T-Mobile’s sneaky price hike hits in April
T-Mobile is digging deeper into customers’ pockets, raising its Regulatory & Telco Recovery Fee starting April 23, 2025. Voice lines will jump $0.50, and data-only lines will increase by $0.20 per month, impacting both current and legacy subscribers.
2025 hasn’t been kind to the “Un-carrier,” already facing accusations of shady sales tactics and a hostile workplace. Despite often touting its resistance to price hikes, T-Mobile increased prices for some legacy users last month. Now, another increase is on deck.
Reports from Reddit users indicate that T-Mobile has started notifying customers via text and updating support pages regarding the “Regulatory Programs & Telco Recovery Fee” increase, effective April 23, 2025. This adjustment raises the voice line fee from $3.49 to $3.99 and the data-only line fee from $1.40 to $1.60.
While disappointing according to Reddit feedback, this action isn’t entirely out of left field, as similar fee hikes become more commonplace among carriers.
T-Mobile‘s last fee adjustment occurred in 2022, increasing from $3.18 to $3.49 for voice lines (a $0.31 increase) and from $1.16 to $1.40 for data-only lines (a $0.24 increase).
The carrier hasn’t formally detailed the reasons behind the latest increase, maintaining that the fee isn’t a government tax but serves to “recover certain costs” related to operational expenses and regulatory compliance.
The increase positions T-Mobile among the priciest in terms of recovery fees. AT&T’s “Administrative & Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee” stands at $3.49 per line monthly, while Verizon charges $3.50 for the same on voice lines.