T-Mobile has addressed a technical problem that left customers frustrated when trying to manage their billing preferences. The company confirmed that a bug in its T-Life app prevented some subscribers from switching back to paper statements after the carrier began automatically enrolling them in paperless billing.
As reported by PhoneArena, the issue started when T-Mobile moved customers to digital-only billing notifications. While the company stated that customers could opt back into paper bills, many found that their attempts to change this preference weren't actually saved. When they selected paper billing in the app, it would switch back to paperless on its own, leaving customers confused and upset.
A T-Mobile spokesperson explained the situation in January 2026: "Customer billing preferences were correct in our system, and we resolved a minor issue that prevented some customers from changing their preferences in T-Life. Customers should now see their updated preferences in the app."
The problem raised concerns because it created confusion around customer consent. People who thought they had successfully switched to paper statements were still receiving digital notifications instead. Some customers reported spending considerable time with T-Mobile's support team, only to find their changes weren't reflected in the app even after being told everything was updated.
T-Mobile's paperless initiative is part of the company's broader push toward digital operations, which reduces printing costs and supports environmental goals. However, the glitch highlighted the importance of making sure customers can actually implement their preferences. The carrier now says the issue has been fixed, and subscribers who want paper bills should be able to make and maintain that choice in the app.
Source: PhoneArena
