T-Mobile Location Tracking Class Action Lawsuit, Were Your Whereabouts Sold Without Your Permission?

T-Mobile is facing a data privacy class action lawsuit and a court-upheld $92 million federal fine for selling customers’ real-time location data to third-party data aggregators without their knowledge or consent — and then continuing the practice even after learning it was being misused. This is not about a one-time hack. T-Mobile actively gave outside companies access to where you were, in real time, as a business arrangement.

T-Mobile Location Tracking Lawsuit Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Lawsuit Filed	2019 — Ray et al. v. T-Mobile US Inc., Case No. 1:19-cv-01299-SAG, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
Defendant	T-Mobile US Inc., T-Mobile USA Inc.
Alleged Violation	Unauthorized disclosure of Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) and customer location data — Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 222
Who Is Affected	T-Mobile and Sprint customers whose real-time location data was sold to third-party aggregators without proper consent
Current Court Stage	Active litigation; FCC enforcement fine of $92M upheld by D.C. Circuit on August 15, 2025; T-Mobile seeking full court rehearing
Court & Jurisdiction	FCC enforcement — U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit; Class action — U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
Lead Law Firms	TBD — class action counsel not publicly confirmed as of last update
Next Hearing Date	TBD — T-Mobile’s en banc rehearing petition pending before D.C. Circuit as of September 2025
Official Case Info	FCC Enforcement Record
Last Updated	May 21, 2026

What Is the T-Mobile Location Tracking Lawsuit About?

T-Mobile USA Inc. and Sprint failed to convince the DC Circuit to vacate FCC orders that cost the carriers more than $90 million over failing to vet who gets their customer location information. This wasn’t a cyberattack where a criminal broke in. T-Mobile chose to sell access to where its customers were — their real-time GPS-level location — to companies called “location aggregators,” who then resold that data further down the chain.

The D.C. Circuit upheld $92 million in FCC fines against T-Mobile and Sprint, saying the carriers leaned on an honor system of contracts instead of verifying third-party access to customers’ location data. The FCC found that T-Mobile knew the data was being abused and kept selling it anyway. The court described the behavior as egregious. Neither Sprint nor T-Mobile denied that third parties that had access to the data failed to obtain customer consent, and they continued for some time to sell location information without new safeguards.

Where does a class action come in? The T-Mobile class action lawsuit argues that more than 50 million customers’ confidential proprietary information and customer proprietary network information was disclosed to third parties without their consent. T-Mobile is attempting to skirt a public hearing and consolidated recovery by cowering behind its arbitration clause that purports to restrict all 50 million T-Mobile users from having a court determine whether its actions in selling their data to data aggregators and data resellers violated federal law.

This is the same behavior that cost T-Mobile $92 million in federal penalties — now playing out in civil court with real customers seeking compensation for damages. For a broader look at how carriers and tech companies face legal accountability for privacy violations, see our article on T-Mobile class action lawsuits: 2024–2025 overview at AllAboutLawyer.com.

Are You Part of the T-Mobile Location Data Class Action?

Here is how to know if this lawsuit includes you.

You may be part of this class if:

• You were a T-Mobile or Sprint customer during 2018–2019, when the location data was actively being sold
• Your real-time location data was accessible through T-Mobile’s network during that period
• You never gave explicit, informed consent for T-Mobile to share your location with third-party data brokers
• You were not notified by T-Mobile that your location was being sold and later misused

You are likely NOT included if:

• You joined T-Mobile after the data-sharing program ended and T-Mobile implemented new safeguards
• You are pursuing an individual arbitration claim separately — T-Mobile argues that plaintiffs consented to its Terms and Conditions by activating their service, which includes an agreement to arbitrate any and all disputes

The class is potentially enormous. The FCC itself concluded the violations affected millions of wireless subscribers. If you were a T-Mobile or Sprint customer during 2018–2019 and your location data was trackable through the company’s network, you likely fall within the proposed class definition.

Related article: Sportradar (SRAD) Securities Fraud Class Action, Stock Dropped 22% Did You Lose Money as an Investor?

Consulting a data privacy attorney or consumer rights lawyer before the case reaches a resolution stage is worth your time, especially if you have reason to believe your location data was specifically accessed or used to target you.

What Are T-Mobile Plaintiffs Seeking in This Lawsuit?

Plaintiffs in the class action are seeking monetary damages, injunctive relief to stop the practice, and attorneys’ fees. This is not a settlement with claim forms yet — no money is available to file for right now.

