T-Mobile Makes Changes to Data Service Requirements

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
Messages
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T-Mobile has made changes to new account plans, which now requires a minimum of 2GB of data service. The change in requirements takes new accounts from the standard 200MB data plan to the new requirement of 2GB to adjust for the high data usage, which was generating unwanted overage charges.

This was certainly a good move for T-Mobile, and while the changes will essentially bring in more revenue for the carrier, helping their customers out by protecting them from overage charges is something you don’t see every day from other carriers
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Now only if they let me tether for my 5GB unlimited $30 prepay plan. Just got redirected telling me I can't for that plan and I never went over 5GB.:mad:
 
heh. higher minimum at a higher price. sounds like its protecting the customers to me.
 
What ever happened to the days when people just knew... "Oh it's peak hour, internet will be slower right now"
 
What I think they are trying to say is that they are attempting to get rid of the minimum plan so more people don't just go with it to save a dime thinking they'd be able to surf on it.


My step dad did with his phone thinking he'd save a dollar, how much data could email really use? Essentially him loading his new emails gave him overages.

These plans has no place with smart phones period, 200 mb? thats like an hour on facebook.
 
Trimlock said:
My step dad did with his phone thinking he'd save a dollar, how much data could email really use? Essentially him loading his new emails gave him overages.

These plans has no place with smart phones period, 200 mb? thats like an hour on facebook.
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The plans are there for a reason. Wouldn't it be better they simply replaced the 200 mb plans with 2 GB for the same price?
 
Ashbringer said:
The plans are there for a reason. Wouldn't it be better they simply replaced the 200 mb plans with 2 GB for the same price?
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If they already have the 2gb plan they should just remove the 200mb plan which is just a trap for overages to begin with. Sure you could just never use data unless you are on wifi and that leaves you with a smart phone plan for a cheaper price (not much) but if you accidentally drop wifi while surfing that will negate any savings period.
 
They should just get rid of all the plans and just have the unlimited data that's available. Stop giving ppl anything lower than unlimited.

I'm on unlimited and I'm pretty much...unlimited. I do get throttled after hitting around 30 GB of downloads, but only seem to be at half bandwith, which is still better than Verizon's lowest available DSL.
 
The 200MB plan was the only plan on Tmobile that actually had overages. All of the other plans were unlimited but had a limit on how much high speed data you could use and if you went over that limit, your speed went down. I have the 200MB plan for my GS2 and because I am almost always within range of a WiFi signal, I never use more than 3/4 of that. Plus I have my phone set to not be able to go over that limit so I cant be charged extra.
 
ninjaturtle said:
Now only if they let me tether for my 5GB unlimited $30 prepay plan. Just got redirected telling me I can't for that plan and I never went over 5GB.:mad:
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Weird, my HTC HD7 lets me share internet up to 5 devices. Basically turns it into a wireless router. I don't pay for tethering either. Maybe it's the prepay plan?
 
Teenk9 said:
Weird, my HTC HD7 lets me share internet up to 5 devices. Basically turns it into a wireless router. I don't pay for tethering either. Maybe it's the prepay plan?
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Used tethering for the past two months, might have been because of the P2Ping.
 
Teenk9 said:
Weird, my HTC HD7 lets me share internet up to 5 devices. Basically turns it into a wireless router. I don't pay for tethering either. Maybe it's the prepay plan?
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On Monthly 4G they charge $15/month for tethering, unless you hack your phone or something.


It's nice that they realized 200mb was way too small. Really only useful when you use your phone for navigation and the occasional email, and use wifi for web browsing. They could have bumped it up to 750mb of course, but that wouldn't generate as much money as removing the option entirely. :rolleyes:
 
Trimlock said:
These plans has no place with smart phones period, 200 mb? thats like an hour on facebook.
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Since I'm on WiFi at home and at work, I hardly use any data on my t-mobile plan. Even though I have the 2GB plan, my S3 usually averages around 150GB/month. Guess that's because I don't use facebook :)
 
krotch said:
They should just get rid of all the plans and just have the unlimited data that's available. Stop giving ppl anything lower than unlimited.
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I sure don't want to pay for unlimited when I don;t use much data.

