PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT

Page ID: 07685

Latest page updates

January 24, 2024: Updated Failed payment arrangements. Never share "Next Steps" with customers, as they may change. Advise customers that services may be interrupted or suspended at anytime after a payment arrangement fails.

January 22, 2024: In Specific scenarios > "Customer requests to remove a PA on web/app and still has a past due balance," added clarification about balance impacting adjustments.

January 19, 2024: Updated the special situation for "PA is missed, but not yet failed (Normally within 1 day after the PA is due)."

Use this page to support Payment Arrangements (PA) and Proof of Payments (POP) requests. PAs are necessary to help some customers get back on track.

On this page:

Guidelines Self-Service Care assisted setup Eligibility PA options Set up payment arrangement Required disclosures Notifications Failed payment arrangements Delete or reset a PA Specific scenarios

Guidelines

-Always give Self-Service options to help customers manage PAs on their own.
-Suspended accounts: The payment arrangement will restore the account, but it may take up to 2 hours to be fully restored. Customers may need to turn their device off and back on again, and it may receive an over-the-air message.
-Direct T-Mobile Retail stores can set up PAs for customers.
-Retail stores may ask to set up a PA for a customer over the phone. 												However, you must only discuss PA options with the BRP or AU on the account.
-Past due customers must agree to set up the arrangement for at least the past due balance and applicable fees.
-A PA and an HPP cannot be created for the same balance on the same day. Customers who have an active HPP and become past due the next month may set up a PA.
-When customers make a payment for the entire PA amount before the scheduled PA date, the arrangement will close in real-time and any remaining FDPs on the PA will be canceled.

If the customer requires Care assisted setup: -Never use Samson for a PA when Atlas and Special Instructions states customer is on negative file. This results in a failed Payment Arrangement. -Never provide information about any grace periods when a PA fails. -Never use Grand Central or the SIVR to set up a PA to avoid the payment support fee. -Never open a cancelled BAN to set up a PA. -Never place temporary adjustments to make a customer eligible for a PA. -Never place a collection hold when a customer is not eligible for a PA. -Never manually suspend a customer’s account if they cannot make a payment or set up a PA. -Automatic collection treatment including suspension occurs according to their assigned collection path. -Don't adjust the $10 payment support fee that is included in the PA, unless for an approved scenario. -Don't use the Restore without payment or CR (Customer Request) restore option before setting up a PA, unless an approved scenario. The system automatically restores the account if eligible. See Connect, collect, protect for details.

Never contact a customer by any method, including calls, text, or email. -Do not schedule follow-ups to contact customers to collect on their past due accounts, even if the customer plans to make a payment later. If customers say they can make a payment later, offer a payment arrangement and give self-help options to make their payment online at their convenience. -Do not send a message from Grand Central to have the customer pay sooner. -Collections is a heavily regulated area, and T-Mobile has designed specific protocols for outward communications to customers with past due accounts. Proactively contacting customers to take payments or set up payment arrangements is against T-Mobile policy.

Only set up a payment arrangement with a certified bank.

-Never intentionally take a payment or setup a payment arrangement with fake or incomplete bank account details.
-Never set up payments if it is known the funds will not be available at the time that payment is scheduled to draft from the customer’s bank, credit card, or debit card.

Self-Service

-Always direct customers to self-serve on My T-Mobile or the T-Mobile app.

-Walk the customer through the steps with Payment Arrangements: Self-Service.
-Say something like: "Sure I can help with that, put me on speakerphone and open the T-Mobile app. I'm about to save you $10 bucks and a whole lotta time!" instead of "No problem, would you like me to show you how to do it on your own?" This helps the customer avoid the $10 payment support fee. Make sure the customer is not driving when you walk them through the self-service.
-Customers who no longer have a past due balance with an open payment arrangement are eligible to delete it on the web or app.

