I still remember when T-Mobile was the “Un-carrier.” You remember that? Legere wearing the pink shirts, shouting about how they were different from AT&T and Verizon. The promise was simple: taxes included, free Netflix, and crucially, the idea that your price was your price. Forever.
Fast forward to today, and things feel… different.
If you are holding onto an older plan maybe a Magenta MAX, a regular Magenta, or (gold star for you) an ancient Simple Choice plan you are probably looking at the new “Go5G” lineup with a mix of confusion and suspicion.
The term “grandfathering” gets thrown around a lot in the wireless world. It’s supposed to mean you are safe. It’s supposed to mean that as long as you pay your bill, nobody touches your rate. But with the introduction of T-Mobile Go5G grandfathering policies and recent price hikes, that safety net feels a little full of holes right now.
Let’s break down what is actually happening, without the corporate PR spin.
The “Go5G” Era: What Changed?
A while back, T-Mobile rolled out the Go5G plans (Go5G, Go5G Plus, Go5G Next). Basically, these are the new golden children of the lineup. They come with more hotspot data and, most importantly, better trade-in deals.
Here is the strategy: T-Mobile wants everyone on these plans. Why? Because they cost more.
To get you to move, they use a carrot and a stick.
The carrot is the phone deals. If you want a “free” iPhone 16 or Samsung Galaxy S24, you almost have to be on a Go5G Plus or Next plan.
The stick is that your old plan—the one you love—is slowly becoming second-class.
Is My Old Plan Actually Grandfathered?
Yes… and no.
Technically, T-Mobile has honored the concept of grandfathering. They haven’t (yet) sent out a mass email saying, “Hey, your Magenta plan is deleted, you are now on Go5G.” If you do nothing, you stay on your current plan structure.
However, “grandfathered” doesn’t mean “frozen in time” anymore.
Earlier this year, we saw something that shook a lot of loyal customers. T-Mobile raised prices on older, grandfathered plans. It was about 2to5 per line depending on your account. It wasn’t a forced migration to Go5G, but it was a clear signal: We can still touch your bill.
I have a friend who is still on a T-Mobile One plan from years ago. He got the notification about the price hike and called me in a panic. “I thought I had a Price Lock!” he said.
The sad reality is that the fine print on “Price Lock” has changed over the years. For many older accounts, the guarantee was that they wouldn’t raise the price unless they paid your final month’s bill if you decided to leave because of the hike. It’s a loophole big enough to drive a truck through.
The “Forced Migration” Scare
You might remember a minor scandal a while back where leaks suggested T-Mobile was going to automatically migrate people from older plans to newer, more expensive ones unless they opted out.
The internet exploded. People were furious.
T-Mobile backtracked pretty hard on that, clarifying it was a “test” or “limited” event. But the damage was done. It put the fear of God into everyone holding a cheap plan.
Since then, the T-Mobile Go5G grandfathering approach has been more subtle. They aren’t forcing you to switch; they are just making it very unappealing to stay if you like buying new phones.
The Trade-In Trap
This is where they get you.
Let’s say you have a Magenta MAX plan. When you bought it, it was the top-tier, premium option. You were promised the best deals.
Today? Magenta MAX is treated like a mid-tier plan.
If you walk into a T-Mobile store today to trade in your iPhone 13, the rep will run the numbers.
- On Go5G Plus: They might offer you 830or1,000 for your trade-in.
- On Magenta MAX: That offer might drop to 300or400.
The math forces your hand. You think, “Well, if I switch to Go5G, my bill goes up 15amonth,butIsave600 on the phone.”
It’s a math problem designed to make you give up your grandfathered status. And once you switch, you can never go back. That old plan is gone forever.
If you want to crunch the numbers on whether the switch is worth it, checking the official plan comparison page gives you the current rates, though it often hides the specifics of retired plans deep in the FAQs.
Should You Hold the Line?
So, should you cling to your grandfathered plan like a life raft?
In my opinion: Yes, probably.
Here is why. The cost of the new plans is significant. Go5G Next (the most expensive one) is pricey. Unless you are upgrading your phone every single year, you are likely overpaying.
If you are the type of person who keeps a phone for 3 or 4 years, stay on your old plan. Swallow the small price hike if you got hit with one, buy your phones used or directly from Apple/Samsung, and ignore the T-Mobile promotions.
The “free phone” isn’t free if it raises your monthly overhead by $20 for the rest of your life.
For a deeper dive into the specifics of the price hikes that hit legacy plans recently, The Verge covered the fallout extensively, noting how it affected long-time loyalists.
FAQs
Q: Can T-Mobile force me to switch to Go5G?
A: Currently, no. They are not forcing mass migrations. However, they can raise the price of your current plan, as we’ve seen recently.
Q: If I switch to Go5G for a phone deal, can I switch back later?
A: No. Once you leave a retired plan (like Simple Choice, One, or Magenta), it is gone. You cannot revert to a grandfathered plan.
Q: Does Go5G include Netflix like my old plan?
A: Mostly, yes. Go5G plans include streaming benefits (Netflix and Apple TV+), but the specific tier (ads vs. no ads) changes often, so read the fine print.
Q: Is “Price Lock” real?
A: It depends on when you signed up. The newest “Price Lock” guarantee basically says if they raise your price, they will cover your final bill if you cancel. It’s not a guarantee that the price won’t rise.
The Bottom Line
The era of T-Mobile Go5G grandfathering is a bit of a cold war. The carrier wants you to move on your own free will so they can increase their average revenue per user (ARPU). You, the customer, want to keep your cheap rate.
My advice? Don’t let FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) dictate your cell phone bill.
Those new plans are shiny. They have lots of hotspot data you probably won’t use and upgrade perks that keep you on a hamster wheel of device payments. If your old plan works, the service is good, and the price is right—even with a small hike—hold onto it with both hands. Because once you let go, it’s not coming back.