There remains a way to bypass the fee, though.
By March 31, 2026
T-Mobile has ended a loophole allowing customers to avoid a $35 fee when purchasing through Apple.
Credit: Cheng Xin/Getty Images
When T-Mobile customers upgrade their smartphone or add a new line, they’re typically subject to a $35 Device Connection Charge (DCC). However, there were some loopholes. When customers purchased an iPhone through Apple, they often could bypass the $35 DCC fee at T-Mobile.
That has changed.
According to a document shared with The Mobile Report, T-Mobile has closed this loophole. As of March 27, T-Mobile began charging the $35 fee directly to customers’ bills, eliminating the workaround.
The fee has been in place since 2022, but many iPhone users managed to avoid the charge by purchasing either in-store or online with Apple, since Apple’s system did not charge T-Mobile’s specific fee. Now, T-Mobile adds the fee to the following month’s bill directly.
There’s still at least one loophole left for T-Mobile users keen on avoiding the $35 DCC fee. Costco and Sam’s Club memberships still waive the charge for purchases through their stores. However, the iPhone bought this way will be locked to T-Mobile and not an unlocked version.
With Apple expected to release the new iPhone 18 lineup, including a rumored foldable iPhone by year’s end, T-Mobile might have anticipated a surge in upgrades, translating to sizable DCC fees.