T-Mobile is the latest carrier to change how it gives out auto pay discounts: Starting Tuesday, customers are required to pay their bills using either a linked bank account or a debit card in order to receive a $5 per line discount on their service.
However if you already set up auto pay with a credit card, not complying with this policy change is effectively a price hike. And as a result, if you were paying for your phone bill using a credit card, you’ll now have to evaluate if the $5 per line cost is worth the convenience and perks that come with paying for your phone bill using that method. That’s not even including the need to use a debit card or give T-Mobile, which has a poor track record of data security, a bank account number.
For myself, I rely on having cell phone insurance provided by a World Elite Mastercard that I pay my family’s cell phone bill with. While I haven’t yet had to file a claim with it, the perk allowed me to skip paying for AppleCare or my carrier’s phone insurance entirely. The benefit lets customers get reimbursed for cellphone repairs, up to $1,000 per year ($800 per claim, with a max of two claims per year).
I’ve been hoping to at least use the options when replacing my iPhone 12 Pro Max’s battery (an $89 cost), and it would be especially clutch if my phone ever required a major repair like a charging port failure (as expensive as $599).
I manage three lines on my T-Mobile account, and as a result, continuing to pay with my credit card will lead to a $15 monthly increase on my rate. So I began crunching the numbers in order to figure out whether it would be worthwhile to absorb the price increase to keep the credit card benefit, to forgo the benefit entirely or to consider a third-party phone insurance option.