By 
I’m not exactly a tree hugger, but I’m all about doing the simple things to avoid polluting our environment and apparently so is T-Mobile. Keeping in mind how much paper is used by sending out snail mail bills, the company will now charge $1.50/month to customers who still receive paper bills starting September 12th. And what’s more, if you’re choosing to get detailed bills that show a list of text messages and phone calls, you’ll be shelling out $3.49 for being an ungreen machine.
At first I thought this was a great move, thinking further about how the demise of traditional newspapers might not be a bad thing afterall. But then I read a different angle on GeekSugar that also made a lot of sense:
I’m all about doing what’s best for the environment, but this imposed $1.50 charge for each account per month is a dirty way to go about it.
Just think of all of the people who don’t have access to computers — or who don’t know how to use a computer or the Internet, for that matter — and are stuck with this fee unless they opt into paperless billing through their T-Mobile accounts. In my opinion, they should reward those who pay their bills online with something like more monthly minutes, not tack on a fee for those who are helpless and don’t have a say.
Well said… I think “dirty” is going a little bit far but I definitely agree with the concept/point. Feel free to voice your opinion below… and let this serve as a friendly reminder that if you’re a T-Mobile USA customer and have easy and often access to a computer, you’ll likely want to call customer service and switch over to Paperless Billing. And now that we saved you at least $36 over your 2-year contract, feel free to send us some commission. We’ll send you a thank you note on expensive stationary… or I guess we could email you if you really want.
Your choice.
Hey must say I’m new to this site but love it since getting my G2.
Living in Wales (UK) we have had paperless billing now for the past 12-18mths and the same issues re the fee were had here. I suppose though that as with anything going green its a matter of education and with the amount of ways billing information can be obtained I don’t think access to the internet is that important. What is key is that people are aware how the information can be obtained either through the automated service, requesting sms to the phone, popping into a store, calling customer services or using the internet connection on phone itself are all available before the traditional PC/laptop.
If you were just rewarded with extras for going green I think its a safe bet that the vast majority would ignore it and still receive bills so no benefit to the humble Earth.
I don’t think they care about being green, it’s just another excuse for a fee, much like the ‘direct debit’ fee.
When did this become TMOnews? Let’s just stick to Android please :)
Stick to Android? Since about 99% of the Android users are on T-Mobile I believe it is very relevant to mention that. And I agree, can’t punish people who don’t have computers or can’t afford internet. Have to reward, not punish… unless the idea is to make more money. Didn’t they just raise some prices..?
If you only reward, you will never decrease the chopping down of trees – nothing will change. The point is to create an incentive to stop using paper bills. If you are rewarded and not punished, where is the incentive to stop using bills? Most people wouldn’t care about extra minutes in the grand scheme of things.
Paul – using a G1 on Orange, with paper-less billing and no reward.
“Since about 99% of the Android users are on T-Mobile”
Maybe in the States. In Belgium, we buy them carrier-independent.
It’s a rate increase pure and simple.
To answer the question posed above…
Question: “If you are rewarded and not punished, where is the incentive to stop using bills?”
Answer: The incentive is “the reward”. If you decrease my bill by $1.50 for not using paper, I will take the reward. In fact, I would rather be paperless anyhow. If $1.50 per month is not enough of a reward that makes it worth it too me to change, then $1.50 is also not enough of a punishment to make it worth it for me to change either. T-mobile either is getting a $1.50 per month for delivering the same service they deliver today or getting an administrative cost savings by not sending out the bill on paper.
If they want to go green they can stop sending junk mail and keep all the money they save. Go green in your advertising, we would all love it.
I agree this is a rate increase and has nothing to do with saving the Earth. I would believe their marketing positioning if they also told us that the $1.50/month fee will go to an envirnmental non-profit… but guess where it is going? Right to t-mobiles bottom line revenue. This is the same insincere bullcrap that many companies are now trying to do by jumping on this “green bandwagon” to try to make money for themselves. Anyone who doesn’t see right through this is either ignorant, kidding themselves or they are also trying to scam people out of money by professing their green religion. If t-mobile comes out and announces they will be donating all fee proceeds to charity then I’ll retract all of this, until then, everyone can enjoy getting lied to and fleeced by another company. BYW… before any of you “treehuggers” jump down my throat, I already get paperless so this doesn’t even effect me. But I sure am tired of getting played a fool by these corporations and everyone else should be too.
Tom hit it on the head – administrative cost reduction, with the additional BENEFIT to the environment. It’s no different than if any service provider (landline, TV, Internet, and even water, gas or electric utilities) were assessed another governmental fee and they passed it along to the user. You pay it, because you need the service. Here you’re given the option to also avoid that cost being passed on. I guarantee ALL service providers are trying to maximize their $$$ in the “economic recovery” and there will be others jumping on the paperless billing, no matter what industry.
I was already paperless because I never looked at my bill anyway. And I can easily see my bill on the T-Mobile Android app.
Trees are not an endangered species. We can and do make more of them.
This move is just bullshit. Guess I’ll have to set my MyAccount app to remind me.
Green is a way to go..other companies have been charging peoples for paper bills and more will do it is definately a good thing towards the environment..and guys do u noe how many cities tmobile help every year? They helped build stuff for schools and chaity and just recently they donated 10k$$ to a school..how’s that for u?
Sheesh. T-Mobile’s coverage sucks, they don’t work with emergency services (they route me to another state), and now they want to charge me in order to reduce their costs?
Bailing out of my contract early is looking better and better.
