AutoPay

AutoPay automatically processes a payment each month on a set day. The payment removes funds from a customer's chosen payment method (bank account or credit card) and applies the funds to their account.

About AutoPay

  • Customers now have the flexibility to select a predefined AutoPay withdrawal date that works best for them in T-Life or My T-Mobile. Available date options are determined based on the customer’s bill cycle and only available in T-Life or My T-Mobile.
  • Withdrawal dates:
    • AutoPay withdrawal dates are available from the 1st – 28th of each month.
    • The 29th, 30th, and 31st dates are not available withdrawal, because they do not occur in every month.
    • If customers do not select a withdrawal date, AutoPay defaults to 2 days before the bill due date, except if the bill cycle closes on:
      • Closes on the 8th: AutoPay defaults to the 27th.
      • Close date of the 9th: AutoPay defaults to the 28th.
    • You can find the customer’s autopay withdrawal date in Atlas. See Manage & store payment information: Atlas.
    • Customers can change their withdrawal date at any time, including adjusting it as often as neeeded.
  • Example AutoPay timeline: Payment submits for processing 3 days before the billing due date by 9 p.m. PT.
    • Billing due date: 12/20 
    • AutoPay draft date: 12/18
    • Customers can set up Payment Arrangements and pause AutoPay: Before 9 p.m. PT on 12/17
    • Customers can cancel AutoPay: Before 9 p.m. PT on 12/17
  • AutoPay deducts the original amount that was due, unless a credit is applied reducing the amount due prior to AutoPay processing.
  • If a charge is applied, only the original amount due is deducted when AutoPay is processed. The remaining amount will be due in the next billing statement.
  • Customers may receive a $5 Autopay discount as a credit per eligible line. See AutoPay $5 bill credit for eligibility and details.
  • Canceled BANs can log into My T-Mobile to add, update, and manage AutoPay settings.
  • Restrictions & limitations:
    • No Credit Check (NCC) customers are ineligible.
    • Prepaid customers have their own versions of AutoPay & Auto Refill: Prepaid.
    • Credit cards with a foreign billing address cannot be used for AutoPay.
    • AutoPay processing limit is $99,999.00. Any bill balance over that amount is declined by our payment processor. The customer must make one-time payments and split the amounts to pay a higher balance

Additional guidelines

Customers can set up AutoPay using:

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • T-Mobile Visa® Card 
  • Bank accounts (including T-Mobile Money)
    • If AutoPay is set up using a savings account, some banks may not be able to tell the difference between a customer's savings account or their checking account.
    • When a checking account number is identical to a savings account number, then the bank may withdraw from the checking account or decline the transaction as no account/account closed.
    • The customer must contact their bank for additional account numbers to ensure the payment withdraws.
    • Benefits to using Pay by Bank through Self Service:
      • Secure: With Pay by Bank, there is no need to enter their bank account or routing number. The customer authenticates over an encrypted connection with their bank credentials and the bank's multi-factor authentication.
      • Safe: Multi-factor authentication is required, which ensures the safest payment option.
      • Easy: Setup is easy and does not require manually entering bank account information. This also reduces the risk of disruption by card loss, theft, or expiration.
  • Apple Pay: If AutoPay is set up using Apple Pay and the customer upgrades to a new Apple device, they must cancel AutoPay and re-enroll with the new device.

  • Notifications are sent to the PAH or to the primary line if no PAH is indicated.
  • SMS is sent on the day when AutoPay processes with the amount and payment method used.
  • Customers (including business) receive text notifications if their AutoPay payment fails.

When making Autopay changes for a credit card, account memos show that there was a change to the billing method.

  • ReToCC reason code: The customer is changing from the regular billing method to AutoPay.
  • CCToRe reason code: The customer removing AutoPay and resuming regular billing method.
  • Via UUI: Care made the change.
  • Via Null: The customer made change on My T-Mobile or the T-Life app.
  • Via Cash Applications: The change was made in Care or IVR.

