With the launch of T-Mobile’s costly 3G network, it is almost inevitable that some of the costs for the new speedy data network are passed on to the consumer, AKA you. A fellow blogger and a discussion here got wind of the change and our ninjas went to work uncovering the details.
Rest assured these changes don’t result in bad news for all of you. Blackberry users who want unlimited data and unlimited messaging will have no price changes, as well as some other combination’s of data, e-mail, and messaging packages. As you can see from the chart, “Phone First” and T-Mobile Shadow customers can purchase one of three options, each with either a 50 or 100 MB limit respectively. After customers without unlimited data reach their limit of data usage, they will be charged $.20/KB of usage. Although in and of itself that deal may be slightly consumer-unfriendly, T-Mobile comes through by capping the data overage charge at no more than $15, ever. Regardless of these changes T-mobile remains the least expensive and the most liberal of all carriers with regards to data usage.
Note: hotspot access and wifi is NOW INCLUDED in the blackberry/smartphone plans.
Want to know where T-Mobile caps their unlimited data plans, and if unlimited data really means unlimited data?
With unlimited plans users will get unlimited data, but for those data-centric users that use more than their fair share of data, some throttling of data speeds may occur. Specifically, once some users reach 10GB of data usage, their speeds will be throttled back to around 50kbps. Speeds and data usage will be reset at the beginning of the next billing cycle, and you will once again have 10GB of 3G speeds to play with until you receive the fateful free SMS message from T-Mobile stating “Your data usage in this billing cycle has exceeded 10GB; Data throughput for the remainder of the cycle may be reduced to 50 kbps or less.” Unfortunately all phones and all unlimited data plans will be included in T-Mobile’s soft cap of 10GB.
Can I put my SIM card from my “phone first” device into a Blackberry and get unlimited data?
Clever, but T-Mobile already thought of that. When you switch your SIM card to devices that requires a different data plan, T-Mobile will automatically switch you to that newer data plan. However, before you are charged for this new plan, it seems that you will see a message in your browser kindly informing you that you are on the wrong plan, and offering you the choice of accepting the correct plan for the device holding your SIM card.
These new prices will start the launch of the new “web2go” service of which details are still fairly sketchy. We can tell you this, it IS a replacement of T-zones which will be phased out as new handsets launch and is formed around a Yahoo! search bar. A big win for T-mobile comes from the idea that if you download an wallpaper/ringtone and you have to exchange the handset for whatever reason you can re-downloaded without calling customer care. Score one for T-mobile on that note, that’s definitely a big win over other carriers and their “we’ll let you download this one more time” attitude.
As for a launch date here, we can’t be positive on an exact timeframe though we expect anytime after the first of November is fair game. We are still investigating what if any changes will be made to family plans and how these changes will affect those who are add-on lines. Please stay tuned for more details on that.
Top 5 “web2go” bullet points:
- Get access to the real web and still experience web content, network and form factor optimized for a mobile device.
- Create a personalized home page for easy, one-click access to your favorite web pages.
- Search and get relevant and categorized search results.
- Purchase ringtones and wallpapers from your phone, and take them with you when you switch.
- Access personal e-mail on your phone
Note to readers: In an effort to keep our comments positive and productive, we will not approve and will delete any comments that are not productive in any fashion ie negative, insulting, annoying, or inappropriate comments. From this point on, we will keep a minimum level of maturity, professionalism, and civility in our comments.
Lol! Well im not even in 3G coverage..so its kinda stupid..well…
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they should leave the data plan without messagiing at 14.99 or 19.99 at max. shouldn’t be the same with 400 text messaging.
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My concern with this auto switch thing is when I upgrade from my current sk to the new one that probably come out next year or so , what stopping them from auto switching and saying the new one wont work on old plan. It could be just an issue that would come up with the sidekick or maybe it could be an issue with any phone. So my question is this, A system that auto switch is a system that can make mistakes and remove grandfather plans or is that just my view point.
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I just dont like it they should wait until 3G is everwhere but whatever still cheaper then others I guess.
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I’m going to sign up for the T-zones plan and hopefully T-Mobile will grand-father current plans.
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This is crazy. Wow!!!!
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This absolutely SUCKS for Sidekick users. Sorry guys.
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Could you possibly clarify this?
1. There is no unlimited data for someone, say, on the upcoming behold(will that be smartphone data) or tm506
2. So now they are the most expensive data carrier?
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Do you lose Hotspot access with these also?
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Well this just made me not want to go back to a sidekick…looks like I’ll be sticking to the normal phones or maybe get a Behold. At least they’re still cheaper than the other big 3. Hopefully 3G will finally make its way to Birmingham…
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@SJS, I’m trying to clarify that now, I believe at least with regards to blackberry its now included in that pricing but I can’t be sure just yet. I’m still trying to confirm and will update the post as I find out.
@Damouse, I’m a little confused about your 2nd question? How do you figure they are the most expensive? They are still the least expensive and I believe I added that in to Shawn’s post.
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I think the cap on data overage charges is a great idea, but the reported numbers for data overage charges and the cap do not make sense to me: $15.00 divided by $0.20/KB is 75KB, so a user would hit the maximum data overage charge at only 75 KB of data over their limit. So, on a $9.99/100MB plan as an example: use up to 100.000 MB, pay $9.99. Go over, use 100.075 MB, pay $24.99. Keep going, use 10 GB, still pay $24.99. It sounds good for me the user: on those months that I don’t use data much I will pay a lot less.
