T-Mobile Introduces $70 Unlimited Data Plan, But HD Video is $25 Extra

[willdude]

Hello! Net Neutrality, anyone?! HD Video is …. Extra?! WTF?

It’s truly sad we cannot just buy a service without stipulations and fine print that most people won’t understand.

Yeah, I don't see how that's NOT a NN violation. With BingeOn, at least, the service opts-in to it. But to simply degrade *all* video seems pretty blatant, unless there's more to it than that.

It's not hurting any service providers more than others. It's all across the board.

I'm pretty sure NN applies to traffic types, not specific providers. Video is a type of traffic.

 

[avanpelt]

T-Mobile is getting to be the carrier with optional add-ons and additional fees. Want unlimited HD video? It's $25 per line. Want high-speed tethering? It's $15. Don't want to use Auto Pay? It'll cost you an extra $5 per month. Fees, fees, fees.

 

[dontwalkhand]

T-Mobile has introduced a new plan called T-Mobile ONE [PDF] that offers unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data for $70 per month. A second line can be added for $50 per month, while up to six more lines can be added for an additional $20 per month each. The total cost for a family of four, for example, would be $160 per month.

T-Mobile ONE has some caveats to consider. First, unlimited video is limited to 480p standard definition for all services, with unlimited HD video available for $25 per month extra per line. Additionally, tethering is limited to 2G speeds, with 5GB of high-speed tethering available as a $15 add-on.

T-Mobile's existing Simple Choice plan with unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data costs $95 per month and includes unlimited HD video and 14GB of LTE tethering. The carrier also offers 2GB, 6GB, and 10GB of 4G LTE for $50, $65, and $80 respectively. It is unclear if these plans will be retired September 6 for new customers.

T-Mobile also clarified that, as with its Simple Choice plans, customers using the most data -- specifically the highest 3 percent -- may see their data traffic prioritized behind other users once they cross a threshold of around 26GB of data during their billing month. The carrier noted that throttling will only occur at specific times and places where there is network congestion.

The new plan includes usual T-Mobile perks such as Simple Global, Mobile Without Borders, Wi-Fi Unleashed, Stock Up, and T-Mobile Tuesdays. T-Mobile will also pay up to $650 in early termination fees to customers who switch over from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint through its Carrier Freedom program.

T-Mobile ONE will be available for new postpaid customers on September 6, while new prepaid customers will be able to get the plan "in the future." Existing customers have the option to keep the Simple Choice plans they have or switch to T-Mobile ONE. The plan costs $5/month extra per line without AutoPay enabled.

T-Mobile follows in the footsteps of new data plans from AT&T and Verizon.

Article Link: T-Mobile Introduces $70 Unlimited Data Plan, But HD Video is $25 Extra

How about making device payments go down first? To have a 6S is another $25 a month per line I believe.

 

[BeSweeet]

Oh. That's not howntbwas explained to me. Wouldn't this then allow a rather easy workaround, potentially? With jailbreak of course.

I don't see how a jailbreak can get around this. It's all done on T-Mobile's end.

T-Mobile is getting to be the carrier with optional add-ons and additional fees. Want unlimited HD video? It's $25 per line. Want high-speed tethering? It's $15. Don't want to use Auto Pay? It'll cost you an extra $5 per month. Fees, fees, fees.

It's about giving users more options. If you don't want those things, then don't add / pay.

 

[MysteryMii215]

how can they restrict HD video? Like if you open the YouTube app and try to change the stream to 1080p it won't let you? or what?

Have you not heard of Binge On? It will either A) slow down the bandwidth speed to 1.5mbps (the speed required for 480p video), or B) some video providers (like YouTube) will detect that you're on T-Mobile with Binge On enabled and automatically switch the video resolution to 480p.

 

[bigpics]

I have the older Simple Choice unlimited everything plan for $80/month - which can be "de-prioritized" after 21GB, a figure I monitor when I get close, which hasn't been often.

Helluva deal I'm glad I snagged when the snagging was good. Hope I don't have to give it up when I change phones or anything. (Unless something better comes along). And the network service has been better than I expected, plus the reps in the stores have been surprisingly knowledgeable and helpful....