-T-Mobile ID problems: -If customers do not have a T-Mobile ID, help them to Set up T-Mobile ID: Self-Service. If customers having login issues, use Troubleshooting T-Mobile ID: Self-Service. -Do not log into Grand Central to secure the PA for the customer. -Magenta Complete customers may notice that their self-service capabilities are different in the T-Mobile billing system.

Suspended customers: -Suspended customers can self-serve from their devices using the web or app. Service restrictions allow access to both the app and the website. -Restoral fees are included in the total balance before making a payment or setting up a payment arrangement. -On the Pay your bill screen, customers can tap View details to review full balance information. -From the Home page > Make a payment, tap View details next to the past due balance to see the balance breakdown. Tap the plus sign (+) to expand the breakdown list. -Suspended customers are advised of the number of lines suspended when setting up a payment arrangement. Restoral fees are not explicitly called out in this section.

Eligible

Account status: Active, Delinquent, and Suspended (for account types below)

Account type:

Business/Government Individual Lifeline Business with SSN Special (Contractor, Dealer, Employee)

Not Eligible

Account status: Canceled (for all account types)

Account situations:

Prepaid Legacy accounts NCC accounts Deposit payments Down payment requirement for HPP A PA and an HPP cannot be created for the same balance/same day.

-Check the number of days past due in Samson (on the Collection Information screen) or Atlas (on the Payment arrangement landing page). -Active accounts in First Payment Default (FPD) on their T-Mobile bill, if the deposit has been paid, or collection path is NYP, are only eligible for a POP. Customers must pay the past due balance that is in the 31-60, 61-90, and 91+ buckets to be eligible for a payment arrangement.

-Check the invoice screen for a returned payment. -Customers with a returned payment do qualify for a PA, but they must pay any charges over 30 days past due with an approved method. -If there is also a separate DCK fee invoice that is causing the account to be over 30 days past due, you must collect this amount in addition to debt in the right buckets

PA options

Active accounts

Type of arrangement Days Past due Criteria Proof of Payment (POP) 0-15 No FDP required Max # of Installments: 1 Payment due: Within 10 days Total length: 10 days

											16-30						FDP required
																			Max # of Installments: 1
																			Payment due: Within 10 days
																			Total length: 10 days

First Payment Default (FPD) 1-30 FDP required: Yes Max # of Installments: 1 Payment due: Within 10 days Total length: 10 days

											31+							Not eligible for an 						arrangement.Customers must pay the past due bal																																																													ance in the 31-60, 61-90, and 91+ buckets 

to be eligible for a payment arrangement.

Recurring Payment Arrangement (PA) 0-15 No FDP required Max # of installments: 2 Minimum first installment due: 20% of arrangement total First payment due: 14 days Payment intervals: Up to 14 days Total length: 28 days

												16-30					FDP required
																			Max # of installments: 2
																			Minimum first installment 																due: 20% of arrangement total
																			First payment due: 14 days
																			Payment intervals: Up to 14 days
																			Total length: 28 days
						
												31+						Not eligible for an arrangement.
																			Customers must pay the past due balance in the 31-60, 61-90, and 91+ buckets to be eligible for a payment arrangement.

Suspended accounts

Type of arrangement Criteria

Proof of Payment (POP) Days past due: 0-30 FDP required: Yes Max # of Installments: 1 Payment due: Within 10 days Status once set: Active Total length: 10 days

First Payment Default Not eligible

Recurring Payment Arrangement (PA) Days past due: 0-30 FDP required: Yes Max # of Installments: 2 Minimum first installment amount: 20% of arrangement total 1st payment due: Within 7 days Payment Intervals: Up to 14 days Status once set: Active Total length: 21 days

