Is T-Mobile pulling my leg?

[howardv]

My free month with T-Mobile ends tomorrow. I got the free month when I got my Nexus 7 LTE. I went to a T-Mobile store yesterday and found they have some new plans. Their pre-paid service, which is a continuation of my free month, is $35/month for 3.5 Gigs of data. Or I can get off the pre-paid system and go on a regular monthly plan. Their regular monthly plan has one option of $40 for 4.5 Gigs. I wanted to go for this $40/month plan, but they told me that I need a new SIM to change over from pre-paid to regular at a cost of $10. A new SIM? It's the same friggin network...why a new SIM? They couldn't explain the reasoning.

So is T-Mobile pulling my leg for wanting to charge for a new SIM when their pre-paid SIM (which came the the Nexus 7) works just fine?

 

[patruns]

There may be some odd technical reason why you need a new SIM. Others have mentioned that as well when switching from prepaid to postpaid. Many also mention when they go to a store they can get it done without paying that $10 when they make it clear they are going to see what AT&T has to offer. BTW, if you already have a post paid phone plan you may be able to save $10 a month by adding your tablet to it.

 

[genoist]

Yea, new line is generally a $10 SIM starter kit. If you are really nice perhaps they will give you a bill credit to offset it. I know I'd probably be able to get my manager to do that.

My free month with T-Mobile ends tomorrow. I got the free month when I got my Nexus 7 LTE. I went to a T-Mobile store yesterday and found they have some new plans. Their pre-paid service, which is a continuation of my free month, is $35/month for 3.5 Gigs of data. Or I can get off the pre-paid system and go on a regular monthly plan. Their regular monthly plan has one option of $40 for 4.5 Gigs. I wanted to go for this $40/month plan, but they told me that I need a new SIM to change over from pre-paid to regular at a cost of $10. A new SIM? It's the same friggin network...why a new SIM? They couldn't explain the reasoning.

So is T-Mobile pulling my leg for wanting to charge for a new SIM when their pre-paid SIM (which came the the Nexus 7) works just fine?

 

[howardv]

Thanks folks. As long as I know I'm not being scammed. It just seemed strange.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Thanks folks. As long as I know I'm not being scammed. It just seemed strange.

The sim cards they used for pre-paid service are likely coded differently to account for differences in the ways pre- vs post-paid plans are managed. In either case, if you aren't able to get a store to do it, with your current service expiring today, get the number for a B2B (business sales) representative - they'll most likely be able to waive the cost of the new sim.

As a general rule of thumb, it's better to sign up for services with a B2B rep, even if you're an individual signing up for personal service. They typically have some flexibility that the retail stores lack, and will gladly take a sale - even if it's just a single line - wherever they can get it.

 

[genoist]

There is no difference in SIM cards. Any new activation is subject to the $10 SIM starter kit. It's essentially what replaced the activation fees of old.

The sim cards they used for pre-paid service are likely coded differently to account for differences in the ways pre- vs post-paid plans are managed. In either case, if you aren't able to get a store to do it, with your current service expiring today, get the number for a B2B (business sales) representative - they'll most likely be able to waive the cost of the new sim.

As a general rule of thumb, it's better to sign up for services with a B2B rep, even if you're an individual signing up for personal service. They typically have some flexibility that the retail stores lack, and will gladly take a sale - even if it's just a single line - wherever they can get it.

 

[Jeremy8000]

There is no difference in SIM cards. Any new activation is subject to the $10 SIM starter kit. It's essentially what replaced the activation fees of old.

They still generally charge activation fees (outside of short-term promo offers). And while the SIM cards may be physically identical, it's entirely possible that the systems T-mo uses for administration of service for pre-paid and post-paid plans remain discrete and incompatible with one another, and that changing from pre- to post-paid plans (or vice-versa) is simply not something their systems are set up to do (as different as trying to use an AT&T sim on T-mo). Don't know that for sure if that is the case for them, but it has been for some carriers in the past.

 

[genoist]

T-Mobile doesn't charge activation fees anymore, just the $10 SIM starter. Converting from prepaid to postpaid will still automatically charge a SIM starter kit in the point of sale system, but it can be waived (and normally is for a voice pre-post conversion). I don't see why an MBB would be different.

They still generally charge activation fees (outside of short-term promo offers). And while the SIM cards may be physically identical, it's entirely possible that the systems T-mo uses for administration of service for pre-paid and post-paid plans remain discrete and incompatible with one another, and that changing from pre- to post-paid plans (or vice-versa) is simply not something their systems are set up to do (as different as trying to use an AT&T sim on T-mo). Don't know that for sure if that is the case for them, but it has been for some carriers in the past.

 

[Jeremy8000]

T-Mobile doesn't charge activation fees anymore, just the $10 SIM starter. Converting from prepaid to postpaid will still automatically charge a SIM starter kit in the point of sale system, but it can be waived (and normally is for a voice pre-post conversion). I don't see why an MBB would be different.

Just checked for clarification on the fee - generally speaking, they waive the fee, though there are some exceptions that may affect a few people:

(source)
The following customers will be charged a $35 activation fee:
Puerto Rico customers
Washington DC customers who activate a line on a Classic plan
Customers activating on a Classic plan at non-T-Mobile stores, like Best Buy or Target

That being said, it's a safe bet that they wouldn't charge an activation fee for transition of an existing customer from one plan type to another. But there are instances where new customers could be charged for both the activation fee and a sim kit, if they bring their own hardware (so aren't purchasing a phone which provides a sim in the box).