How about a tiered plan that bases your cost on how much you use each month?
(prices somewhat based on t-mobiles current pricing):

Use less than 200MB, you pay $10 that month
200 MB to 2GB, $20
2GB to 5GB, $30
Over 5GB (unlimited) $40

No crazy over charges, instead they just move you to the next tier that month & send you a text letting you know.
 
ninjaturtle said:
Now only if they let me tether for my 5GB unlimited $30 prepay plan. Just got redirected telling me I can't for that plan and I never went over 5GB.:mad:
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Wait, I explicitly asked them this question !

I asked if I needs emergency Internet if I could buy tethering as n add on for that month. I was told yes.

You have he walmart plan, right ?
 
nutzo said:
Since I'm on WiFi at home and at work, I hardly use any data on my t-mobile plan. Even though I have the 2GB plan, my S3 usually averages around 150GB/month. Guess that's because I don't use facebook :)
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Facebook was used because prep one don't understand the amount pictures take. But you using 150 gb a month you'd need to stay on wifi...
 
My wife and I both have 200mb each and its plenty for two reasons. One we always use wifi, and two, we never get any tmobile signal so we couldnt use 200mb+ data anyway... at least thats how it is in west michigan.

Its a shame wifi calling is so buggy
 
nutzo said:
I sure don't want to pay for unlimited when I don;t use much data.

How about a tiered plan that bases your cost on how much you use each month?
(prices somewhat based on t-mobiles current pricing):

Use less than 200MB, you pay $10 that month
200 MB to 2GB, $20
2GB to 5GB, $30
Over 5GB (unlimited) $40

No crazy over charges, instead they just move you to the next tier that month & send you a text letting you know.
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Ting.com does this kind of tiered pricing. Mind it's using Sprint network only for data, (voice and text does roam) but it's a really good deal for light data users if you have coverage. I really hate the all or nothing type of data plans being shoved down consumer throats these days.
 
buttons said:
My wife and I both have 200mb each and its plenty for two reasons. One we always use wifi, and two, we never get any tmobile signal so we couldnt use 200mb+ data anyway... at least thats how it is in west michigan.

Its a shame wifi calling is so buggy
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I still can't figure out why no one can figure this out, blackberry's 5 years ago had "UMA" mode and it basically showed up just like a gsm connection, texts, calling, everything went over wifi perfectly :(
 
krotch said:
They should just get rid of all the plans and just have the unlimited data that's available. Stop giving ppl anything lower than unlimited.

I'm on unlimited and I'm pretty much...unlimited. I do get throttled after hitting around 30 GB of downloads, but only seem to be at half bandwith, which is still better than Verizon's lowest available DSL.
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People like you are why the carriers are doing this shit in the first place... Bandwidth is not free and people that take advantage of unlimited plans by using their phone as their primary internet for home is whats ruining it for everyone.

I know you think bandwidth is powered by magic fairy dust and costs nothing but it dont. Thank you for being part of the problem. :rolleyes:
 
It doesn't matter anyhow. Tmobile internet blows anyhow. I've had them since February and can't even begin to use over 500Mb a month because of how sorry their internet is. We had 5MB when we started, but I called int the second month and lowered it to 2. I wish they had a 1MB or 750KB plan so I wouldn't feel like they are taking my money for almost nothing. We plan on switching to Verizon because at least their stuff works. I guess that's the price you pay for something that works.
 
ravx25 said:
It doesn't matter anyhow. Tmobile internet blows anyhow. I've had them since February and can't even begin to use over 500Mb a month because of how sorry their internet is. We had 5MB when we started, but I called int the second month and lowered it to 2. I wish they had a 1MB or 750KB plan so I wouldn't feel like they are taking my money for almost nothing. We plan on switching to Verizon because at least their stuff works. I guess that's the price you pay for something that works.
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WTF phone are you using? Some sort of dumbphone with a browser? Tmobiles network is plenty fast.
 
ninjaturtle said:
Now only if they let me tether for my 5GB unlimited $30 prepay plan. Just got redirected telling me I can't for that plan and I never went over 5GB.:mad:
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LOL...same with mine (Got the Galaxy Exhibit II 4G). I hacked the phone and removed the tethetr manager...then installed a real one.


