Discrimination by T-mobile??!

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NJ

Not sure this is the right area but it was the closest catergory I could find.

Anyway so in going over our T-mobile cell phone bills I noticed my spouse pays $6 in taxes while I pay $11 in taxes. I called T-mobile to ask why the difference, I mean we are in the same house, same address, same state/county, with the same plan. The agent I "chatted" with told me they don't control the tax my state charges. I get that but they are the ones who report my information to the taxing agent so the proper taxes are imposed. I started my account 10+ years ago when Tmobile was Omnipoint in NY where I lived at the time. My spouse signed up in New Jersey, I know NY has higher taxes but since I am in NJ doesn't those state taxes now apply, not NY?

The agent had no answer except that sex! I kid you not, he said the only difference is one of us is male, the other female...here is that part of the chat:

Me: Who reports my information to the tax athorities though so they know how much to charge me then?

_Jeremy S: This is our tax support team.

Me: so then can I ask to someone there?

Jeremy S: You want to speak with them personally?

Me: Yes. I want to know why I pay $5 more in taxes then someone else who lives at the same address with the same plans as me.

_Jeremy S: They do not have direct contact information provided this is for internal use only.

Me: Well then I think the information they have for my account is not accurate because with the same everything as my husband I should not have to pay more in tax.

_Jeremy S: I understand what you are saying.

_Jeremy S: this is not alotted by us this your State and federal taxing.

_Jeremy S: T-Mobile is not charging the account more.

Me: Right but again the information is coming from Tmobile, so that is how they figure the tax to charge me, right? They can't just charge me one rate while charging someone else from my state with the same plan a different rate.

_Jeremy S: I cannnot view your husbands account so I cannot verify that they are different either.

Me: well he is here and can give you his account info so you can see it for yourself

_Jeremy S: Ok.

Me: I give my husband info here deleted for obvoius reasons.

_Jeremy S: Thank you.

_Jeremy S: I am researching this for you now.

me: thanks

_Jeremy S: No problem.

_Jeremy S: The only thing that I can think of is that the male female aspect may be causing one to get charged more than the other.

me: excuse me? I am being charged more cause I am a women?

_Jeremy S: Other than that I have no more knowledge on this issue.

_Jeremy S: That is just an educated guess.

_Jeremy S: I cannot verify any of that.

_Jeremy S: Once again you are asking me for an explanation to something we do not control.

_Jeremy S: I cannot provide any kind of explanation accurately for this.

Any ideas?

If they can't explain it, then they need to credit you.

However, look on your bill. There should be information there as to what Federal agency you can lodge a dispute with.

Thanks Courtclerk! Here is a breakdown of the taxes

Mine:
Government Fees and Taxes
County 911 $0.30
County Surcharge $0.06
County Telecom Excise $1.10
Federal Universal Service Fund $1.38
MCTD Surcharge $0.33
Public Safety Communications Surcharge $1.20
State & Local Sales Tax $4.82
State Gross Receipts Tax $0.21
State Telecom Excise $1.39

My spouses:

Government Fees and Taxes
Federal Universal Service Fund $1.41
State & Local Sales Tax $3.69
State 911 $0.90

So from the look of this who do I complain too? I think they are still charging me NY's higher tax then NJ's.

Tenant4toolong said:

I started my account 10+ years ago when Tmobile was Omnipoint in NY where I lived at the time. My spouse signed up in New Jersey, I know NY has higher taxes but since I am in NJ doesn't those state taxes now apply, not NY?

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The taxes you pay for the service is based on where your service was established (area code/number you have). So if yours is from NY and your wife's is from NJ, then you're paying a different tax rate.

I_Got_Banned said:

The taxes you pay for the service is based on where your service was established (area code/number you have). So if yours is from NY and your wife's is from NJ, then you're paying a different tax rate.

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You know what I misspoke, my husband just told me he got the phone while in NY which would explain how he has a NY area code, same as mine.
I apologize for the inaccurate info I posted earlier.

Tenant4toolong said:

You know what I misspoke, my husband just told me he got the phone while in NY which would explain how he has a NY area code, same as mine.

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Which would suggest that the service was set up by your husband (under his name)... So how could the billing be based on the sex of the account holder?

At any rate, as CC stated, "look on your bill. There should be information there as to what Federal agency you can lodge a dispute with"

It looks like you'll be contacting the NY State Attorney General HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

I don't know about T-mobile in your area but what area code you have is not based on where you go the phone. Where I live, I can choose from several area codes. It has nothing to do with where you bought the phone or signed the contract.



I believe it is one of 3 things:

where each of you lived when the contract was signed
where the contract was actually signed
if you were lived and signed contracts in the same state, possibly one was in a city and one outside the city limits (either living or signed)

take note that you have charges allotted to a county. Not so on his.

You have an excise tax, not so for him

I suspect you both either lived within or signed within a different level of government controlled entity. possibly county v. city

I_Got_Banned said:

The taxes you pay for the service is based on where your service was established (area code/number you have). So if yours is from NY and your wife's is from NJ, then you're paying a different tax rate.

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So are you saying it is proper for someone living in NJ to NOT pay NJ taxes ... and to be paying NY taxes?

Seems to me that the OP and the spouse SHOULD be paying the same amount in taxes...if I were her, I'd DEMAND that they increase hubby's taxes to match hers!

Thanks everyone!
Okay to answer some questions.....

"Which would suggest that the service was set up by your husband (under his name)... So how could the billing be based on the sex of the account holder?"

I set up service 10+ years ago in my own name. Hubby set his up about 5 years ago in his name. I thought since he lives in NJ at the time it was set up here but he said he went to the mall near where I lived (NY) to check out phones. He had a different provider and wanted to switch. We don't share the account.

where each of you lived when the contract was signed - Me-NY Him-NJ
where the contract was actually signed NY for both.
if you were lived and signed contracts in the same state, possibly one was in a city and one outside the city limits (either living or signed) Me brooklyn NY Him staten Island NY

"So are you saying it is proper for someone living in NJ to NOT pay NJ taxes ... and to be paying NY taxes? "

I am confused about this also. It seems that I would pay taxes where I am a resident. When I go to NY and buy something I pay NY tax even though I live in NJ so I thought the cell phone would be the same.

I have to say, having all of you throw out reasons why there is a difference (different state/county, etc.) is much easier to understand/swallow than this "you are a women so you must pay more" reason given to me by Tmobile!

Well, technically T-mobile did not say that. One minimum wage service rep made what he called an educated guess but which was actually a very uneducated one, and then immediately recanted.

"So are you saying it is proper for someone living in NJ to NOT pay NJ taxes ... and to be paying NY taxes? "

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No. I was simply offering suggestions as to why you are being taxed differently. If any of them are applicable, you would have to research to determine if that is the actual reason. Then you can determine if you are each being taxed properly.

T-mobile taxes and extinct customer care

. The answer is your taxes are based on your primary place of use. That is found in a tool they use called Samson. You must call again and verify not only your billing address but another window where your primary place of use address and 911 address is stored. I will bet that either you or your husband has the old address there from when you started. I will also bet the rep you get will be clueless. NY taxes are one of the highest, along with Florida.