Set up payment arrangement

1 Follow Connect, collect, protect to collect the largest amount in the shortest time. -Ask when the customer can pay and by what method. -When taking a same day payment, refresh the account, then set up the PA in Atlas or Samson. 2 Complete a visual audit to confirm that the PA will not be past the new bill's due date. -If the arrangement extends past the next bill's due date, the full balance must be included. Any added charges or fees that have been incurred at the time of setting up the arrangement will be included in the payment arrangement when you select the PA option. Any new fees such as late fees will be added to your next month’s bill. 3 Always try to secure a Future Dated Payment (FDP), even if it's not required for the arrangement type. -Review the account and payment information provided, if the FDP has been rejected more than 2 times, ask your customer for an updated card or checking account information. -For example, if the customer secures the PA with an FDP, we present the payment to the bank for processing 1 time. If the payment is rejected, we do not make a second attempt and the PA will show a FDP status of rejected. If eligible, a new PA with an FDP may be set up. If the second FDP is rejected, ask the customer for an alternative payment method when securing the PA for the 3rd time. 4 Set up a POP if they can make a payment for the full past due balance, restore fees, and taxes, within 10 days. -If they are mailing a payment for an active account, enter the expected payment date 10 days from the mailed date. -If they made a payment through other payment services, enter expected payment date 10 days from the date of payment. 5 Set up a PA if the customer needs more than 10 days to pay the full past-due balance and restore fees. 6 Read all the Required disclosures below to your customer.

Required disclosures

You must tell the customer the following:

-Legal Terms & Conditions for all payment arrangements:

"You are authorizing T-Mobile to charge your [bank account/credit/debit] for [$XX.XX] to be paid on [XX/XX/XX]. A 1-time payment support fee of $10.00 will be charged for personally helping you with this transaction. If you are using AutoPay, by setting up this payment arrangement your $5.00 per line bill credit will be lost until AutoPay is reactivated again and you will lose Kickback eligibility, if applicable, when setting up a payment arrangement past the bill's due date. Once I save the arrangement it can't be changed or deleted. Do you accept these terms and authorize this payment?"

-Customers setting up a PA with an FDP: -Advise customers to not make early payments, with an alternate method, or for any other amount than exactly [$XX.XX]. The system may not recognize smaller or different amounts as fulfilling your arrangement, which can cause duplicate payments, overpayments, added fees being incurred, and possible suspension of service. -"You must pay each installment on the specified due date to avoid the payment arrangement failing and possible suspension of service. The entire payment arrangement will fail if the first installment is not paid by the bill's due date." -"If you make an early payment on an arrangement set up with an FDP, it must be made, 1.) for the entire amount of the arrangement, and 2.) before 24 hours of the scheduled payment date. If not, the full amount of the previously-agreed upon FDP will be drafted. See Scheduled & Future Dated Payments."

-If applicable:

-A $20 restore fee per line with a cap of 3 lines, payment support fee, and taxes will be included in the installment(s) if your account is suspended (including ladex) for non-payment. 
-You may be charged a late fee for any past due balance not paid by due date.
-You must pay all new bills that become due during the arrangement by the due date in order to prevent the payment arrangement from failing and possible suspension of service.

Notifications

Customers receive these notifications about their PA:

-A receipt notification sends by email or text with fees included in the arrangement that links to MyT-Mobile.com. There they can view or print a copy of the arrangement details. -A text message is sent to the primary subscriber on the account when a PA is set up with an FDP. -A reminder message is sent the day before the PA is due. -Another reminder message is sent on the day the PA is due. -For more SMS alerts, see the payment arrangement notification SMS list below under attachments.

If the caller received a payment arrangement confirmation email that was not for their account or they doesn't have T-Mobile service:

1 Engage your Team Manager to file an escalation. 2 Tell your customer the email address will be removed within 3 business days.

Failed payment arrangements

When a PA fails, any added fees become part of the past due balance. New restore fees, payment support fee, and taxes will apply when the customer restores their account and set up a new PA, if their account is suspended again.

-Arrangements fail for the following reasons: -Payment didn't post on the expected payment date. -Customer didn't pay a new bill by the due date which caused the account to be past due even after the arrangement is completed. -The arrangement was deleted using the CLPA (Cancel Payment Arrangement) reason code. -The customer did not replace a returned payment and restore fees within 48 hours of the first installment

-Explain the consequences of a failed arrangement: -Services may be interrupted, or fully suspended depending on account status. -A $20 restore fee per line with a cap of 3 lines, plus taxes, apply to the past due balance on the account.

