Costco members were confused last month after learning that the bulk retailer discontinued its mobile phone services. To recap what happened, Wireless Advocates, the company that handled cell phone sales at Costco, halted all business operations without notice. While the future was a little blurry for a while, we finally have some answers.
According to a report by T-Mo, an unofficial T-Mobile news source, the brand will now be the sole wireless provider for 178 Costco retail locations for both cell phone and internet services. The big transition, combined with the previous instability due to the abrupt change, has led both Costco and T-Mobile to offer a few perks that may entice new customers to hop on board.
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If a member signs up for services at their local Costco, T-Mobile will forgo its $35 Device Connection Charge, an activation fee for new devices. It will also add a 90-day return window, which is two months longer than the standard 30 days for ordinary T-Mobile purchases.
It's important to note that all device orders will not be available for in-store pickup, but can be shipped directly to the consumer's home.
As for the rest of the Costco locations (there are 847), we still don't know what will occur down the road. As of right now, there are a handful of other stores in which AT&T is the exclusive provider, so it's possible that Costco is on a path to working directly with these companies rather than a third party like Wireless Advocates. Only time will tell.