T-Mobile adds new 10GB mobile data plan
The carrier is promising no overage fees. Instead, it will throttle back on the data speed until the billing cycle ends for those who pass the 10GB mark.
T-Mobile has unveiled a new data plan that gives mobile broadband users up to 10GB each month and no overage costs for a price of $85.
Launched yesterday, the new "10 GB Web access + Unlimited T-Mobile HotSpot" mobile broadband plan is designed for T-Mobile 3G or 4G cellular subscribers who hop onto the Internet via their tablets, Netbooks, and notebooks.
With overage costs sometimes giving customers a nasty surprise when the bill is due, T-Mobile is promising no overage fees. Instead, the carrier will throttle back on the data speed until the billing cycle ends for anyone who goes beyond the 10GB allotment.
Like similar plans, this one requires a two-year commitment to qualify for the $85 monthly fee. But since T-Mobile offers a discount for users who bundle the plan with their voice service, the price could reach as low as $68 per month.
Beyond the 10GB of data, the plan also gives subscribers free access to any T-Mobile hot spot available at hotels, airports, coffee shops, and other public locales. For users whose download needs are lower, the company offers a 5GB plan that costs $50 a month and a 200MB option for $30 each month, both with the same lack of overage fees.
In comparison, Verizon Wireless offers a 10GB monthly broadband plan for $80 and a 5GB plan for $50, but in both cases charges $10 per gigabyte for anyone who crosses over the limit. AT&T sells a 5GB plan for $60 for 3G users and charges an overage fee of 5 cents per megabyte. It also offers a 4G data plan with hot-spot access for $50 a month and overage costs of $10 per gigabyte.