Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets! (Updated 8/29/2016)

[YaSo]

Re: Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets!

A few questions:

1) Do existing family plan customers need to do anything on or before Sept. 6th to STAY on their current plan?

2) Will purchasing a new phone on or after Sept. 6th (and making payments through T-Mo) force you to give up your old plan?

Thanks

 

[Tech2011]

Re: Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets!

A few questions:

1) Do existing family plan customers need to do anything on or before Sept. 6th to STAY on their current plan?

2) Will purchasing a new phone on or after Sept. 6th (and making payments through T-Mo) force you to give up your old plan?

Thanks

To answer question 1: no, you don't need to do anything to stay on your current plan. You will be (or so they say) allowed to stay on your current plan for as long as you want - no action required on your part.

Unfortunately I am not entirely sure about question 2. But my suspicion is that the answer is no, buying a new phone through EIP will not force you off your old plan. But I don't know if anyone has asked that question to a TMO rep and has gotten an answer back. So at this point this is only my guess. If you want a definitive answer, you will want to reach out to a T-Mobile rep.

 

[raino]

Re: Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets!

T-Mobile doesn't really care much about single line, low data users. At $70 per line, if you use a gig or two, you're overpaying. You'd be better off at a MVNO or Project Fi. Users like this must comprise such a small number of their new customers that it's not worth wooing them.

According to Andrew Martonik (in comments,) the average user two years ago was using <2GB in an average month. Let's generously say that has doubled within the last two years, that's still 4GB. So a 26GB plan for most people is overkill. And it's a curated money grab by TMO--considering HD video and tethering have been stripped out, along with the "de-prioritization" waiver Music Freedom got and the unlimited hotspot Binge On got.

This plan actually tells me that they aren't looking to screw existing UDP plans, they are just looking to eliminate the fringe cases that are using their phones as home WiFi going forward.

I disagree.

1. 14GB is not home WiFi-level usage--especially if TMO expects us to believe that "unlimited" (26GB) on-phone usage is OK.
2. TMO already has a history of tracking and shutting down fringe cases.
3. They are still offering 15GB (and more) SMHS starting at $30. If shutting down "heavy" tethering was their goal, why offer any SMHS options--that too more than the current UDP's 14GB limit?

A few questions:

1) Do existing family plan customers need to do anything on or before Sept. 6th to STAY on their current plan?

2) Will purchasing a new phone on or after Sept. 6th (and making payments through T-Mo) force you to give up your old plan?

Thanks

1) 'No' is what they're saying at the moment.
2) See this: http://i.redd.it/8tao5d5388gx.png, but I would double check if you have a UDP.

 

[Almeuit]

Re: Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets!



T-Mobile has that on their splash page right now for people that have existing plans and I hope they stick to it because I do not want to go to that stupid plan.

If T-Mobile was to force me off of the plan I have currently I probably would just go to AT&T since I can get unlimited data through them now. It would cost me 20 bucks more for the gf and I (each) to go to that.

 

[HawaiiD]

Re: Uncarrier 12! No Data Buckets!

View attachment 236832

T-Mobile has that on their splash page right now for people that have existing plans and I hope they stick to it because I do not want to go to that stupid plan.

If T-Mobile was to force me off of the plan I have currently I probably would just go to AT&T since I can get unlimited data through them now. It would cost me 20 bucks more for the gf and I (each) to go to that.

I just read an article on PC magazine site. It was a Q&A session with T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray and CMO Andrew Sherrard.
Here is a interesting question and answer regarding current customers and their rate plan.


Do T-Mobile subscribers have to switch to T-Mobile One?
Also no. You can keep your existing plan. Sherrard agreed, for instance, that if you have the two-line $100 unlimited deal that was out for a while, it's a better deal than the new plan.

"Anybody who has any existing rate plans, they can keep them forever," Sherrard said. In those words. "Nobody has to change, we're not going to migrate anybody over."

According to Andrew Martonik (in comments,) the average user two years ago was using <2GB in an average month. Let's generously say that has doubled within the last two years, that's still 4GB. So a 26GB plan for most people is overkill. And it's a curated money grab by TMO--considering HD video and tethering have been stripped out, along with the "de-prioritization" waiver Music Freedom got and the unlimited hotspot Binge On got.



I disagree.

1. 14GB is not home WiFi-level usage--especially if TMO expects us to believe that "unlimited" (26GB) on-phone usage is OK.
2. TMO already has a history of tracking and shutting down fringe cases.
3. They are still offering 15GB (and more) SMHS starting at $30. If shutting down "heavy" tethering was their goal, why offer any SMHS options--that too more than the current UDP's 14GB limit?



