is information that would have been great before I switched carriers. I have been a phone customer for years but switched to the home internet less than a month ago. The application tells people to sign up and choose a provider and T-mobile is listed as one of those, so this really makes no sense. Even T-mobile advertises as “Not a Customer, click here to learn more”, and also links to a factsheet that I followed and complied with when choosing them. I called ahead and set up, so this is a bit misleading on their part.
Not a customer? Call 1-800-T-MOBILE to learn more. https://www.t-mobile.com/content/dam/t-mobile/assets/pdf/ebb-factsheet-fcc-logo.pdf
I am going through the same thing
in contrast metropcs offers the eb benefit, and they don't even have broadband.tmobile is good service, they shouldn't lie to people
barry
I have been informed that I have to switch from magenta Max plus w/ magenta tablet to just magenta and add "plus", while keeping the magenta tablet. The bill is the same, but, magenta Max is the best plan for 5g. T-mobile apparently doesn't want those on the max plan to have this assistance. Not does T-mobile care about the disabled people, for which I'm one. I truly regret switching to them.
They told me the same thing. They said that the FCC set limits on which plans qualify. That is not what the provider information docs say. They also said I couldn’t transfer from another provider, but rather had to reapply. This is also false. (Links below) They said that if I don’t change to a higher priced voice plan I won’t qualify. This makes absolutely no sense. The FCC didn’t set these rules. T-Mobile did. I’ve been with them for over 15 years and just picked up their Internet a couple of weeks ago. I asked the store employee about the EBB and he did not mention that the internet wouldn’t apply or that I’d have to pay more to qualify. It’s a horrible business practice, not to mention a bit audacious to think they have more authority than the FCC. Add one more complaint being filed.
I am also having issues with T-Mobile over this. I received a text saying there was an issue and to call. The so-called expert was clueless. I did find a page that said my plan isn't eligible. I have Magenta Max with Magenta Tablet. A 129 buck phone bill and I am told I don't qualify when the national qualifier. I am new to this company, and I'm seriously considering going to Verizon or at&t. TMobile is not a very customer oriented.q
I signed up the Home Internet service today and went through a two hours run around of speaking with different representatives who seemed utterly incompetent regarding the EBB sign up process. I’ll be filing a complaint with the FCC regarding this farce.
Ditto, I too was taken by this scam, switching my home internet service to T-Mobile after qualifying for EBB. No one gave me any information to the contrary when I did so, but when things didn’t appear correct on my bill, I contacted customer service; only to be put on hold for excessive long periods of time, transferred repeatedly, and told different information by everyone (oh, and disconnected several times!) At some point, they started throwing around the March 10, 2021 date, saying you had to be signed up for home internet by then to be on that plan, but this EBB program only allowed people to start signing up for it May 12, 2021, so that makes no sense!? I was told that only a “Hot Spot" was offered by T-Mobile for that program, but nowhere on the national EBB site or T-Mobile does it say anything like that. As a matter of fact, if you look on the national site to the companies participating it this program, they have T-Mobile listed as offering both Fixed/Mobile options and on T-Mobile site they say they offer several EBB plan only excluding Magenta Max. This is just wrong and bad business, I hope everyone does file a complaint.
Copying this from yet another thread. Yet another example of a serious question going unanswered. This is unacceptable T-Mobile. Where are your answers?
I would encourage you to file a complaint with the FCC. Here is a copy of a message I added in another thread. t-Mobile is flat out lying to customers about their eligibility. When you sign up thinking you will get your EBB, even after you're approved through the FCC, your applications WILL BE DENIED. T-Mobile will not tell you this outright, and refer you instead to an "internal memo" that states there is a March 10th cutoff date. The secretary for the Office of the President himself took 2 weeks before he could find this answer for me.
T-Mobile is lying to potential customers and current Home Internet Plan consumers about its EBB eligibility process.
I submitted my first EBB application to T-Mobile back in the middle of May, after receiving approval through the FCC for EBB. 3 applications and dozens of emails, calls, and complaints later, I was told by the Office of the President of T-Mobile that the cutoff date for Home Internet Plans receiving EBB was March 10th. If you call T-Mobile's customer care line today, I would bet money you will be told a Home Internet Plan opened TODAY would qualify for EBB.
T-Mobile is allowing this lie to continue being spread by its customer support. Nowhere on T-Mobile's EBB site is information about a March 10th cutoff. I encourage anyone else who has been lied to by T-Mobile to contact the FCC and file a complaint. These business practices need to change immediately. The management clearly doesn't care about a genuine concern of its paying customers. If they are not willing to correct these lies, more people will fall victim to their bait and switch.
To be clear, as of my writing this, if you do not have a Home Internet Plan activated prior to March 10th, YOU WILL BE DENIED YOUR EBB WITH T-MOBILE. They will not tell you this themselves, unless you file a complaint and wait weeks for the President's office to tell you. Call and ask customer service yourself if you need confirmation of these lies.
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
I am also being told by Tmobile that my home internet is not eligible for EBB. They keep saying I do not have a qualifying rate plan which is ludicrous. As far as i’m concerned there are no tiered rate plans for their home internet if that is what they mean. If the story you linked is true. They are falsely advertising this benefit on their website without explicitly stating it is only for those who got their home internet service before March.
Also, to add. They had me switch plans today to a plan that cost the same amount and made me reapply. Really silly to do all of that if they don’t cover it.
So I went through the application process and got approved but now T-mobile is telling me that my home internet is not eligible for the benefit. What gives? Why have it on the page advertising it if their plan does not qualify? What does someone need to do to qualify? They are advertising that they are a part of this yet no one is having success in setting it up.
According to T-Mobile, only T-Mobile Home Internet accounts activated before March 10, 2021, are eligible for the EBB.
Well, this is information that would have been great before I switched carriers. I have been a phone customer for years but switched to the home internet less than a month ago. The application tells people to sign up and choose a provider and T-mobile is listed as one of those, so this really makes no sense. Even T-mobile advertises as “Not a Customer, click here to learn more”, and also links to a factsheet that I followed and complied with when choosing them. I called ahead and set up, so this is a bit misleading on their part.
Not a customer? Call 1-800-T-MOBILE to learn more. https://www.t-mobile.com/content/dam/t-mobile/assets/pdf/ebb-factsheet-fcc-logo.pdf
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