T-Mobile is changing the Netflix on Us promo (Update: Ads for everyone)

Update, January 5, 2024 (10:30 AM ET): The original article below was based on leaked information from The Mobile Report. Unfortunately, it turns out that TMR had some incomplete and incorrect information, and the situation is worse than expected.

The article below says that folks receiving a complimentary Netflix Basic subscription through the Netflix on Us perk will be “upgraded” to Netflix Standard with Ads. However, that is not entirely true. As we learned today, everyone who uses the Netflix on Us perk is getting the Standard with Ads plan. That means if you currently enjoy a Netflix Standard plan because you have a high-tier T-Mobile subscription (Magenta MAX, Go5G Next, etc.), you will be downgraded to the Standard with Ads plan on January 24, 2024.

It is still possible to get a Netflix Standard or even a Premium plan — but everyone will need to pay the difference, even those who have multiple Go5G Next subscriptions, which is currently T-Mo’s most expensive plan.

We have left the original article unedited below, but please understand that the information there is now outdated.

Original article, January 3, 2024 (01:59 PM ET): Earlier today, we told you that T-Mobile is going to start offering free Hulu subscriptions. Unfortunately, this news came with the caveat that it would only be available for Go5G Next subscribers and include advertisements. Now, we have some more news about T-Mobile’s free streaming offers (via The Mobile Report).

Starting January 24 — the same day free Hulu subscriptions roll out — T-Mobile will retire the Netflix Basic plan within its popular Netflix on Us perk and move it to the Standard with Ads plan. This means users who rely on T-Mo to pay for their Basic subscription will automatically be “upgraded” to a different no-cost Netflix plan, which will include advertisements.

It’s not all bad news, though. Netflix Standard with Ads does have benefits over the old Basic plan. For example, you get 1080p streams instead of 720p and can stream on two devices simultaneously instead of just one.

To be clear, users who instead see T-Mobile paying for the Netflix Standard plan (namely those on more expensive plans with other family members) will see no change. T-Mobile will continue paying for that plan.

While this is sad news for T-Mobile subscribers, you can’t blame the company for what Netflix does. In 2023, Netflix made this significant change to rely on ads for increased revenue, and T-Mobile was going to need to change things up in response eventually.

If you can’t stand ads and would rather get Netflix Standard or even Netflix Premium, you can still do that at a discounted rate. If you currently get Netflix Basic, you can pay T-Mobile $8.50 each month for Standard or $16 for Premium (a savings of $6.99 monthly in either instance).

Subscribers who use Netflix Basic should see text messages today or later this week related to this change.