Consumers with long-standing accounts often face significant hurdles when trying to switch to more affordable mobile plans.
Recent media reports have exposed widespread complaints about telecom operators' unfair pricing practices, where preferential packages are often reserved for new customers or those upgrading their plans, leaving long-term users at a disadvantage. This issue has sparked widespread discussion on social media platforms.
Many consumers have shared their frustrations online, questioning whether they must threaten to leave their current provider to access cheaper rates. Some have even compiled guides on how to challenge these perceived discriminatory practices by the carriers.
To investigate these claims, a test was conducted using a decade-old mobile number on a carrier's official app. The homepage primarily displayed plans costing over 100 yuan. For instance, a plan offering 100GB of data was priced at 189 yuan. This contrasts sharply with a 39-yuan package promoted to new or upgrading users, which includes 110GB of data—a price difference of 150 yuan for a similar data allowance.
Subsequently, a call was made to the carrier's customer service to inquire about switching to a better-value plan. The standard客服 offered limited options, such as a 78-yuan plan with 15GB of data or a 128-yuan plan with 30GB. These offers were significantly less economical than the packages advertised to new users.
When the possibility of switching providers was mentioned, the客服 explained that more competitive plans were handled by dedicated "package consultants" who would contact the customer within 48 hours. However, no such consultant made contact by the time of publication, and the plan change was not completed.
This situation raises questions about whether the most attractive deals are withheld from regular customer service channels and only presented when a customer shows intent to leave.
The客服 denied this, stating the difference was due to departmental分工, with consultants specializing solely in plan changes.
A call to a physical service center yielded a similar response, directing the inquiry back to the general customer service hotline for plan adjustments.
When asked about potential price discrimination against loyal customers, the service center representative mentioned that discounts on minutes and data might be available for families with multiple lines on the same network.
Beyond this carrier, similar complaints have been lodged against other major telecom operators, with users reporting difficulties in downgrading plans or accessing promotional offers available to newer customers. Some consumers noted that only by mentioning a transfer to another network or filing a complaint with regulators were they able to secure better deals.
Industry analysts suggest that with market saturation, competition has shifted from acquiring new customers to poaching existing ones from rivals. This has led to a landscape where newer plans are often cheaper and offer more value than older, legacy packages.
Regulators have been aware of such issues. Back in 2021, authorities highlighted the need to crack down on practices like forcing 5G upgrades and differential treatment of new and old users. More recently, in April 2025, a nationwide campaign was launched to ensure telecom operators clearly公示 all available public pricing plans, requiring that any plan not publicly listed cannot be sold.
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