$30 was just too hard to pass for 5GB of 4G and unlimited Text, but the 100 minutes kind of sucks.
 
tazeat said:
I still can't figure out why no one can figure this out, blackberry's 5 years ago had "UMA" mode and it basically showed up just like a gsm connection, texts, calling, everything went over wifi perfectly :(
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It's over billing issues, similar to how no normal person really understands data usage. You had people taking routers all over the world thinking they could make free calls everywhere and getting upset when it was treated as a international call, and people leaving and joining the cell network from wifi calls and complaining because they didn't think it was billed right. It's not worth it.
 
Disposed said:
People like you are why the carriers are doing this shit in the first place... Bandwidth is not free and people that take advantage of unlimited plans by using their phone as their primary internet for home is whats ruining it for everyone.

I know you think bandwidth is powered by magic fairy dust and costs nothing but it dont. Thank you for being part of the problem. :rolleyes:
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There seems to be a contradiction there .....taking advantage of unlimited plans

Who the hell would have thought that unlimited means unlimited? :rolleyes:
 
-PK- said:
On Monthly 4G they charge $15/month for tethering, unless you hack your phone or something.


It's nice that they realized 200mb was way too small. Really only useful when you use your phone for navigation and the occasional email, and use wifi for web browsing. They could have bumped it up to 750mb of course, but that wouldn't generate as much money as removing the option entirely. :rolleyes:
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I don't pay tethering. I pay $53 after taxes on unlimited everything. May have something to do with being with them for a long time, since Voicestream days.
 
Ryokurin said:
It's over billing issues, similar to how no normal person really understands data usage. You had people taking routers all over the world thinking they could make free calls everywhere and getting upset when it was treated as a international call, and people leaving and joining the cell network from wifi calls and complaining because they didn't think it was billed right. It's not worth it.
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If you're using the internet, you SHOULD be able to make a call from anywhere in the world without any special rates... You're not using any foreign cell networks are you? T-Mobile's certainly not paying any more than if you were in the states, it arrives at their internet endpoints all the same. That was BS how they were trying to charge international rates on IP calls... And probably is part of what stifled it.
 
Gavv said:
There seems to be a contradiction there .....taking advantage of unlimited plans

Who the hell would have thought that unlimited means unlimited? :rolleyes:
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Unlimited data for phone != unlimited data for every device in your house through the phone. Its people using ungodly amounts of data with tethering that ruins it for everyone.
 
Disposed said:
Unlimited data for phone != unlimited data for every device in your house through the phone. Its people using ungodly amounts of data with tethering that ruins it for everyone.
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Again you are missing a simple word... unlimited. If you have unlimited one device or 600 unlimited is unlimited. If they didn't want that to be used they should have been smart enough not to use the term in the first place.

It didn't say all YOU could eat... it said unlimited....

Such a simple concept...
 
Gavv said:
Again you are missing a simple word... unlimited. If you have unlimited one device or 600 unlimited is unlimited. If they didn't want that to be used they should have been smart enough not to use the term in the first place.

It didn't say all YOU could eat... it said unlimited....

Such a simple concept...
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Quit playing games with words. Unlimited data in no way implies unlimited data for unlimited devices.
 
