T-Mobile is getting stingier with device discounts

T-Mobile’s deals are getting worse for people on family plans. The carrier has made changes to its promotions for plans with multiple lines that’ll mean some customers end up paying more for the same devices.

The Mobile Report reports that two significant changes have been made to T-Mobile’s promotional deals. Starting today, any given promo deal can only be applied twice per account, regardless of how many service lines the account has. Many free lines — sometimes offered to customers as part of various promotions — are also now ineligible for device promos.

Previously, device promos could be applied up to four times per account as long as there were at least four lines to take advantage of the deal. So while before, a family of four could potentially have switched to T-Mobile and get four of the same new phone all under a single promo, now only two lines can take advantage. The other two could both use a single secondary promotion, but this is still a downgrade for accounts with multiple lines.

Some free lines are also no longer eligible for device promotions. T-Mobile sometimes offers deals that let subscribers get perks like, for example, a second line of service for free when signing up for a single line. Starting today, those secondary promo lines can’t use device promotions anymore. Existing devices financed under a promotion will continue to be billed at their current rate, but future upgrades will cost full price.

The Mobile Report points out that the paid lines in these buy-one-get-one service line promos are still able to use device promotions, and that a promo-priced device redeemed on the paid line can then be activated on the free one.

All this means that accounts with multiple service lines are likely to end up paying more on T-Mobile. Here’s hoping other carriers don’t follow suit — but with the cost of smartphones set to rise this year, it seems likely good deals will be fewer and further between across the market.