...I was with Verizon for a good number of years, and miss them not.

 

[deany]

Shame its not unlimited tethering and zero throttling.
One day.

 

[BeSweeet]

Shame its not unlimited tethering and zero throttling.
One day.

I don't see this happening until 5G is rolled out and matured. It's just not practical on LTE networks.

 

[lordofthereef]

Have you not heard of Binge On? It will either A) slow down the bandwidth speed to 1.5mbps (the speed required for 480p video), or B) some video providers (like YouTube) will detect that you're on T-Mobile with Binge On enabled and automatically switch the video resolution to 480p.

This was my understanding, though I thought there was much more involved than merely bandwidth reduction. I thighs there was actual compression involved but it seems they leave that up to the content provider.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I've liked nearly everything since switching to T-Mobile almost a year ago, but this "Uncarrier" move is not Uncarrier at all. And it's not a good deal at all, at least for me.

We currently have 2 lines on T-Mobile and we pay a total $80 a month (plus tax) for 20 GB each and we don't even come close to using it. And I can watch HD content and tether that data too. Why on earth would I want to switch to this?

 

[76ShovelHead]

Sounds like my sprint plan, except I pay $100 for two phones to have unlimited everything including no restrictions to my 4G LTE. Sprint also charges for tethering but my phone is a rooted Nexus, so I don't.... Haha

 

[avanpelt]

It's about giving users more options. If you don't want those things, then don't add / pay.

Ahhh, I see. If T-Mobile gives people a bunch of options, it's seen as a good thing. If Verizon or AT&T give people endless options, Legere says they're trying to confuse people and calls it bull***t. Seems like the pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me.

 

[aristobrat]

This is the part that I have never understood... Is it merely greed on the part of the US Carriers, or is there some rationale that is even marginally reasonable that would justify the massive price differences?

The Big Four US carriers' plans don't have restrictions when you use them within the US (including noncontiguous locations, like Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, etc). You can be from Florida and travel 4,700 miles up to Alaska, and your plan still works the same.

That's not the case for many of the inexpensive European carrier plans. You may get 30GB of 4GB data for 15€ in Ireland, but if you travel ~800 miles east to Germany (which is about the distance of traveling from Chicago to New York City), there are often restrictions on how much of that voice/data can be used.

That's changing. I guess the EU gov't is mandating that EU carriers make it so that plans from one country work the same all across the EU zone. When that happens, I can't imagine the EU carriers won't increase the price of their plans.

 

[BeSweeet]

Ahhh, I see. If T-Mobile gives people a bunch of options, it's seen as a good thing. If Verizon or AT&T give people endless options, Legere says they're trying to confuse people and calls it bull***t. Seems like the pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me.

I personally don't see the others offering more options bad either. Legere is a hypocrite sometimes, though more often in recent announcements.

 

[avanpelt]

I personally don't see the others offering more options bad either. Legere is a hypocrite sometimes, though more often in recent announcements.

I agree with you.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Yuck... so it's really an unlimited plan for $110 a month or 2 lines for $200 and $320 for a family of 4...
Compared to the AT&T/DirecTV Unlimited, which is $220 for a family of 4.

Can't we just skip ahead past this BS and sell me Download/Upload speed tiers that are just unlimited, like home internet?

 

[milo]

T-Mobile is getting to be the carrier with optional add-ons and additional fees. Want unlimited HD video? It's $25 per line. Want high-speed tethering? It's $15. Don't want to use Auto Pay? It'll cost you an extra $5 per month. Fees, fees, fees.

They could just include HD video and charge $95 a month, isn't it preferable to give consumers the option to save the $25 per month if they don't care about watching HD on a phone?

For comparison, what other companies are offering unlimited data for $95 per month?

We currently have 2 lines on T-Mobile and we pay a total $80 a month (plus tax) for 20 GB each and we don't even come close to using it. And I can watch HD content and tether that data too.

