Starting April 23, 2025, T-Mobile will increase its Regulatory & Telco Recovery Fee, impacting both voice and data-only lines. Voice lines will see a $0.50 increase per month, bringing the fee from $3.49 to $3.99, while data-only lines will rise by $0.20, going from $1.40 to $1.60. This increase applies to both current customers and legacy users, marking one of the highest fees in the market. The start of 2025 has not been smooth for T-Mobile, which has recently faced allegations of questionable sales practices and a challenging workplace environment.
Despite its reputation as the “Un-carrier” that avoids price hikes, T-Mobile has previously raised prices for some legacy users and is now initiating another increase. Customers have begun reporting on platforms like Reddit that they received notifications via text about the fee hike. T-Mobile’s official support pages have also been updated to reflect this change. While disappointing for many, these fee increases have become a trend among service providers.
Although the increase itself may not seem substantial, it accumulates quickly. Last year, Verizon raised its “Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge” by $0.20 per line. T-Mobile, whose last fee hike occurred in 2022, is now echoing this trend. While T-Mobile has not provided a clear rationale for the latest increase, it states that the fee is not a government-imposed tax.
Instead, it is intended to help recover specific costs the company has incurred, including operational expenses and regulatory compliance. This latest modify positions T-Mobile among the more expensive carriers in terms of recovery fees. For context, AT&T charges a $3.49 per-line monthly fee, while Verizon’s fee is slightly higher at $3.50 for voice lines.
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