AT&T and T-Mobile join Verizon in new autopay discount requirements

You’ve got to hand it to the carriers: If there’s a way to get a few extra dollars from their customers, they’ll find it. As reported The Wall Street Journal, The latest maneuver requires customers — existing and new — to switch to a debit card or bank account debit in order to get the autopay discount on their plan. Verizon has included this requirement in plans for years, but in the past few months, AT&T and T-Mobile have quietly followed suit to reduce the amount they pay for credit card processing.

The new rule Takes effect for AT&T customers On October 2nd, as a goodwill gesture, the company will do just that decrease Your discount if you continue to pay by credit card. Those who sign up for automatic payment with a bank or debit card will receive a $10 discount; You will get a credit card for just $5. Change T-Mobile It came into effect in July, and also remove Apple Pay and Google Pay as eligible methods for the $5 discount. Oh, and technically, you can qualify for Verizon’s autopay discount with a credit card — it should be Verizon Visa card.

Not only are AT&T and T-Mobile making this a requirement for new customers, but the change is being applied to all postpaid accounts. Even if you’ve been receiving the rebate for years with a credit card, you’ll have to make the switch in order to keep your rebate. And that adds up – discounts apply to every line in your plan, so if your whole family is on the same plan, that’s a lot of money.

As far as nefarious tanker maneuvers go, this one is at least somewhat understandable. Credit card companies charge high processing fees, and these rates are rising. but Even with the new rules in place, carriers continue to advertise their plan prices with Automatic payment discount in mind. As always, you have to read the fine print to find out what they’re really up to.