T-Mobile closes all stores inside shopping malls

Earlier today, we told you that Verizon has temporarily closed most of its company-owned stores. Reps will be working out of their homes to connect to customers via chats or through phone calls. Some authorized Verizon resellers will remain open for business. And now, T-Mobile has decided to close all T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile stores located inside shopping malls. This took effect starting today and the carrier has not given a date when it expects to reopen these stores.

T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile employees whose jobs allow them to work from home will do so. The remaining employees will get paid by T-Mobile at least through the end of the month. CEO John Legere said in an open letter that employees will have flexible work schedules and paid time off; the executive says that the carrier is taking "steps to maintain income for our hourly employees." T-Mobile has also joined Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint in agreeing to The Keep Americans Connected Pledge. Under this pledge, until May 13th customers won't lose access to their account if they are late paying their monthly bill. At the same time, there will be no late charges, no data caps and Wi-Fi hotspots will be available to all. Just so you understand, any T-Mobile customer with a data plan will have unlimited data for the next 60 days.

Legere also wants T-Mobile subscribers to know that the carrier is working to rid its stores of coronavirus. The executive stated "We know it’s important for you to feel comfortable in our stores to get the help you need, so we have increased the frequency of cleaning and sanitization efforts in our stores. We are also managing our staffing levels and store availability to provide help to consumers while actively supporting social distancing goals. We are there to meet your needs throughout this crisis. If you would rather work with us remotely, we have some great options for you. Businesses and consumers can talk with your Team of Experts by dialing 611. And you can also connect with us through Facebook and Twitter @TMobileHelp. If you shop with us online, we are offering free two-day shipping on devices for 60 days as a courtesy. These are just some examples of steps we’re taking to do our part to help you, our customers, get through this difficult time."

Legere's amazing run with T-Mobile comes to an end May 1st when President and COO Mike Sievert takes over as CEO. And that means things will not have returned to normal when the carrier makes the transition to a new leader.