-A failed arrangement shows "Failed" on the Payment arrangement: Atlas history screen. -If an account has a failed recurring arrangement in the previous 4 months, it will have the "Failed PA" indicator flag on the payment arrangement screen. -Restoration fees are valid if the PA fails. -Accounts may display an error when an arrangement is failed, and an attempt is made to set up a new one. -This error occurs when the new arrangement is tried on the same day as the failure. A failure is noted in the account after 10:05 P.M PT, causing it to list the date as the next day. -Tell customers they can use self-service to set up a new arrangement tomorrow.

-When an arrangement fails:

-The account continues to the next account-impacting collection step.
-Never share the "Next Steps" in Alas or Samson with the customer. They may change.
-Accounts that were not in a collection path at the time of arrangement setup do not suspend. Instead, they enter collections and continue through the various steps, as applicable.
-Accounts that are no longer past due when an arrangement fails do not continue down a collections path.
-Advise the customer that their services may be interrupted or suspended anytime after the arrangement fails. There is no waiting period.

Delete or reset a PA

-Do not proactively offer to remove a payment arrangement.
-Only delete or reset payment arrangements for one of the approved scenarios below. Work with your leadership to correct the issue.
-Only permissioned users can delete arrangements..

Approved Scenarios Description

1 Within 24 hours of initial PA set up

-Customer made an error and calls within 24 hours to explain that the PA was set for the wrong date.
-Customer states that T-Mobile made an error... If the memos support the customer's complaint that T-Mobile made an error, and it is within 24 hours of the original arrangement or longer.
-Customers calling to correct a PA error when the BAN was suspended, should NOT be given a full 14 days for the first installment once deleted.

Timing of the PA (only 7 days for the first installment) is not an error and customers should not be provided with more time per PA set up policy when previously suspended.

2 Account is no longer past due delinquent

-If the customer's account is current with no past due balance and has an active PA, work with your leadership to delete PA prior to making account changes.

3 Balance impacting adjustment

-Customer was issued a balance impacting adjustment after the PA was set up, the balance owed is now less than the amount of the PA and needs to have it corrected.

-Balance impacting adjustments:

-Must be applied after the initial PA was set up.
-Must be for at least 50% of the past due balance that was secured in the original payment arrangement amount.
-Must be applied the same day as the PA deletion.
-Leadership can delete the existing PA and set up a new one for the correct balance amount.

-The PA dates must remain the same.
-If an adjustment isn't balance impacting do not delete a PA.

4 Other scenarios are not approved**

-Do not delete or reset PAs for any other scenarios that are not listed above.
-If the customer is upset that we cannot change their PA and you cannot de-escalate the call:
	*Engage your leadership.
	*Coaches or above: Follow Payment arrangement escalations.

Specific scenarios

-Customer requests to remove a PA on T-Mobile app or My T-Mobile and still has a past due balance

Advise customers:

-After recent T-Mobile.com enhancements, we no longer support deleting a PA when the account has a past due balance.
-For a balance impacting adjustment, the adjustment must be for at least 50% of the past due balance to reset the PA. See: Delete or reset a PA
-Failure to complete the existing payment arrangement may result in suspension of services and additional fees.
-If the customer pays the past due balance, the PA may be deleted.
1 The customer can pay on My T-Mobile or the T-Mobile app, or you can accept the payment for the past due balance.
2 After payment is received, the customer can remove the PA.

-Customer requests to remove the FDP on a PA that was set up to restore the services

-If the customer requests to remove an existing FDP on a PA that set up to restore services:

-Tell the customer that removal of the FDP will cause the services to be re-suspended.
-Offer to edit the payment method if the customer indicates that they want to keep the existing PA but update the FDP information. 
-If the customer is unwilling or unable to provide a new payment method to secure the PA, advise the customer that the payment arrangement may remain in place, however services will only be restored once the full past due balance is paid.

-Customers who remove the required FDP in self-serve are alerted of possible suspension of service PRIOR to removal.

