T-Mobile Internet equipment damage charge

The Internet Equipment Damage Charge is applied when gateways are returned with excessive damage. 

Internet equipment damage charge

  • Accounts are charged a one-time $79 Internet Equipment Damage Charge when returned gateways fail the device condition check. If gateways are damaged during shipping or in transit, customers do not receive a damage charge.
    • The charge displays on the bill as INTERNET EQUIP DAMAGE CHARGE.
    • This damage charge should not be credited unless instructed by the Out of warranty fee policy.
  • Accounts are charged a one-time $45 Internet Equipment Damage Charge when returned mesh Wi-Fi extenders (V2) fail the device condition check. If they are damaged during shipping or in transit, customers do not receive a damage charge.
  • Gateways damaged due to a natural disaster are subject to damage charges (except for large natural disasters (such as wildfires, tsunamis, etc.) that are captured in the events incident response handling steps).
  • If gateways are a total loss, refer to the Lost or Stolen Gateway: Home Internet process.

 

Damage assessments

Damage charge will be assessed
  • G5AR/G5SE: Warranty seal breached/punctured. Customers should never open the case to access the internal antenna.
  • Damage to the LCD screen
  • Physical damage to the gateway
  • Tampering, hardware alterations, or modifications
  • Liquid damage
  • Other excessive damage

Acceptable conditions

(No damage charge assessed)

  • Minor scratches, scuffs, knicks, or dents to the casing
  • Damage occurred during shipping
  • Damaged power cord

Research damage charges

Research damage charges
  1. Open the RDI Lookup Tool  to check the status and condition of a device.
  2. Click CONTINUE WITH T-MOBILE and then RDI LOOKUP. 
    • This step is only required when asked to log in. 
    • The login is remembered for the day.
  3. Enter the IMEI or return tracking number.
  4. Click the magnifying glass.
  5. Validate what damage was found on the device and look for any damage that fails the condition checks.
  6. Click the drop-down arrow on the top banner and select RDI LOOKUP to search for a new IMEI. 

 

Image available

Do not adjust the charge if there is an image available. 

  1. Review the image to see why customers were charged for damage. 
  2. Explain the damage to customers based on what is shown in the images using this suggested script: "The gateway you returned was inspected by T-Mobile's authorized return center. While inspecting the gateway, it was determined it had physical or liquid damage, or proof the device was opened and/or modified. Your account has been charged a one-time $79 to repair the damaged gateway."
  3. Offer to email the customer copies of the images in the RDI Lookup Tool  .
    • The send email button is grayed out if no images are selected.
    • Email size is limited to 10MB. If you are unable to send, remove one or more images and retry.

 

Review the following if customers still claim their devices had no damage before shipping the package:

  • When the Return Center receives a package that is damaged in shipping, they dispute it with the shipping carrier.
    • This dispute process happens automatically. There is no escalation for this because it happens to all damaged shipments.
    • We don't charge for damage that occurred during shipping.
  • Care teams and leadership are empowered to determine when to offer a courtesy credit based on standard credit and adjustment processes.

 

Image is not available
  1. Review the account memos and filter to locate an equipment charge  (Check the user memo for the charge code HINDEF).
    • If there is no code present, there is not a damage charge, and it may be a non-return fee (NRF).
    • Use the Non-Return Fee (NRF) research process or contact your leadership.
  2. Double-check the IMEI or tracking number is correct and it matches the gateway being charged. (If you search the wrong IMEI, it will appear there is no image available.)
  3. Search the IMEI in the Device Return Status tool to verify when the IMEI was scanned. Allow 10 business days from the time the IMEI was scanned in for the image to be available.
  4. Follow these steps if no image is available after 10 business days:
    1. Credit the damage charge at the charge level.
    2. Send the following information to your team manager to track the issue with the return center. (This does not dispute charges, but it will help report and identify problems to improve the customer experience.)
      1. BAN/MSISDN:
      2. Order Number:
      3. Tracking Number:
      4. Date package was received back to T-Mobile:
  5. Team managers can follow the Warranty exchange escalation process.

