MetroPCS is now part of T-Mobile. Last year, before the merger was finalized, we speculated that their union could result in better service for T-Mobile customers, but price increases for MetroPCS customers. One potential consequence of the merger that we hadn’t considered is that that some MetroPCS customers will have to get new phones.

It’s not all MetroPCS customers; only those who purchased their phones before the two companies got engaged in July of last year. The good news for customers is that the company will let them swap their current phones for a comparable one. This swap won’t be entirely free, though. Customers will owe sales tax on their new phones, for a maximum of maybe $50. The trade-in value on their now-useless old phones will offset the taxes, though.

Are you affected by this change? Do you think the phones T-MetroPCS is offering are really comparable, or were you planning to upgrade anyway? Drop us a message at tips@consumerist.com and put “T-MetroPCS” in the subject line.

Call Kurtis: Millions of MetroPCS Phones Could Stop Working After Cell Tower Upgrades [CBS Sacramento]

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