T-Mobile kills the 1GB data cap, takes a more friendly approach
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted September 24th 2008 6:55PM
posted September 24th 2008 6:55PM
"Our goal, when the T-Mobile G1 becomes available in October, is to provide affordable, high-speed data service allowing customers to experience the full data capabilities of the device and our 3G network. At the same time, we have a responsibility to provide the best network experience for all of our customers so we reserve the right to temporarily reduce data throughput for a small fraction of our customers who have excessive or disproportionate usage that interferes with our network performance or our ability to provide quality service to all of our customers.
We removed the 1GB soft limit from our policy statement, and we are confident that T-Mobile G1 customers will enjoy the high speed of data access over our 3G network. The specific terms for our new data plans are still being reviewed and once they are final we will be certain to share this broadly with current customers and potential new customers."
So glad they removed that ridiculous cap, and it only took one day. Hahahahahahahaa. I wonder what other 3G smartphones T-Mo will have? Does anyone know?
Traffic should be prioritized by average data transferred per day over the last week. Data from people with a lower average gets a higher priority while ones with a higher average have to wait, meaning high speeds for the former and lower speeds for the latter, with a minimum speed so that the latter's connection is not completely cut off.
You can torrent to your heart's content, but don't be surprised if you start to see 2 kb/s transfer speeds after a while. Of course, as each of your high transfer days is dropped off of the average, your speed should start to go up again.
Also, even if you have a really low priority from a high average, if no one else is using the pipe then you can use the entire thing. But if someone comes along and starts sending data back and forth, your stuff has to wait and your rate will drop.
Ahhhhh, it's mobile-Comcast!
already invented. It's called verizon wireless.
I could work with 1gb/month.
Remember, this is a PHONE. Unless you are tethering it to your PC, you should be able to pull it off.
Not to mention, its got Wifi, and with the coverage in most places, you really shouldnt have to use the 3G much.
dude, you really can't use the "it's a phone" argument anymore. I use my "phone" for Internet far more than I use it to talk to people. I have no idea what my useage is like. There is 3g coverage where I work, but no wifi in the building, because it is state gov't (though I still have a 1st gen iPhone, so I still have to rely on EDGE while I'm at work... Sigh)
Great now they just need to lower the monthly data plan cost to 15$ for non-3g areas. People who cant receive 3g speeds should not have to pay the same price as those receiving 3g speeds.
Why is this viewed as such an amazingly "good" thing? I agree, that upping the limit is generally beneficial, but in a few months we will have people complaining about how they are getting throttled for "no reason". We blast the cable companies for not having well-defined limits and then targeting customers who surpass those.
Not trying to troll on a company that is listening to its customer base, but it's very loose to say "customers that abuse the network". The hard-line is as much a protection for us as it is for them. We just need to get them to agree that a higher hard-line is in everyone's best interest. :)
That's really cool of T-Mobile!!
This sort of response to customer input makes me want to be a T-Mo customer, I'm not, as I am grandfathered into Sprint's SERO plan, and will ride that train to the end of the line, but still. BIG kudos to T-Mobile!!!
OK so let me get this straight...
If a standard ISP has a soft cap and they say that they, "reserve the right to cap a "small fraction" of users who abuse the network" everyone screams foul.
But if a cell provider says that they, " they'll reserve the right to cap a "small fraction" of users who abuse the network" everyone is happy...
I do not understand, why do we trust cell providers judgement over an ISP?
There is a hell of a lot of difference between a 1GB cap and the what? 250GB cap Shitcast is implementing.
But what makes a cell provider a better judge of who is abusing their system, than an ISP?
Before ComCast announced a real cap, they were using "Their best judgement" to determine who was abusing their system.
So why is a Cell providers judgement on who is abusing the system OK while an ISP's judgement is evil?
Gotta ditto everyone else. 1GB may have been fine for phone prior to the iHype and G1. However the high bandwidth browsers that give you the full browsing experience, youtube, etc 1GB can be EASILY hit now. IMHO a more reasonable cap would be 2-3GBish.
There shouldn't be any cap at all. Let's not give telcos/cablecos a pass on this. Build out the infrastructure to prevent the need for any caps.
@Alex>> Really they're not making you pay more for the data, they're just requiring that you get the extra messaging plan. PPC and Smartphone data plans are $20 a month on EDGE. 400 messages is $5, Unl. messages is $15. So really you are paying the same either way. 3G is usualy more per month on other carriers isn't it?
I have always appreciated Tmobile! I truly feel they are a different kind of company. Good work T, it's always nice to know you listen to the little people.
T-Mobile in the UK is useless. They screw everything up. Good luck with them.
Are we all that gullible???
They didn't remove the cap ...they just announced they weren't going to tell anybody what the cap is.
That's not "killed" that's just weasel words. Down with T-Mo's restrictive policies!
YAY!!! More reason to buy! I preordered...did you?
Tmobile appeals to the youth and arrested-development, : ) early-adopting user base. But none of us wants to get in trouble for watching TV. Especially after Tmobile has spent a hundred mil rolling out a product that hinges its appeal to that type of HULU-ish connectivity. If this is where the user experience is headed (finally, after years of empty claims), then carriers have to own it, and get their infrastructures together. This is a sign Tmobile may agree.
Yet again, it's the companies that don't try and halt progress that will survive.