T-Mobile Changes Auto Pay Discounts: What You Need to Know – CNET [CNET]

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No more $5-per-line discount for Apple Pay users.

Imad Khan Senior Reporter

Imad is a senior reporter covering Google and internet culture. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN, Tom’s Guide and Wired, among others. He also hosts FTW with Imad Khan, an esports news podcast in association with Dot Esports.

Expertise Google, Internet Culture

T-Mobile will no longer give discounts for using Apple Pay and Google Pay to pay your bill automatically starting July 25, according to a report from 9to5Mac on Monday. This is on top of T-Mobile ending auto pay discounts for credit cards earlier this year. 

If you’re a T-Mobile customer, this means you’ll now have to link your bank account directly to T-Mobile to receive the $5 discount per line. Debit cards will also still be eligible for the discount. You can still use Apple Pay, Google Pay or a credit card to pay your phone bill, but you won’t get a discount. 

T-Mobile and Apple didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Read more: Best Cheap Phone Plans for June 2023: Alternatives to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon

Auto pay discounts encourage people to set up direct billing. But limiting auto pay to those who link their bank accounts directly to their carrier account raises some security concerns given the numerous security breaches T-Mobile has suffered in the past few years.

Earlier this year, a data breach affecting 37 million accounts hit T-Mobile. This was on top of a massive data breach in 2021 that affected 53 million people.

T-Mobile isn’t the only carrier that’s limiting auto pay discounts. Verizon also limited its discount to debit cards or its own Visa card.

If you’re looking for a new phone plan, check out CNET’s advice on the best phone plans of 2023, what to know before switching carriers and the best phone to buy this year.

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