Verizon isn’t the only telecom and ISP to extend its non-cancellation pledge through the end of June: Comcast, T-Mobile, and AT&T have all announced that they will be doing the same, continuing to help individuals, families, and small businesses affected by the covid-19 pandemic by waiving late fees and overage charges.
As in the case with Verizon, customers will need to contact their wireless and internet providers to receive the extension. It won’t be automatically applied otherwise. Here’s what you need to know about taking advantage of that extension, if you think you might need it.
Comcast
Comcast said that it will extend covid-19 aid to customers through the end of June by not disconnecting Xfinity Internet, Xfinity Mobile, or Xfinity Voice service, and waiving late fees. The company also said it will work with its customers to come up with payment plans or find other solutions, too. Xfinity wifi hotspots will continue to be available for anyone to use and internet plans have no data caps for the time being.
Its Internet Essentials program is also free to new customers now through June 30.
T-Mobile
In an announcement yesterday, T-Mobile said it was “continuing to offer support for postpaid wireless, residential and small business customers impacted by the covid-19 pandemic” through June 30. Customers who have already spoken with a company representative to waive fees through May 13 will have to wait until after that date to call back to receive an extension through the end of June. T-Mobile will also continue to offer its low-cost plan, T-Mobile Connect, for $15 a month.
AT&T
Also announced yesterday, AT&T will continue to waive late payment fees and overage charges for residential and small business customers through June 30, and keep its public wifi hotspots open for anyone who needs them. AT&T will also not terminate any accounts for non-payment. This includes U-verse TV and DirectTV customers, too, not just wireless and internet-only customers. You can submit a waiver request here.
All this is welcome news for those who need to work from home during the pandemic, and for students who are attending classes virtually for the rest of the school year. Many schools are not returning to in-person classes for the remainder of the semester, and it’s still questionable at this point in time if they will in the fall. Whether these telecoms and ISPs will decide to extend their non-cancellation pledge past the end of June remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Charter has not announced if it will be joining the above companies in extending its non-cancellation pledge to Spectrum customers. We will update this article if/when that changes.