  • Credit card or debit card expires: When a customer's AutoPay or saved payment method expires, the customer’s card information may automatically update.
    1. Once T-Mobile receives this information the new card details are systematically updated within Samson systems.
    2. There is no memo that gets applied to the BAN.
    3. Customer must contact their bank if they want to opt out of the automatic update.
  • Set up, change, or cancel AutoPay: For all impacts of changing AutoPay, see Manage AutoPay below.
  • Payment arrangements: AutoPay pauses while the customer has an active payment arrangement
    • When the payment arrangement is completed, AutoPay resumes. 
    • If the PA fails, the customer will be un-enrolled from AutoPay. The customer would need to manually re-enroll.
    • Deleting a payment arrangement resumes AutoPay.
    • If the AutoPay withdrawal date passes while AutoPay is paused, an SMS notification advises that a one-time payment is required. The SMS provides the next AutoPay withdrawal date.
    • AutoPay discount(s) do not apply while the account is or becomes past due.
  • Collection hold: If a Collection hold is placed on the account, AutoPay still processes normally. Customers may want to cancel AutoPay to prevent the full amount being debited.
  • Account ladex/suspended: AutoPay cannot be set up while in a ladex/suspended status. Customers automatically un-enroll from AutoPay if it fails to process after the second attempt in each month.
  • Account cancelation:
    • Canceling an account does not automatically cancel AutoPay. The customer must cancel AutoPay separately.
    • Customers who pay their bill in full early at least 3 days before the bill due date won't have AutoPay withdrawn on the scheduled due date for that cycle unless the full amount was not covered.

  • Accounts assigned to corporate node/hierarchy.
  • Accounts with other extended payment terms.

AutoPay $5 bill credit

The AutoPay bill credit provides customers a $5 discount per line (up to the discount maximum number of lines) when they meet eligibility below.

Offer ID: 431997

Eligibility

Eligible

Not eligible
  • AutoPay must remain active on the account.
  • Payment method on file:
    • Bank account (including T-Mobile Money)
    • Debit card
    • T-Mobile Visa® Card
  • Eligible plan and number of lines (Refer to plan pages to confirm the plan is eligible and find the maximum number of lines.) 

Eligible plan & maximum lines examples

  • Up to 8 lines per BAN (max $40 discount):
  • Experience, Go5G, Magenta, ONE Plans, T-Mobile Unlimited, Some DIGITS plans.
  • Most tax inclusive plans (such as Mobile Internet for hotspots) also have AutoPay active.
  • Up to 6 lines per BAN (max $30 discount): T-Mobile Essentials and 4 for $100 plan
  • Up to 5 lines per BAN (max $25 discount) for Business Unlimited lineup:
  • Business Select, Business Advanced, Business Ultimate
  • Once the account grows to six or more lines, the best pricing is built in and the cost does not change regardless of AutoPay, and no additional discount applies (plans with 6+ lines will show NO AutoPay discount on the plan) 
  • Home Internet and BTS plans count towards the line maximum (8, 6, or 5 lines stated above)

 
  • Payment method on file:
    • Credit cards
      (Exception: The T-Mobile Visa® Card is the only eligible credit card.)
    • Apple Pay
    • Bank accounts or debit cards set up through digital wallets, such as Google Pay
  • Ineligible plan (Refer to plan pages to confirm the plan is eligible.)

Ineligible plan examples

  • Government Unlimited and ONE Plans for Government
  • No Credit Check plans
  • Prepaid plans
  • Simple Choice plans
  • Unlimited Talk & Text Only plans

