T-Mobile Unveils Doubled Data Plans, Free Video Streaming at Un-Carrier X Event

[MacRumors]

T-Mobile CEO John Legere today hosted an Un-Carrier X event, where he announced T-Mobile's latest offering, free video streaming. Going forward, T-Mobile customers who watch streaming video will not have the video data count towards their monthly data usage.

That means services like Netflix and Hulu will no longer eat up data, making T-Mobile's data plans go further. T-Mobile's lowest-priced plan costs $50 per month and includes just 2GB of data, but T-Mobile is now the only company that excludes video streaming data from data usage. T-Mobile also allows for free streaming music, a perk introduced at an earlier event.

With the new Binge-On free video streaming service, there are 24 current partners, and the program is open to any video streaming product that wants to participate. Binge-On uses a proprietary data compression algorithm to stream 480p "DVD quality" video that uses a smaller amount of data to a T-Mobile device. For those who don't want to use the compression service, it can be toggled off. Binge-On is available to customers with a 3GB plan or higher.

Binge-On partners at launch include Netflix, HBO Now, HBO Go, Hulu, WatchESPN, Showtime, Starz Play, Encore Play, Vevo, MLB.tv, NBC Sports, Movieplex Play, Vessel, Sling TV, Sling Box, T-Mobile TV, Go90, DirecTV, Univision Sports, Crackle, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Go, Vudu, and Ustream.

T-Mobile has also doubled the amount of data available to its Simple Choice customers. Rather than offering data in 1GB, 3GB, and 5GB increments, T-Mobile is now offering 2GB, 6GB, 10GB, and unlimited plans.

Customer plans are being doubled at no cost and a new Family Match promotion doubles the amount of data available to each family member. A family of four can now get 6GB of data each for a total of $120 per month using Family Match. Family Match includes a free fourth line for all customers as part of a limited time promotion.

Over the course of the last two years, T-Mobile has aimed to disrupt traditional mobile service with its 10 "Un-carrier" initiatives. The company began with uncoupling device costs from service costs in 2013, and then went on to offer several additional incentives to encourage customers to switch to the carrier, including paying early termination fees, offering a JUMP! upgrade plan, unlimited texting and 2G data in 100 countries, free streaming music from Spotify, Rdio, iTunes Radio, and Pandora, one week free trials to test the T-Mobile service, Wi-Fi calling, data rollovers, and low-cost plans for businesses.

Article Link: T-Mobile Unveils Doubled Data Plans, Free Video Streaming at Un-Carrier X Event

 

[aforty]

How about prepaid plans. Double the data for those too?

 

[jasonxneo]

Bye At&t.... nice knowing you

 

[applelover4u]

TMobile is doing big things and shaking up the industry!!!

 

[preludeoflight]

Binge-On partners at launch include Netflix, HBO Now, HBO Go, Hulu, Sling, WatchESPN, Showtime, Starz Play, Encore Play, Vevo, MLB.tv, NBC Sports, Univision Sports, Crackle, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Go, Vudu, and Ustream.

While on one hand, I appreciate T-Mo trying to not count the biggest offender of mobile data usage... on the other, this sure is starting to sound like the Satellite/Cable TV packages. "And for only 5 bucks more a month, such-and-such different streaming service also doesn't count against your data usage."

Yuck.

 

[DondurmacI]

Twitch.tv please join this!

 

[naeS1Sean]

I hope AT&T and Verizon are watching...

 

[sniffies]

I remember the days when T-mobile was thought to be the crappiest wireless company.

 

[JKarnsy]

Uhhhh, well this is totally awesome.

 

[naeS1Sean]

How about prepaid plans. Double the data for those too?

I doubt it, but just a guess.

 

[cchunk]

This is absolutely insane. No data usage for videos AND music? All thats left is data for apps like Instagram and Facebook. Seems like a no brainer. Hopefully other companies follow suit

 

[applelover4u]

I hope AT&T and Verizon are watching...

They are actually in the audience right now. John already pointed them out. He sent them invites

 

[Eidorian]

How about prepaid plans. Double the data for those too?

That is what I want to know.

 

[applelover4u]

This is absolutely insane. No data usage for videos AND music? All thats left is data for apps like Instagram and Facebook. Seems like a no brainer. Hopefully other companies follow suit

you still got browsing, downloading etc/ Youtube is not included

 

[jrlcopy]

Hmm, might be up for trying them out now. Though friends that have used tmobile sims in their phone have had really bad service. :/

 

[dugbug]

If I have their 10GB plan, will I get auto-bumped to 20? I noticed they don't mention 20 in their chart....

 

[acgmph]

So if Comcast decides to push their dumb data caps on all of their customers, I now can just rely on my TMo. Already had their unlimited plan, but this is even better! Thanks John!

 

[i5pro]

If only their coverage by me was better.

 

[MrXiro]

How about prepaid plans. Double the data for those too?

I can already tell you No on that one. Same as the Music plan.

 

[JDHiro]

While on one hand, I appreciate T-Mo trying to not count the biggest offender of mobile data usage... on the other, this sure is starting to sound like the Satellite/Cable TV packages. "And for only 5 bucks more a month, such-and-such different streaming service also doesn't count against your data usage."

Yuck.

There is no upsell here. They just took existing plans and made them better.

 

[MrXiro]

While on one hand, I appreciate T-Mo trying to not count the biggest offender of mobile data usage... on the other, this sure is starting to sound like the Satellite/Cable TV packages. "And for only 5 bucks more a month, such-and-such different streaming service also doesn't count against your data usage."

Yuck.

Where was additional money brought up?

 

[avanpelt]

YouTube is noticeably absent from the list...for now.

 

[CEmajr]

Sounds good but this raises serious questions about net neutrality. Also wonder what type of effect this will have on network congestion.

 

[bgraham]

Because **** net neutrality!

 

[whodatrr]

But you don't have to go that way. When I switched, I just got the unlimited everything plan. i don;t worry about caps or squat. The only cap I have is 7GB for my wireless hot spot, which I couldn't even use on AT&T.

Now, I wonder if this works with the wifi hot spot? Hard to see how, as it will likely be streaming to another device without that compression...?

Anyhow, I like what T-Mobile is doing.

While on one hand, I appreciate T-Mo trying to not count the biggest offender of mobile data usage... on the other, this sure is starting to sound like the Satellite/Cable TV packages. "And for only 5 bucks more a month, such-and-such different streaming service also doesn't count against your data usage."

Yuck.