In 2022, T-Mobile stripped customers of the ability to change SIM cards on their own. The company said it was a temporary measure to beef up security but it took a lot longer than expected to re-enable the feature.
T-Mobile disabled self-service SIM swaps to prevent SIM hijacking or SIM swap attacks. These unauthorized SIM changes occur when a criminal transfers your number to a SIM card they own by using unlawful tactics, such as bribing employees. Since phone numbers are often associated with bank accounts and social media profiles, SIM swap attacks allow criminals to drain the victim's accounts by accessing two-factor authentication (2FA) verification codes and trick their friends and family into giving them money.
T-Mobile wanted to implement extra security features before allowing customers to swap their own SIMs or change the SIM attached to their number. And even as we saw the company put morechecks in place, there was no sign of self-service SIM swaps returning until today.
This was irritating, as after the deactivation of online and in-app SIM swaps, customers were required to contact customer service representatives or visit a store to do a SIM swap or activate eSIM. All this while, AT&T and Verizon customers were able to do SIM swaps, so it's not clear what took T-Mobile so long. The company probably didn't want to risk another costly arbitration award.
T-Mobile wants you to use the T-Life app for everything instead of visiting its stores.
The Mobile Report has learned that T-Life will get a SIM swap feature on April 24 as part of a "T-Life Enhancements" update.
Other than this, the update will also bring a new "Store Mode," presumably for in-store transactions. The app is also likely to get a new "rate plan upselling and upgrade flow."
While it's welcome news that T-Mobile customers will no longer have to rely on company employees for SIM swaps, the upcoming update is another sign that the company doesn't want you to visit its stores. SIM swap was one of the few remaining reasons to visit its stores as the company has been essentially discouraging customers from going to retail locations for much else.
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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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