Set expectations for $5 AutoPay discount

  • Customers' bills show the full charges along with the associated line level discount on their bill each month when they are eligible. This starts with the first bill on new activations or their next bill for plan changes.
  • Line order:
    • The discount applies to lines in order from the oldest primary GSM line, then the oldest AAL GSM lines, and then the oldest MI lines.
    • Additional lines over the BAN limit do not receive the discount.
    • Customers cannot designate to which lines the AutoPay discount applies.
  • Changing plans & AAL:
    • Changing plans or adding lines (AAL) mid-bill cycle causes prorated charges and a prorated AutoPay discount for those lines.
    • This causes the AutoPay discount to be less than $5.
  • Changing payment methods:
    • Customers may update their payment method before AutoPay processes.
    • If they have an eligible method on file when AutoPay processes, the AutoPay discount is not affected.
  • Advanced payment (pay early): If customers make a full or partial payment in any channel before AutoPay processes using:
    • Ineligible payment method (credit card, digital wallet), the customer's AutoPay discount is impacted for the month.
      • My T-Mobile & T-Life show alerts to customers about any discount loss during the advanced payment process.
      • Customers receive an SMS confirmation when the payment is processed, reminding them the discount does not apply to their next month’s bill.
      • Paying by T-Mobile Visa® does not impact the AutoPay discount as this is the only credit card that can be used for the discount. 
    • Cash & eligible payment methods (above): Customers do not lose their AutoPay discount. (A payment support fee applies at Retail.)
    • Note: Credits & adjustments are not advanced payments, and they do not impact the discount.
  • Restarting the discount: If customers lose their discount for a bill cycle, they can start receiving it again on the next bill after meeting eligibility and paying the account balance by its due date.
  • Unenrolling and re-enrolling: When customers unenroll from AutoPay, make a one-time payment with an ineligible method, and re-enroll within the same billing cycle, the AutoPay discount is removed on their next month’s bill.
  • Combining discounts: The AutoPay discount can combine with the $40 Tablet + Voice bill credit or the $10 Mobile Internet credit, provided the customer maintains eligibility for those discounts.
  • Seasonal Suspend: AutoPay discount continues to apply while in Seasonal Suspend when set up with an eligible payment method.
  • Cancelations: 
    • Customers who cancel an eligible line at the end of their billing cycle do not receive their discount due to system limitations.
    • Care Experts: Set a follow-up to credit the missing $5 AutoPay discount for the final month when a customer cancels an eligible line.

 

Manage AutoPay

Use these steps to add AutoPay, update payment information, or cancel AutoPay.

Self-service setup

  • Customers can manage AutoPay on My T-Mobile, T-Life, or the SIVR. Customers can use self-service to:
    • Set up AutoPay.
    • Change AutoPay payment method.
    • Change AutoPay withdrawal date (My T-Mobile & T-Life).
    • Cancel AutoPay.
  • See steps on Pay your bill: Self-Service.

Assisted setup: Care

  1. Verify the account. All AutoPay changes require account verification.
  2. Ask to collect a one-time payment for the Balance in Full (BIF), if there is a past due delinquent balance.
  3. Advise the customer:
    • AutoPay setup is effective immediately:
      • Example: AutoPay set up on the bill due date may process that night.
      • Exception: If AutoPay is unenrolled/re-enrolled after the new bill is created, it does not take effect until the following month. A one-time payment for the current bill is required.
    • There may be up to a $1 temporary authorization on the credit card while setting up AutoPay.
    • You need to meet the AutoPay $5 bill credit requirements each month to remain eligible for the $5 AutoPay discount:
      • Have an active, eligible plan.
      • Enroll in AutoPay using a bank account, T-Mobile Money, T-Mobile Visa® Card, or debit card.
      • Pay the prior month's bill by its due date.
      • Have AutoPay active when the bill is processed.
  4. Advise customers they can select a different withdrawal date in T-Life or My T-Mobile.
  5. Follow steps on Manage AutoPay: Atlas or AutoPay: Samson.
  6. Memo the account: "Customer agreed to advisements and set up AutoPay."
  7. Business Care Offline: Remove all but last four digits of bank account/credit card before sending a response.

 

  1. Verify the account. All AutoPay changes require account verification.
  2. Ask your customer why they would like to cancel AutoPay. Talk about their concerns before continuing.
  3. Advise the customer:
    • When AutoPay is canceled, the AutoPay $5 bill credit is removed, so customers may see a larger bill.
    • If canceling AutoPay within 3 days before the due date, it may still withdraw the funds if T-Mobile has already submitted the payment for processing.
  4. Complete steps on Manage AutoPay: Atlas or AutoPay: Samson.
  5. Memo the account.

  • Customer must utilize T-Life or My T-Mobile to change AutoPay’s withdrawal date. 
  • Care is not able to change the withdrawal date in Atlas or Samson. 

Use the edit payment option when changing the payment method. Do not cancel AutoPay and re-enroll the customer. If a new bill has already been created, an un-enroll/re-enroll causes the system to not process AutoPay on the next due date; it will be effective on the following month.