1) 'No' is what they're saying at the moment.
2) See this: http://i.redd.it/8tao5d5388gx.png, but I would double check if you have a UDP.

 

[Almeuit]

Looks like T-Mobile updated their plans.

T-Mobile offers unlimited LTE tethering, but at a cost | Android Central

Unlimited LTE hotspot sounds nice and all .. If you don't plan for that to be your majority usage when using the "Plus" add-on. If so T-Mobile will most likely kick you off the plan.

 

[npaladin-2000]

Looks like T-Mobile updated their plans.

T-Mobile offers unlimited LTE tethering, but at a cost | Android Central

Unlimited LTE hotspot sounds nice and all .. If you don't plan for that to be your majority usage when using the "Plus" add-on. If so T-Mobile will most likely kick you off the plan.

Frankly, "3G" is quite usable in a pinch on the base plan. Regular tethering users belong on the Plus plan. I think the two-level thing is really the way to go, rather than one level plus add-ons. Now there's a "basic" and a "premium" tier, both unlimited, but the premium has advanced features for power users.

They might still need a cheap plan to slot in under that if they plan to get rid of Simple Choice eventually. Unless they want to just ship those users over to MetroPCS.

 

[Almeuit]

Frankly, "3G" is quite usable in a pinch on the base plan. Regular tethering users belong on the Plus plan. I think the two-level thing is really the way to go, rather than one level plus add-ons. Now there's a "basic" and a "premium" tier, both unlimited, but the premium has advanced features for power users.

They might still need a cheap plan to slot in under that if they plan to get rid of Simple Choice eventually. Unless they want to just ship those users over to MetroPCS.

I am just going to keep my 2 lines / $100 a month fully unlimited plan. Much better deal. 7 GB hotspot on each line but we can also get "unlimited" tether if we just flip Binge On back to the "On" position. You can then stream any of the services without counting against tether.

 

[Thegreatone3]

I am just going to keep my 2 lines / $100 a month fully unlimited plan. Much better deal. 7 GB hotspot on each line but we can also get "unlimited" tether if we just flip Binge On back to the "On" position. You can then stream any of the services without counting against tether.

Same here. Hopefully they won't force us off this plan anytime soon. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ry]

Honest question: what does T-Mobile think data actually is? | The Verge

I asked T-Mobile for the company’s definition of "data" and a spokesperson said "that’s not something I could give you," but suggested that the company was on "the right side of history," and that the goal was to make "unlimited sustainable for the mass market."

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Same here. Hopefully they won't force us off this plan anytime soon. Fingers crossed.

They've said you can keep your plan. I signed up for a promo plan last year and they told me my plan was that if and until I changed it.

I also have a very old plan that you only get charged for the mins you use. If you don't use it, there isn't a charge. They haven't ever forced us off that one.

 

[Aquila]

The only way T Mobile is on the right side of history is if the goal is to destroy consumer choice and Net Neutrality in favor of maximum profits for almost zero effort other than lip service.

Three very important things from me to T-Mobile:

1. You CANNOT treat some data differently than others. All different types of content are simply that - data. There's no difference from a carrier standpoint between video at full res vs video at crippled res vs music at great quality vs music that's sabotaged to barely sound passible vs tethered video watch vs downloading an app. It's all just data. Charging differently for different types of usage is not only a violation of Net Neutrality, it's immoral since you are telling consumers how to utilize their devices rather than accommodating how they want to use their devices.
2. Your network is still garbage. 4G speeds top out at 1 Gbps. You simply don't have that. 5G is supposed to be 10 Gbps. 10. You're developing a 5G network when you can't even do 4G yet. You don't cover HUGE portions of the country. Cool, you cover the biggest cities. You don't yet cover the top 200 markets and have some states almost entirely untouched. Instead of giving your customers a free pizza or car wash or whatever, do everyone a favor and finish your network. Because it sucks. It's great in a few places, but it needs to be everywhere.
3. Pricing. You are WAY overpriced. On Verizon my plan is unlimited data for $30. Per Verizon's recent activities, it's become clear that it's really 100 GB. So that's the going rate for data. Not $100 for 26 GB, it's $30 for 100 GB. And that price can never increase because technology always makes data cheaper.

So here's the plan; it's called The Simple Plan. You provide LTE coverage everywhere in the continental US at up to* 1 Gbps for a price of $30 per 100 GB. You never, ever, ever make any active decision based on the type of data being used by the consumer. That means no throttling, network sabotage, deprioritization, content sabotage, pricing changes ... nothing. Never, ever. The Simple Plan will make you the carrier of choice. You want to be the un-carrier? Data is free, no restrictions until your freaking 5G network is FINISHED being built out, and by built out I mean covering 98% of people at all times with no degradation of service at speeds of up to* 10 Gbps. After it's finished, $1 per 100 GB per customer.