The FCC fined the three major mobile carriers nearly $200 million for not vetting third parties before selling them customer location data in 2018. T-Mobile was hit with an $80 million fine, plus a $12.2 million fine intended for Sprint, which T-Mobile acquired in 2020. The class action seeks to translate that same wrongdoing into direct legal settlement payout for affected customers — not a government penalty that flows to the FCC, but money to the people whose privacy was violated.

Center for Democracy and Technology Co-Director of Privacy and Data Eric Null called the DC Circuit ruling a huge win for privacy and for everyone who owns a cell phone. The civil litigation builds directly on the same factual record that regulators spent years documenting.

What Should You Do If You Were a T-Mobile Customer During 2018–2019?

You do not need to file anything right now. Here is what matters today.

Most class members are automatically included if the class is eventually certified. You do not need to contact a lawyer or file paperwork to preserve your place in the litigation at this stage.

Save anything you have. If you have old T-Mobile bills, account documents, or any records showing you were a customer during 2018–2019, keep them. If you ever received a notification from T-Mobile about data-sharing practices or privacy policy changes during that period, hold onto it.

Watch the arbitration issue. T-Mobile has tried to push these claims into individual arbitration rather than open court. Courts are actively fighting this tactic in privacy cases, but it is worth monitoring. A class action lawsuit attorney familiar with identity theft lawsuits and personal data stolen settlements can tell you whether arbitration clauses in your specific contract affect your rights.

Monitor for updates at the FCC’s official site at fcc.gov and follow the D.C. Circuit’s en banc proceedings, which will shape whether the $92M fine — and the legal theory behind it — remains fully intact.

T-Mobile Location Tracking Lawsuit Timeline

Milestone	Date
T-Mobile location data abuse first reported	2018
FCC Notices of Apparent Liability issued to T-Mobile and Sprint	2020
Class action lawsuit filed — Ray et al. v. T-Mobile US Inc.	2019
FCC Forfeiture Orders issued to T-Mobile and Sprint	April 2024
D.C. Circuit three-judge panel upholds $92M fine	August 15, 2025
T-Mobile files for en banc (full court) rehearing	September 22, 2025
En banc rehearing decision	TBD — pending before D.C. Circuit
Class action trial or settlement	TBD — contingent on arbitration ruling and class certification

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a class action lawsuit against T-Mobile for tracking customers?

Yes. T-Mobile customers filed a class action lawsuit arguing that more than 50 million customers’ confidential proprietary information and location data was disclosed to third parties without their consent. The case is Ray et al. v. T-Mobile US Inc., Case No. 1:19-cv-01299-SAG, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Do I need to do anything right now to be included?

No. If you were a T-Mobile or Sprint customer during the relevant period (2018–2019), you are likely already within the proposed class definition. No action is required at this stage. Save any records that prove your customer relationship during that time.

What exactly did T-Mobile do with my location data?

T-Mobile and Sprint provided inadequate oversight of data aggregators, resulting in misuse of phone subscriber location information. Those aggregators sold location access further down the chain — in some documented cases, the data ended up with a Missouri county sheriff who used it to track individuals without a warrant.

Can T-Mobile force me into individual arbitration instead of the class action?

T-Mobile has tried. T-Mobile argues that plaintiffs consented to its Terms and Conditions upon activation, which includes an agreement to arbitrate disputes. Courts are split on whether such clauses can defeat privacy class actions. A consumer rights lawyer can advise you based on your specific contract and state.

When will the T-Mobile location data case settle?

No settlement has been reached. The case remains in active litigation. The D.C. Circuit’s ruling on T-Mobile’s en banc petition — and any subsequent Supreme Court review — will affect the legal pressure on T-Mobile to resolve the civil claims. A timeline for settlement is TBD — no projected date has been filed in court.

How will I know if the T-Mobile lawsuit settles?

If a settlement is reached, class members will receive notice by mail or email. You can also monitor the FCC’s enforcement page at fcc.gov and follow public court docket updates on PACER for Case No. 1:19-cv-01299-SAG.

Does the $92 million fine mean I get paid?

No. The FCC fined T-Mobile $92 million, but that money goes to the federal government — not directly to affected customers. The separate civil class action is the vehicle through which customers could eventually receive direct compensation. No claim forms or payouts exist yet.

Sources & References

• U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit — ruling upholding FCC fines, August 15, 2025: broadbandbreakfast.com
• EPIC — DC Circuit affirms FCC privacy enforcement against Sprint/T-Mobile: epic.org
• FCC Enforcement Actions — T-Mobile location data forfeiture: fcc.gov

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against official FCC records, D.C. Circuit court filings, and Bloomberg Law reporting on May 21, 2026. Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.