T-Mobile is reportedly preparing to roll out new phone plans that will limit how customers access discounts and perks.
The move comes after the carrier revamped its wireless plan lineup several times this year by lowering prices and adding value.
In January, it launched its Better Value plan, offering three wireless lines for $140 per month with autopay, and Experience More with Appreciation Savings, a retention plan that starts at $75 per month for one line.
In August, T-Mobile introduced four updated Essentials and Experience wireless plans, priced from $50 to $100 per line per month, with autopay enabled.
It also rolled out a Student Perks plan that offers students a single wireless line for $30 per month and a limited-time Super Essentials Saver wireless plan at Walmart for $25 per line per month, with autopay required for both prices.
T-Mobile’s new T-Mix plans add new rules for discounts and perks
As T-Mobile doubles down on offering more affordable wireless options, it is reportedly planning to launch new T-Mix plans, which are expected to use a new “picks” system to determine customer eligibility for discounts and perks.
The plans are expected to contain three tiers: T-Mix Standard, T-Mix More and T-Mix Loaded, which offer a single wireless line for $65, $85 and $105, respectively, according to a report from The Mobile Report.
The carrier’s upcoming T-Mix plans were first spotted being advertised at a T-Mobile store in Kansas earlier this month.
In an Oct. 9 post on X, Jeff Moore, a telecom analyst and principal of Wave7 Research, shared images of T-Mix signage at the location that read “pick what you want” and “change what you want,” hinting that customers will have greater ability to customize these plans.
Related: T-Mobile reduces a generous discount as customers see prices rise
However, according to a recent report from PhoneArena, this freedom comes with a caveat. Customers on these plans will need to earn “picks” to access perks and discounts.
Picks are tokens awarded to customers based on their T-Mix plan tier and the number of lines on their account. Customers with more lines receive more monthly picks to spend on freebies.
For instance, T-Mix Standard provides one pick per line, with a maximum of four picks per account. T-Mix More offers two picks per line for the first three lines; thereafter, each additional line gets one more pick, up to a maximum of 12 per account. T-Mix Loaded provides the most picks per line, up to 20.
Here’s how T-Mobile customers will have to spend picks for deals
T-Mobile plans to launch 13 new perks, including Delta SkyMiles, DashPass by DoorDash, SiriusXM All Access, and YouTube Premium, alongside the new T-Mix plans.
If customers want the DashPass by DoorDash perk, they would need one pick to obtain it. For the YouTube Premium perk, they would need two picks; for ESPN Unlimited, they would need four.
The pick system also applies to device discounts, according to a separate report from PhoneArena. For instance, if customers on a T-Mix plan want to receive a $1,000 discount on the Google Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL devices, they would need two picks and an eligible trade-in. For a $500 discount, they would need one pick.
Also, if customers want $1,200 off the new iPhone 18 Pro, they would need three picks.
T-Mobile faces pressure as rivals expand wireless plan options
The upcoming T-Mobile T-Mix offerings come as consumers are seeking more control over their wireless plans.
A survey from Oxio last year found that nearly 75% of U.S. consumers would switch wireless providers to join a fully customizable, cost-effective mobile plan.
“When 75% of consumers say they’d switch providers for a more tailored experience, and half are willing to share secure, anonymized data for better offers, they’re telling us something crucial: the future of telecom is about delivering personalized services that align with consumers’ lifestyles and preferences,” said Oxio CEO Nicolas Girard in the survey release.
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It is no surprise that T-Mobile is planning to lean into offering customized plans to win over customers, as it faces heightened competition in the wireless market.
Its competitors have also been expanding their offerings of more affordable phone plans to customers seeking greater value.
For example, AT&T added three new wireless plans in March, with starting monthly prices ranging from $50 to $90 for a single line, and OneConnect, a $90-per-month plan that bundles wireless and fiber internet service. It also launched Build-A-Plan in May, a customizable phone plan with a base price of $15 per month.
Verizon followed suit by expanding its lower-priced wireless offerings. In June, it launched its Simplicity plan for $30 per month (with autopay and Switcher discounts applied), as well as Verizon One, a $70-per-month plan that bundles mobile and home internet service.
Most recently, Verizon launched a discounted version of its Simplicity plan at Walmart for $25 per line per month (with autopay enabled), matching the price of T-Mobile’s Super Essentials Saver plan, which is also exclusive to Walmart.
In an analyst note in August, Wolfe Research analyst Peter Supino warned that rising competition could hurt T-Mobile’s future revenue growth.
“Long-term revenue growth forecast risk tilts negatively as competition expands in T-Mo’s core,” wrote Supino.
Related: T-Mobile raises another fee customers pay each month