Unlimited means no limit, there is nothing about devices in that word, so its okay to be picky about its use. Communication companies are on a tight leash because they are such a national asset. They cant just go around being dicks without getting in trouble. Regulators are there to protect us from tricks like "Unlimited*

*There is a limit"
 
Trimlock said:
These plans has no place with smart phones period, 200 mb? thats like an hour on facebook.
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Glad you are making that decision for everyone. Oh wait, not. 200mb is enough for me, most of the time. You can get by on Wi-Fi or with a PC at home most of the time.
 
bAMtan2 said:
Unlimited means no limit, there is nothing about devices in that word, so its okay to be picky about its use. Communication companies are on a tight leash because they are such a national asset. They cant just go around being dicks without getting in trouble. Regulators are there to protect us from tricks like "Unlimited*

*There is a limit"
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unless you're paying for tethering, it's in your terms of agreement
 
ravx25 said:
It doesn't matter anyhow. Tmobile internet blows anyhow. I've had them since February and can't even begin to use over 500Mb a month because of how sorry their internet is. We had 5MB when we started, but I called int the second month and lowered it to 2. I wish they had a 1MB or 750KB plan so I wouldn't feel like they are taking my money for almost nothing. We plan on switching to Verizon because at least their stuff works. I guess that's the price you pay for something that works.
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Guess it depends on where you live/work.
I have t-mobile, and when I got my S3 I tested the "4G" speed (yes I know it's not really 4G) at the office, and it peeked out ar over 7mbit/sec. At home I only got around 5mbit. At that kind of speed I'm sure I could hit my 2GB cap pretty quickly if I wanted to.
 
Disposed said:
People like you are why the carriers are doing this shit in the first place... Bandwidth is not free and people that take advantage of unlimited plans by using their phone as their primary internet for home is whats ruining it for everyone.

I know you think bandwidth is powered by magic fairy dust and costs nothing but it dont. Thank you for being part of the problem. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes, because 2 am is when everyone uses the bandwidth. During peak hours, this is exactly how much bandwidth I use. 0 mb. When I'm awake, the phone pretty much just sits there, doing nothing. Maybe 10-20 min of phone use a month and

It was hardly my primary internet either. I was on Verizon DSL, Verizon FIOS, and Clearwire.
 
Damn...hate how you can't edit.

"Maybe 10-20 min of phone use a month and" was meant to be

Maybe 10-20 min of phone use a month and around 200 SMS a month (which doesn't use data bandwidth).
 
krotch said:
Yes, because 2 am is when everyone uses the bandwidth. During peak hours, this is exactly how much bandwidth I use. 0 mb. When I'm awake, the phone pretty much just sits there, doing nothing. Maybe 10-20 min of phone use a month and

It was hardly my primary internet either. I was on Verizon DSL, Verizon FIOS, and Clearwire.
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Do you have usage charts from the phone companies showing the time of day when they experience max cell phone data usage?

What I am sayng is you could be wrong in your assumption, there are probably very large numbers of people who think exactly like you and would do downloads at the same time. I would not be surprised if the least used time is around 8-11am.
 
BBA said:
Do you have usage charts from the phone companies showing the time of day when they experience max cell phone data usage?

What I am sayng is you could be wrong in your assumption, there are probably very large numbers of people who think exactly like you and would do downloads at the same time. I would not be surprised if the least used time is around 8-11am.
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Nah, I know it's not 8-11 am, cause I had 2 weeks off after deployment and those were some of the worse bandwidth times. Pretty much from 6 am - 9 pm, bandwidth was terrible. Would slowly clear up after 9 pm, and would be full throttle at 11 pm.

But that's why I had multiple ISPs. I let them overlap for a couple months, cause I was downloading a lot of anime after my 6 month deployment. Had to catch up, but dumped the DSL afterwords. Kept the Clearwire for a year after that for my laptop, since connection at work blew. Only tethered my tablet to my phone for email/websurfing, and FIOS for home use.

Now, I only have the T-Mo plan and I use pretty much nothing on it. No phone calls, no SMS, no data. I'm in Germany for 4 months, but I didn't feel like losing my old plan. A new plan costs the same, but gives me only like 4-8 gig of high speed data (can't remember).
 
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