 

[HawaiiD]

The only way T Mobile is on the right side of history is if the goal is to destroy consumer choice and Net Neutrality in favor of maximum profits for almost zero effort other than lip service.

Three very important things from me to T-Mobile:

1. You CANNOT treat some data differently than others. All different types of content are simply that - data. There's no difference from a carrier standpoint between video at full res vs video at crippled res vs music at great quality vs music that's sabotaged to barely sound passible vs tethered video watch vs downloading an app. It's all just data. Charging differently for different types of usage is not only a violation of Net Neutrality, it's immoral since you are telling consumers how to utilize their devices rather than accommodating how they want to use their devices.
2. Your network is still garbage. 4G speeds top out at 1 Gbps. You simply don't have that. 5G is supposed to be 10 Gbps. 10. You're developing a 5G network when you can't even do 4G yet. You don't cover HUGE portions of the country. Cool, you cover the biggest cities. You don't yet cover the top 200 markets and have some states almost entirely untouched. Instead of giving your customers a free pizza or car wash or whatever, do everyone a favor and finish your network. Because it sucks. It's great in a few places, but it needs to be everywhere.
3. Pricing. You are WAY overpriced. On Verizon my plan is unlimited data for $30. Per Verizon's recent activities, it's become clear that it's really 100 GB. So that's the going rate for data. Not $100 for 26 GB, it's $30 for 100 GB. And that price can never increase because technology always makes data cheaper.

So here's the plan; it's called The Simple Plan. You provide LTE coverage everywhere in the continental US at up to* 1 Gbps for a price of $30 per 100 GB. You never, ever, ever make any active decision based on the type of data being used by the consumer. That means no throttling, network sabotage, deprioritization, content sabotage, pricing changes ... nothing. Never, ever. The Simple Plan will make you the carrier of choice. You want to be the un-carrier? Data is free, no restrictions until your freaking 5G network is FINISHED being built out, and by built out I mean covering 98% of people at all times with no degradation of service at speeds of up to* 10 Gbps. After it's finished, $1 per 100 GB per customer.

Point taken however,
I pay $127.50($150-15%) +taxes=$135.00 for 4 lines of unlimited data, unlimited talk & text, +14 GB of Hotspot each line, free data roaming in over 120 international countries (great in Japan while I was there for 2 weeks). Wifi calling back home was free. I normally have speeds around 100MB at home. Heck, I even did over a Terabyte in data in a month before. I have coverage 2 stories underground where I work. Verizon & Sprint doesn't have signals there, At&t does. As they say ymmv. Btw, I think you should include all the charges on your rate plan because I'm pretty sure you times that by 4 it won't be cheaper than the $127 I pay for 4 lines with all the features I have that are included, and not ala cart.
I don't think T-Mobile is over priced to say the least.

 

[Aquila]

Btw, I think you should include all the charges on your rate plan because I'm pretty sure you times that by 4 it won't be cheaper than the $127 I pay for 4 lines with all the features I have that are included, and not ala cart.

$30 x 4 = $120.

 

[npaladin-2000]

You know, it's nice to think that all data is the same, but as a systems and network administrator I can tell you for a fact that it isn't. And FYI the way some of you are interpreting Net Neutrality, you won't allow any sort of QoS at all, and it would be impossible to prioritize VoLTE traffic (which after all, is just data right?). Food for thought.

 

[Almeuit]

it would be impossible to prioritize VoLTE traffic (which after all, is just data right?). Food for thought.

How would it be "impossible"? I don't agree with that. Not saying I have an issue if it is or isn't but I definitely believe they can.

 

[npaladin-2000]

How would it be "impossible"? I don't agree with that. Not saying I have an issue if it is or isn't but I definitely believe they can.

Not if it's "just data." Then they can't throttle other data to favor that data, because someone's HD Netflix experience might be impacted and such.

Not saying I agree with that interpretation either, but I AM saying that some of these arguments, when carried far enough, end up there.

 

[Almeuit]

Not if it's "just data." Then they can't throttle other data to favor that data, because someone's HD Netflix experience might be impacted and such.

Not saying I agree with that interpretation either, but I AM saying that some of these arguments, when carried far enough, end up there.

Yeah you meant within NN -- My bad. My brain isn't working right now... I get what you were saying.

 

[eshropshire]

I fully agree - this is in total violation of Net Neutrality - my guess is the FCC will come down on them pronto.

 

[Aquila]

So far the FCC has been absent, don't think they're going to do anything. The EU took some steps today, and while commendable for being the first - they're not as strong as I'd prefer.