  1. Verify the account. All AutoPay changes require account verification.
  2. Follow steps on Manage AutoPay: Atlas or AutoPay: Samson. (Do not un-enroll and re-enroll, to ensure the new payment method is effective immediately.)
  3. Tell the customer that their payment information for AutoPay has been updated.
  4. Memo the account.

Assisted setup: Retail and RSL

  1. Log into Tapestry.
  2. Search for and verify customer account.
  3. Select Bill Options.
  4. Select Manage Subscription.
  5. Select new enrollment payment method.
    • New electronic check
    • New card
  6. Enter account information.
    • New electronic check – Name on account, Routing number, and Account number.
    • New card – Name on card, Card number, Expiration date, Expiration year, CVV, and Zip code.
  7. Select Validate.
  8. Select Continue.
  9. Enter email address (Optional).
  10. Select Customer has agreed to the Terms and Conditions.
  11. Select Accept AutoPay.
  12. Select Close.

  • Educate customer they can select a different withdrawal date in T-Life or My T-Mobile.
  • Mobile Experts can also help customers to use self-service options.
  • Mobile Experts who call RSL cannot set up AutoPay on behalf of the customer. RSL must speak directly with the BRP or AU on the account to set up AutoPay.

For Prepaid, see: AutoPay & Auto Refill: Prepaid System steps.

Problems with AutoPay

Resolve issues and errors with setup, payment, or $5 AutoPay discount.

  • Account numbers or bank accounts are not authorized to send an electronic check (ACH) payment.
  • Customers must pay by another method, such as debit card, credit card, or Apply Pay.

Transactions that are declined for insufficient funds (from a bank) or no response (from a card) will automatically reprocess in 5 banking days.

  • The second attempt withdraws the first payment amount from the original payment submission or the current balance, whichever is less.
  • A memo is placed on the BAN when this occurs.

If customers have a payment rejection:

  1. Verify the AutoPay status is active and amount was for less than $100,000.
  2. Check if AutoPay was recently updated.
    • Yes: Confirm account details and make any necessary changes, then take a one-time payment.
    • No: Review the Direct Debit Reject memo on the account. Make any necessary changes to AutoPay details. Then, take a one-time payment.
  3. Savings account: If AutoPay is set up using a savings account:
    • When a checking account number is identical to a savings account number, funds withdraw from the checking account, or the bank may decline the transaction as no account/account closed.
    • Customers may need to contact their bank for additional account numbers to ensure the payment withdraws.
  4. Apple Pay: If AutoPay is set up using Apple Pay and the customer upgrades to a new Apple device, they must cancel AutoPay and re-enroll with the new device.

Review the table to identify if AutoPay was not processed due to one of the reasons below:

Reason AutoPay did not processAction steps
Customer had a payment arrangement in place on AutoPay date.
  1. Review memos to confirm there is an ‘autopay skipped’ memo posted to the account.
  2. When a payment arrangement is set up, AutoPay is paused. After the payment arrangement is completed successfully, AutoPay will resume.

AutoPay was declined

  1. Review memos from two days before last due date to find a declined payment. Memo type: “Non-last DD soft rej” 
  2. If you find one, advise the customer to make a one-time payment in T-Life with a different payment method.
Payment method is on Negative File.
  1. Verify that the customer's payment method is on negative file.
  2. If it is:
    1. Advise the customer to make a one-time payment in T-Life with a different card or bank account.
    2. Update the AutoPay method.
Customer had no balance or credit balance on last bill.
  1. Check the most recent bill to see what the balance was.
  2. If it was $0 or the account had a credit balance at the time of bill creation, then no Autopay debit request was created.
  3. Have customer make a one-time payment for their current balance.  
Previous month AutoPay processed very late.
  1. Check to see what the customer’s bill cycle close date is in Atlas > account overview.
  2. Review checkbook or memos to determine if an AutoPay payment was made on the account’s bill cycle close date or in the 2 days before
  3. If it was, when the current bill was created, its Autopay amount was scheduled for the current charges less the amount of the previous AutoPay amount.
  4. If the amounts were the same, this resulted in a $0 Autopay request being created for the current bill’s AutoPay. If this is the case, follow these steps:
    1. Take a one-time payment for the remaining current charges.
    2. Adjust any new/pending lates fees resulting from the current bill not pulling the full amount.

