$15 Plan — activation, tax and other fees?

**rcentros** · 03-06-2021, 04:57 PM

Does anyone use the $15 plan at T-Mobile? (I hardly use data.) If so, are there added monthly fees and an activation fee when signing up? I'm so used to not paying these fees that they could be a significant factor in my choice. For example, Tello charges $10 even, and taxes in Idaho are 7 cents per month. And that's all I pay, $10.07 (for unlimited talk and text, plus a GB of data). But, right now, the Tello compatibility checker is on the fritz and I want to test a Nokia phone on the T-Mobile network, so that's why I'm looking at T-Mobile as (probably) a temporary deal.

Thanks for any information.

**zapjb** · 03-06-2021, 06:07 PM

It's been reported the taxes & fees are around $5 a month. Think it's very State dependent though.

**mysbca** · 03-07-2021, 05:23 PM

No activation fees, but will need a TMobile sim. No extra fees if drawing from prepaid balance, so buying TMobile prepaid card from Target.com (or wherever that doesn't charge fees or sales tax) will avoid the extra fees.

**ecs0013** · 03-07-2021, 10:33 PM

No activation fee, just need a SIM, usually around $10 (or activated on eSIM for free with the app if you have an iPhone that supports it). It's basically tax and E911 and those can vary be location (where I am, it's about $2), but as others have mentioned, if you buy the refill cards, there's no extra charges (in theory, you'd be paying the taxes when buying the refill cards, but some merchants don't charge it).

I'm running the $15 Connect plan right now, going to upgrade to the $25 one with the next billing cycle, but have also used the Mobile Internet plans ($10 2GB) on other devices, which uses the same account management system. One tip is if you sign up online, even though it allows you to pick a PIN longer than 6 digits, use 6 digits. If you do more, you may run into trouble when it comes time to make the account login for My T-Mobile. Other than that, things mostly work as expected and you get the same data priority as postpaid (which may be nice, depending on your location). Also, your account number is displayed on both the order page and when you log in on the account, so these plans are good for if you plan to port out later.

**trackVW** · 03-08-2021, 01:21 PM

I would love to use the connect plan but as far as I see there is no International calling or Texting ,'

**mframe** · 03-08-2021, 05:29 PM

If I convert my Legacy Gold Rewards plan (old billing system) to this one, can I still keep my balance?

**Gotadimple** · 03-09-2021, 11:40 AM

Yes. You need to contact CS and they will sign you up and transfer the balance.

**ecs0013** · 03-09-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by mframe

If I convert my Legacy Gold Rewards plan (old billing system) to this one, can I still keep my balance?

Yep, there's a few steps since the two billing systems are treated separately. It may almost make sense to sign up with a new number on the Connect line and then have customer service move the balance and "port" the number over. Unlike most other carriers, T-Mobile lets you port/migrate anything into the new billing system that can end up there except numbers already in there (old prepaid, postpaid, MVNOs, other carriers, etc. all work). You can even do it yourself through the account management interface, but it probably would make sense to call customer service to move the balance at least.

**mframe** · 03-09-2021, 06:40 PM

Thank you both for your responses. I have 2 more questions about the Connect plan. Is there an expiration date (90 or 365 days, depending on refill amount), like the Legacy plan, or does the Connect plan keep going as long as there is sufficient balance?

Also, if I have a current T-Mobile locked phone on the Connect plan, will they app-unlock it after I add $100?

**ecs0013** · 03-09-2021, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by mframe

Thank you both for your responses. I have 2 more questions about the Connect plan. Is there an expiration date (90 or 365 days, depending on refill amount), like the Legacy plan, or does the Connect plan keep going as long as there is sufficient balance?

It seems funds basically "expire" one year after you last loaded/paid (at least I could've sworn it said on the main page of the account management site), but if you add more, it kicks the date out further. The denomination doesn't matter.

**jmac32here** · 03-10-2021, 01:47 AM

Tello's IMEI checker is based on T-Mobile's which is also on the fritz.

**zapjb** · 03-10-2021, 02:01 AM

It's month to month.

**balineseplease** · 03-15-2021, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gotadimple

Yes. You need to contact CS and they will sign you up and transfer the balance.

Did you actually accomplish this or know someone who did? Several months ago my sister tried and was told it was not possible. She ended up switching her number to the new plan which required a new sim and sacrificed the money left on her legacy Gold plan.

**joseg2016** · 03-15-2021, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by mframe

Thank you both for your responses. I have 2 more questions about the Connect plan. Is there an expiration date (90 or 365 days, depending on refill amount), like the Legacy plan, or does the Connect plan keep going as long as there is sufficient balance?

Also, if I have a current T-Mobile locked phone on the Connect plan, will they app-unlock it after I add $100?

I tried asking T-Mobile about this ( I believe you are discussing T-Mobile Connect plans), and the information given was the plans along that "Connect" are all MONTHLY. You get 30 days before expiration. Either must pay monthly or do monthly with auto-pay.

**ecs0013** · 03-16-2021, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by joseg2016

I tried asking T-Mobile about this ( I believe you are discussing T-Mobile Connect plans), and the information given was the plans along that "Connect" are all MONTHLY. You get 30 days before expiration. Either must pay monthly or do monthly with auto-pay.

I think mframe was asking if there was an expiration on the balance (i.e. if you load more than your monthly service cost, how long will it stay if unused?) From what I had seen, the web site used to list a year from the last time you reloaded (right on the front page), but it disappeared recently. It didn't seem to matter the denomination loaded or method either.

Just for reference, AT&T Prepaid gives expirations to different dollar amounts loaded: https://forums.att.com/conversations...d5f2f606407482

It also appears that they do treat it as an actual month instead of 30 days like some prepaid services—mine are set for the 1st and the 19th and that seems to always be the renewal date regardless of if the month has 28, 30, or 31 days.