-If the customer calls in requesting to restore service, tell them that the FDP must be added back to the payment arrangement, or the full past due balance must be paid in order to restore the services.
-Restoral fees can only be waived if the customer calls in same day to add the FDP back to the arrangement.

-PA not secured with a FDP and customer makes multiple payments for each installment

The customer must make payments for a sufficient amount to cover what is owed in each installment so the PA will not fail.

-Payments may be made using any acceptable payment method.
-If the customer does not make a payment for a sufficient amount to cover the first or second installment, the PA will fail.

Example: They set up a PA in 2 installments and the first installment is for $150.00. The customer may make a payment for $50.00 and $100.00 prior to the installment due date. The installment is considered successful.

Customers who recently migrated from Sprint biller

Atlas and Samson do not allow 2-installment payment arrangements for customers who have recently migrated to the T-Mobile biller.

-These customers need to use the T-Mobile app or My T-Mobile.com to set up 2-installment PAs.
-After the customer's first bill payment is made, you can set up 2-installment PAs using your normal tools.

-Customers who recently from Sprint biller with Magenta Complete

Magenta Complete customers who previously had a Payment Arrangement on the Sprint billing system will notice:

-Must pay 31+ past due balance to get a PA. Sprint billing system up to 90 days past due eligible.
-PA set up cancels/unenrolls AutoPay. Sprint billing system Autopay put on hold.

PA is missed, but not yet failed (Normally within 1 day after the PA is due)

If the customer calls within the first 48 hours of the PA showing missed:

	-If the customer missed the first installment, tell the customer:
		-If you replace the payment for the missed first installment, the arrangement will remain in place.
		If not, the entire arrangement will fail.
		For the second installment, we will not draft from the original saved payment method, and you must make the payment on their own.

-If the customer missed the second installment, tell the customer: -If you replace the payment for the missed second installment, the arrangement will close successfully -Do not tell the customer they have a 48-hour graced period before the arrangement fails. -On the third day, the PA is considered failed. Restoration fees are applied to the account if the PA fails and is suspended. -On the fourth day, a new PA can be set up, if eligible. The customer cannot set up a new arrangement until the current arrangement shows "Failed." -A missed/failed payment arrangement moves the account back into delinquent status and is no longer considered secured. If speaking to the customer, attempt to collect the past due balance. -If the payment arrangement was secured with an FDP, the FDP status will show as rejected the day after the expected draft date. (See Scheduled & Future Dated Payments.) Advise the customer that we will not re-submit the payment for processing and the payment will need to be replaced prior to the PA failing to prevent possible suspension.

Adjustments/pending adjustments

Adjustments don't change the PA balance or FDP amount. The adjustment reflects on the actual account balance. Review Delete or reset a PA for more information. If the customer has a PA and the past-due balance is from a pending credit that will affect the balance in next billing cycle, place a collection hold on the account. The customer must pay for any charges before placing the collection hold.

Past due account disputing charges

Review the bill with your customer to determine the next steps to resolve their billing dispute.

Past-due account with Equipment Installment Plan (EIP) accelerated charges

-If T-Mobile error caused acceleration: Engage your Coach. Coaches, review Order disputes & billing issues and Canceled EIP support to help your customer. If your Coach is not in your site, work with your Team Manager.
-If not due to T-Mobile error: Review standard PA requirements to figure out eligibility.

Canceled accounts asking for a PA

Canceled accounts are not eligible for PA. Accounts that have PAs set up before canceling will remain active, as long as they pay the installments by the due date. Accounts canceled for non-payment and then restored will be charged a $20 restore fee per line, plus taxes, with a cap of 3 lines. This is due at the time of payment. When an account is canceled and has a past due balance the account can be sent to write-off at any time. Account suspended after PA was set up

This happens when the system has scheduled the account for suspension and a payment arrangement was set up after 10 p.m. PT the night before suspension. Verify the suspension happened after the PA was set up and not before. Restore service without payment using CR code.