None of these situations apply

  1. Check System Issues for any known issues.
  2. If there are no known system issues, it is likely that the daily AutoPay process has been delayed. This may cause the scheduled AutoPay payment to process one day later than expected.
  3. Check the bill due date:
    • Bill due date is tomorrow or later: The payment may still be in process. Allow 24 hours for the payment to post to the account.
    • Bill due date is today or has passed:
      1. Advise the customer to make a one-time payment in T-Life.
      2. Adjust any late fees that may be pending.

 

This is almost always caused by an issue with the timing of the AutoPay reprocess file, which re-runs AutoPay after it is initially declined. Use the chart to determine which case the customer falls into and next steps::

Reason AutoPay did not processAction steps
AutoPay processed early
  1. Check memos to confirm AutoPay was declined the previous month on its usual date (two days before the due date).  Memo type: “Non-last DD soft rej”
  2. Check the date that the early AutoPay payment (Receipt source: "EasyPay" in the checkbook) was made.
  3. If the early AutoPay was processed 8-12 days after the usual AutoPay date that was declined, this payment was actually made by the Autopay reprocess file. 
    • If the customer made up the earlier declined payment with a one-time payment:
      • The reprocess file is incorrectly pulling in the new charges.
      • Next steps: Refund the early payment and advise the customer they need to make a one-time payment for the current bill before its due date.
      • AutoPay will not process again until the following month.
    • If customer did not make up the earlier payment:
      • The AutoPay reprocess file may pull the previous month’s past due charges as well as the current charges.
      • Next steps: Refund the amount of the current bill’s charges and advise the customer to make a one-time payment for the current bill before its due date.
      • AutoPay will not process again until the following month.
AutoPay processed for incorrect amount
  1. Verify the close date on the Atlas account overview.
  2. Review checkbook or memos to determine if an AutoPay payment was made on the most recent close date or the two days before.
  3. If it was, when the current bill was created, its Autopay amount was scheduled for the current charges less the amount of the previous AutoPay. 
  4. This may result in only late fees being pulled for the current bill’s AutoPay. If this is the case, follow these steps:
    1. Take a one-time payment for the remaining current charges.
    2. Do not adjust late fees from the previous bill; they are legitimate.
    3. Adjust any new/pending lates fees resulting from the current bill not pulling the full amount.

 

  1. If the customer has not attempted to set up AutoPay in T-Life, share Pay your bill: Self-Service to self-serve with the customer.
    • Send the link from the Messaging tool to direct the customer to the AutoPay set up screen.
    • If unsuccessful, confirm the bank information is correct, and try to set up AutoPay again.
  2. If you receive an error:
IssueAction

Card was declined

Refer the customer to their financial institution. This is likely a '530-Do Not Honor' error, and they must discuss it with their bank.

Unable to set up or cancel AutoPay in T-Life, Atlas, or Samson

In Atlas, go to Troubleshooting Forms, and submit an Account Error form:
  • System: Payment App UI
  • Action Being Performed: AutoPay
  • Error Message Received: Setup/Cancel Issue
  • Complete additional details in the form to help with researching the issue

 

If the customer’s account or subscriber line did not receive AutoPay discounts:

  1. Review the eligibility in AutoPay $5 bill credit to confirm the customer is eligible for the credit. Verify the customer is:
    • On eligible rate plan by checking that plan page in Magenta Pulse.
    • Not paying via credit card (Exception: T-Mobile Visa® Card) or digital wallet (e.g., ApplePay). These payment methods are ineligible for the AutoPay discount.
    • Not past due on a balance on their bill. Customers only receive the AutoPay discount when their balance is paid in full by the due date.
  2. Check memos to see if customer made an ineligible payment during the prior bill cycle.
  3. Check to make sure the discount SOC is currently on the account. 
  4. Determine if customers are eligible to receive the discount this month, and work with your coach to file an Account Error Form in using the following form categories:  
    • Which system do you see the issue in: Samson 
    • Action Being Performed: Billing Complaint 
    • Error Message Received: The Billed Feature is not working

 

  • Direct customer to T-Life or My T-Mobile to change their withdrawal date.
  • Available dates automatically display for the customer.