This totally sucks for my parents. Because 1, they live in an area where they still can only get dial up and 2, when you have dial up your not going to be paying bills on line. That will take forever. This is pretty messed up. Also i liked getting something in the mail to remind me to pay my bill. T-Mobile better send out a free reminder text 15 days in advance now and give me a $1.50 discount off my bill.
Paperless billing does exactly zero to save trees or the environment as using paper does NOT kill trees, it’s an order for more trees to be planted. There is more forest in the US today than there was 100 years ago. It does however save T-mobile a lot of money including postage. I am all for T-mobile saving money because savings are passed on to the consumer, but don’t insult me by telling me it’s “saving the environment,” when paperless billing clearly does not.
It’s worse when the bill you get is 1850 pages, and arrives in a cardboard box… What was Google thinking? Didn’t T-Mobile sign them up for paperless billing just by default? [see http://phandroid.com/2009/08/03/t-mobile-sends-googles-bill-to-regular-customer-1593983/%5D
This is just one more way for t-mo to steal my money. Plain and simple. It’s not saving any trees. Plus, its nice to have a physical copy of my bill instead of trusting the EASILY HACKED t-mo servers. Not everything needs to be digitized/electronic. Oh and to all tree huggers: I kicked a tree after reading this =p
This is just another way of taking our money for your poor service.
I was told by Tmobile customer support that even though I can get my bill amount by calling them and can then send a check or pay at a local location, I will still be charged $1.50/mo until I specifically vancel paper billing. Customer service refuses to cancel it for me. I must use a computer, sign on the their web site, register, receive a password on my cellpnone, sign back on and provide my email address, receive an email from Tmobile within 24 hours, reply to that email, and them wait for an email confirming I have signed up for paperless billing. That means one needs both a computer and an email account to avoid paying the fee. And the notice that came with my last bill states that the feemay exceed their cost of providing a paper bill.
CALL T-MOBILE EXECUTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 877-290-6323 TALK TO JOEL @ EXT 3418018 TELL HIM YOU DON’T LIKE THE NEW $1.50 PAPER BILL FEE
When my contract is up, I’m cancelling T-Mobile.
Now, instead of collecting $1.50 for a bill, they won’t collect anything. I’m sure that will make them feel better.
I mean this is a service. It’s not free. Why wouldn’t they send you a bill?
They force you to do it when you may not have regular email service and you are forced to provide an email address. Guess how many junk emails they’ll be sending to you now.
I sent them a letter telling them. They always thank me for being a long-term customer. Well those days are numbered.
I had a chat with Customer service Supervisor tonight, to get an exemption or opt-out of this new charge and retain my paper bills. She was adamantly against offering any help and went on and on about saving the environment and how there are many fees and taxes that we dont agree with but just have to pay anyway.
I think if i can find another provider that has decent service with about the same cost, my last decade with T-mobile is over.
But before that, I think we should all call their corporate office and tell them what we really think of this.
If i was to use paperless, id have to buy a printer, maintain the ink, pay the power, then take my time to manually bring up the pages and print them out. Oh wait, I just checked, and none of the numbers that I called, or times, or durations are included. They are hiding it all now for all past bills! This means they could illegally take as many minutes away as they want without us ever being able to find out.
This is horrible and unjust. I will never write another positive review of Tmobile again. In fact, unless they remove this ridiculous fee, ill cancel and always make sure to put the worst reviews for them. Stealing from their customers is not how to do business, and i want them to fail to learn that lesson.
Here are some numbers that might work to call and complain: 1-800-318-9270 and 425-378-4000 and the one that el barto posted in a couple posts above this one. Lets not let them roll over us, but make them fix it, or take them down for it in any way we can (switching service, bad reviews, repeated complaints, refused payment of the 1.50, whatever works until they correct it.)
I canceled my account with them today because this is ludacris. When I called to cancel which I should have been able to do with no fees because of their t&c
“5. Our Rights to Make Changes. Your Service is subject to our business policies, practices, and procedures, which we can change without notice. UNLESS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY LAW, WE CAN CHANGE PRICES, CHARGES AND ANY TERMS IN THE AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME. IF WE MATERIALLY MODIFY THESE T&Cs IN A WAY THAT IS MATERIALLY ADVERSE TO YOU, OR IF A CHANGE INCREASES YOUR SET MONTHLY RECURRING CHARGE(S) (the set amount – which does not include overage, features, optional services, taxes and fees – you agreed to pay each month for at least a one-year Term), WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AT LEAST 30 DAYS NOTICE AND YOU MAY TERMINATE YOUR SERVICE WITHOUT AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE (WHICH IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY) BY NOTIFYING US WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE THE NOTICE. IF YOU FAIL TO TERMINATE WITHIN THOSE 30 DAYS, YOU ACCEPT THE CHANGES.”
I was told I couldnt and if I couldnt afford the 1.50 a month perhaps I should drop my texting. I can afford it that is not the point! ugh. So we canceled contacted the FCC and will not be paying the cancellation fees.
Be sure you read their t&c about the paperless billing. For one they can put you pack on a paper bill without notice at anytime and you will be charged that 1.50 and for 2 if their site goes down and you have to pay your bill your are still responsible for having it to them on time and if you dont you will get charged (even though its their fault).
Yeah that doesn’t sound shady. Bye bye T Mobile. Hope that 1.50 was worth it.
Everyone should start a complaint with the FCC. This is ludacris!!
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
I signed up for paperless billing and got a confirmation e-mail that it can take up to two billing cycles to become active…will I get charged the $1.50 during that time?