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T-Mobile's chat option was disabled for a little while, but not for the reasons you think

By Anam Hamid

Updated: May 29, 2024, 10:51 AM

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T-Mobile's chat option was disabled for a little while, but not for the reasons you think

Update: T-Mobile has informed us that its Care virtual chat support channel has been running as normal and was not turned off at any point.

It looks like the reason why it appeared to many customers that the chat feature was disabled is that the virtual sales channel that deals with new customers was off for a short period last week. The company notes that it's now back on as normal and the volume of requests had nothing to do with it being turned off.

The original story continues below.

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T-Mobile announced last week that prices for some legacy plans were going up, breaking its promise of never raising rates. Since this commitment was one of the main reasons why many subscribers were with the carrier in the first place, they are understandably fuming with anger at the broken commitment and are even considering switching to another carrier.

T-Mobile was allegedly expecting a backlash. The company took several measures to ensure angry customers don't overwhelm frontline workers and support staff. For instance, the company tried to justify the price increase, which is $2 or $5 depending on your plan for each line, by saying only a small number of its customers would be affected.

The company also increased staffing levels at physical locations and asked managers to be present for the full duration of their shifts.

The carrier even staggered the sending of messages notifying subscribers about the price change throughout the day so that the number of people visiting its stores to inquire about the change or contacting it via phone calls would be manageable.

Another step has now been taken to relieve workers of having to deal with frustrated customers: the online chat option has been removed. As Reddit user indyodie notes, the website no longer has the chat option and if you use the app, you will be given a call instead.

HAHAHAHHAHA T-Mobile created a shit storm that it wasn't ready for. They removed the chat feature from the website and when you try to chat via the app they give you a call. I was told by a supervisor that they can't keep up with demand and had to remove all chat capabilities.

indyodie also says that a T-Mobile supervisor told them that the chat capabilities were removed because the company couldn't keep up with chat requests, which have presumably risen in the last few days.

Whether this will work to deflate the anger of customers or disappoint them even more remains to be seen, but this is another example of how T-Mobile is not handling the situation well.

Already, there's a lot of confusion over which plans have gone up in price, with T-Mobile dealing the matter on a case-to-case basis.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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T-Mobile's chat option was disabled for a little while, but not for the reasons you think

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