You can watch HD content but if you do much of it you're going to eat up that data pretty fast. Same with tethering. I don't really get the comparisons that people are paying less for plans that aren't unlimited. Well, of course. Once someone has an unlimited plan they are going to use it much more, and that would include switching video to HD if the plan allowed it. Of course they could include HD for everyone if they wanted but it would have to be at a higher price.

 

[BeSweeet]

Yuck... so it's really an unlimited plan for $110 a month or 2 lines for $200 and $320 for a family of 4...
Compared to the AT&T/DirecTV Unlimited, which is $220 for a family of 4.

Can't we just skip ahead past this BS and sell me Download/Upload speed tiers that are just unlimited, like home internet?

If you factor in all of the add-ons, then yes, it's 2 for $200 or 4 for $300 (not sure where your $320 came from, unless you included the $5/mo. add-on for unlimited 2G wearable usage). Quite pricey if you absolutely want all that stuff.

 

[dannyyankou]

So basically it's the same $95 plan they already had but you can get it for $25 cheaper if you don't care about HD video.

I could barely tell the difference between 480p and 720p on my phone anyway, this is intriguing.

 

[Jyby]

US carrier plans are so ****! Here in the UK I pay £23 ($30) for 30GB data over 4G, which includes tethering (full 30GB over 4G), unlimited texts and 200 minutes call time, no contract. For £33/month ($43) I can upgrade that to unlimited data and 2000 minutes call time.

Yeah thats sounds nice for your tiny little island nation.. The United States is massive and includes Hawaii and Alaska... Which explains why we pay more fyi

 

[5105973]

OMG, I would have killed to have had that jacket in 1984!

When we decided to get Note 7s (in addition to keeping out AT&T iPhones) my husband and I would have loved to take advantage of the many deals offered by T-Mobile.

But I already use them for data service on my LTE enabled iPad and can rarely get a decent signal either at my house or my parents house. Sometimes the service just dies altogether. I can understand that at my house but my parents live just outside of Washington DC for crying out loud and are definitely listed on their coverage map.

They were our service when I had a T-Mobile Dash phone, which I loved. But again, coverage was awful. It's a shame, I thought they had good customer service and some of their plans have appeal.

 

[milo]

Yuck... so it's really an unlimited plan for $110 a month or 2 lines for $200 and $320 for a family of 4...
Compared to the AT&T/DirecTV Unlimited, which is $220 for a family of 4.

ATT doesn't include tethering with that plan and I don't see that it is even an available option. Plus correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that plan only available if you are buying TV service from ATT? For people who don't have their cable/dish, you'd need to compare to whatever ATT plan doesn't require that, if an option even exists.

 

[BeSweeet]

ATT doesn't include tethering with that plan and I don't see that it is even an available option. Plus correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that plan only available if you are buying TV service from ATT? For people who don't have their cable/dish, you'd need to compare to whatever ATT plan doesn't require that, if an option even exists.

You're right -- it requires DirecTV / U-verse. Many people are making direct comparisons without factoring that requirement in.

 

[BuffaloTF]

If you factor in all of the add-ons, then yes, it's 2 for $200 or 4 for $300 (not sure where your $320 came from, unless you included the $5/mo. add-on for unlimited 2G wearable usage). Quite pricey if you absolutely want all that stuff.

It's 320. Broken out: 110 line 1, 90 line 2, 60 (20 for access+25 for video+15 for tether) lines 3 and 4.
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ATT doesn't include tethering with that plan and I don't see that it is even an available option. Plus correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that plan only available if you are buying TV service from ATT? For people who don't have their cable/dish, you'd need to compare to whatever ATT plan doesn't require that, if an option even exists.

Then subtract 60 dollars from the 320. AT&T is still cheaper.

And yes, it's a requirement. So if you don't already have it, you'd just be replacing 1 identically priced bill for another... net/net for TV and a 40 dollar savings for AT&T.

 

[BeSweeet]

It's 320. Broken out: 110 line 1, 90 line 2, 60 (20 for access+25 for video+15 for tether) lines 3 and 4.

Line access (70/50/30/30) x4: $180
Add-ons (25/15) x4: $160
Total: $340