T-Mobile to charge $35 activation fee on nearly all transactions

T-Mobile is one of the few US carriers that offers customers the possibility to avoid the so-called “Assisted Support Charge” if they register online. Unfortunately, this will no longer be possible since the Un-carrier is preparing its staff for a new support policy that requires customers to pay a unified “Device Connection Charge” fee.

According to internal documents leaked by TMO.Report, T-Mobile’s new Device Connection Charge (DCC) is a one-time $35 (plus applicable taxes) charge for connecting a new device to the network when activating or upgrading with T-Mobile. This could previously be prevented in many cases by simply placing your order online.

The new charge applies to each device activated or upgraded. More importantly, orders with multiple devices are charged for each device. There’s a long list of transactions that require T-Mobile customers to pay the $35 fee. Fortunately, there are exceptions that would save customers $35. Here are all the scenarios where you won’t be charged for DCC:

Automatic exceptions

• National retail orders (Apple, Best Buy, Costco, etc.)
• DIGITS Talk & Text and PROXY by DIGITS activations
• JUMP! And JUMP! On Demand upgrades
• T-Mobile for Business customers activation or upgrading through Direct & Indirect Sales or Care
• Accounts activated through the Activations channel or Puerto Rico Care because they use Samson, which doesn’t support DCC
• New lines that were charged for DCC within the past 14 days
• Migration from Sprint to T-Mobile
• Prepaid activations and upgrades
• Changing a SIM or eSIM on an existing line

Manual exceptions

• When completing an order for a replacement device and the customer already paid DCC on the first order
• When completing a like for like replacement device order in DASH due to a T-Mobile error (damaged, defective, order never received, what’s in the box accessory missing)

The leaked documents suggest T-Mobile might enforce the new $35 charge starting November 15, just in time for the big Black Friday sale. On the other hand, Home Internet and other lines will charge the existing Assisted Support Charge fee beginning November 3, which will be switched to DCC on November 15.