 

Credits for damage charges

  1. Research the Gateway Damage Charge. 
  2. Determine if images are available and what the images show.
    • If there is an image of the damage, advise customers they are responsible for paying all charges on their bill including the damage charge.
    • Do not adjust the charge.
    • Do not file a Handset Research Form to dispute the charge. 
  3. Explain the results of the research.
  4. Contact your leadership for approval if customers continue to dispute the charge. Manual credits for damaged gateways are leadership decisions and require approval from leadership.
    • If leadership approved:
      • Add a memo to the account that the damage charge is adjusted. Include the leadership approval in the memo.
      • Images available: Apply a goodwill credit.
      • Images not available: Apply a charge level credit.
      • Follow the credit and adjustment process to provide the credit.
    • If leadership did not approve:
      • The full damage charge is due, and the charge should not be adjusted.
      • If customers have AutoPay, set expectations on when their autopay is scheduled.
      • Failure to pay the full amount by the due date can result in service interruption and additional charges.
      • If the charge is already due, check the customer's eligibility for a payment arrangement.

RDI Lookup Tool issues

Employees should not use this process to escalate cases where images are not available. The Image not available process above should be used instead.

  1. Check System Issues for any issues with the RDI Lookup Tool first.
  2. Report system issues with the RDI Lookup Tool by providing the following to your team manager:
    • IMEI:
    • Tracking number:
    • BAN:
    • Issue description:
    • Screen Shot:
  3. Set a follow up for five business days.

 

Team managers can follow the Warranty exchange escalation process. 

Gateway condition check

Screen and LCD damage

Screen inspection
  1. Use a bright light to inspect the LCD screen only (Screen inspection does not include the back of the device or other parts).
  2. Tilt the device under the light to view it from different angles (since crack may be hard to see). 
Damage charge will be assessed
  • Cracked LCD screen
  • LCD screen has major cracks or chips
  • Major scratches that are more than surface deep
  • Insect infestation

Acceptable conditions

(No damage charge assessed)

  • Minor surface scratches
  • Minor scuffs

Tampering

Gateway inspection
  1. Inspect the entire gateway device.
  2. Focus on the tamper-proof seal area and external parts. 
Damage charge will be assessed
  • G5AR/G5SE: Warranty seal is broken/punctured.
  • Gateway's tamper-proof seal is broken and the screw beneath it is exposed or removed.
  • Any major part of the gateway is missing, broken, or altered.

Acceptable conditions

(No damage charge assessed)

None

Liquid damage

LDI inspection
  1. Review the LDI sticker on the bottom on the gateway (These are only visible on the T-Mobile 5G and Sagemcom Fast 5688W gateways).
  2. Determine if LDI sticker is red or pink (which indicates the gateway was exposed to liquid and may have internal damage).
Damage charge will be assessedThe LDI is red, pink, or missing.

Acceptable conditions

(No damage charge assessed)

The LDI is white and visible. 

Other excessive damage

Damage charge will be assessed
  • Cosmetic marks (such as writing in pen, pencil, or crayon) are visible on the body casing, LCD screen, or the label. This is considered mistreatment of the gateway and requires the body case to be replaced.
  • The body casing or base is cracked, open, or broken or it has missing parts. 
  • The LCD, power, navigation, or other buttons are broken or missing. 
  • The gateway has signs of pest infestation or mold. 
  • The vent holes are obstructed with a foreign substance (such as tape, glue, or some other residue).
  • The gateway label is missing or unreadable.
  • The SIM tray or any port (such as ethernet, USB-C, or power) is destroyed. 

Acceptable conditions

(No damage charge assessed)

  • Internal damage to the gateway board or chip set (such as a protector issue) as long as the body casing is not open or tampered with. 
  • Minor scratches that are surface deep.
  • Minor knicks or dents.