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One more question: what happens to someone on the old Talk&Text plan with the bundled data and a low 1MB cap back from the early days of WAP? A cap for which there should be overage charges, but which I have never seen. I have never seen any signs of T Mobile actually measuring data usage on this old plan.
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Well I have a Shadow. And I probably could come under the 100 cap and I would like to keep my Hotspot and get rid of my messaging pack at $4.99 and the price still be $19.99
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@David:
How can you say T-Mobile has the least expensive data plans with these increase?
1. At AT&T you could get the unlimited MediaNet (no port restriction) for $15/month and you could use lots of non-branded 3G smartphones with it (Nokia S60, WM, and etc). T-Mobile offers a 100MB plan for $9.99 + $15 overcharges = $25 = unlimited smartphone data plan = $10 more expensive than AT&T.
2. Yeah the smartphone data plan is $5 cheaper than AT&T unlimited PDA plan but AT&T has a much larger 3G footprint + lots of better 3G smartphones.
3. The SK doesn’t even have 3G so charging $35 is a little rediculous.
I rather sign up with AT&T, get the Nokia 5800 XM, and enjoy unlimited 3G data for $15/month.
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I could understand why T-Mobile is charging G1 users but why charge sidekick and blackberry users and none of those phones use 3G. If your gonna do that, at least come out with some 3G blackberrys and sidekicks.
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@Chuong, What you CAN do and what you are supposed to do are very different. When you compare the plans you are SUPPOSED to take, T-mobile is less expensive.
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there’s one thing I am unclear:
can I use $25 service with any 400 with regular phone, and gain 10GB quota (the phone is used as modem for laptop and pda)?
it’s better T-Mobile won’t bring me to lower option because it’s pretty annoying
btw, my data service will be grandfathered anyway
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So even the sidekicks will pay 35 still good att charge 35 just for internet so ppl we have to deal with it
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Att charges 30 dollars a month for pda or blackberry and that is only data. I think if sidekick users are going to pay more they should get more, I have yet to see sidekick to be reinvented. It is the small things I like improved threaded txting, more picture message space, more email space, and more txt capacity. Ill leave the browser alone but I want custom ringtones even if I have to pay to make my own have them digital upload and sent to phone. So just to make it clear, I want out of my sidekick if they want to charge more for it, even if I am grandfathered in for a while.
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@illusion, I agree wit u allll da way! I have one my self…
If u click on “discuss here” it will say that, if u already got the plan before 11/1 (or so they say) u will only be charged that much as long, as u are with T-Mobile… but if your new, then u pay $35… so I only pay $20 for Unlimited Data plan as long as im with T-mobile.. Which is the good part…
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Oh, just for the record, I dont really care about getting 3g on my sidekick due to issues I have seen on iphone. I rather have dependable edge on my sidekick and more features and improve service then 3g. Battery will also keep me going longer without it. I dont want 3g on a sidekick unless they really going to add a better browser that is independent of danger. I like danger for my backup resource and iming technology but what is the need for 3g on a sidekick without better sidekick.
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Yes I read that, thaone&only, I am not out of the loop. But if you read my first post. I am concerned that with a new sidekick that it will have to have a new plan like people had to do when they got a power vision phone and their grandfather plan was vision and had to give up their grandfather plan. Eventually grandfather plan for some reason wont work or will cost u some feature of the phone. Like the old sidekick plans didnt have picture message and if u didnt get on the right one on the new ones u didnt have picture message it would be a mistake but it happens because first time I got my sidekick they didnt put text messaging included on it , I was up to like 50 dollars in texting.
-illusion
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keep in mind that
ATT doesn’t allow PAM on media net and pda personal options, while these options are wide open to ANY device (including laptop)
10GB limit is very generous, I personally welcome this new idea
the only concern is SK, they have to pay $5 more for text and MMS (SK IM uses internet, doesn’t involve text)
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I need a Edit button on here, lol when I said power vision and vision I was reffering to sprint. It was a example I have ran into with a customer of mine. Waiting for sprint to go out of business that will be what they get for screwing me over. Ok I am of topic.
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@David, When you compare anything, you’re supposed to compare two things, natively comparable things, and not two SUPPOSED things. MediaNet gives you unlimited 3G (same type of tech as TMo’s) access at $15 a month. Unless TMo gives you the option of removing the 400 SMS for more than $10, then at most you can say TMO is ONE of the least expensive, but not THE least expensive.
Remember the statement is in regards to least expensive for data usage. Fortunately, that is my mindset also since I don’t care for SMS. Unfortunately, I have G1 with TMo and am currently doing $24.99 for what I want, compared to a friend of mine using AT&T 3G w/ Nokia Communicator for $15. From a purist stand-point, you can’t compare the two since I’m getting 400 SMS also. But from the standpoint of my wallet and what my goal is, I’m paying more.
It’s also interesting that flexibility is also mentioned, because inherently being forced to take 400 SMS is not so “flexible”.
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OMG! I wouldent be surprised if people stoped buying sidekicks! Man, I’ve had every sidekick and loved the $20 bundle! Not shure if ima get the new sidekick with the new data bcuz I don’t even live in a 3G area! I’m sad now! :’(
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When do these go into effect?
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so let me get this straight, regular non-smart phones which were able to get the t-zones plan for $5.99/month for unlimited access will now get the choice of switching to a $9.99/month plan for only 50MB and 200 messages? (note: today you can get 400 messages for $4.99; that’s a total of $10.98 for unlimited data and twice as many messages).
thanks but no thanks. and this auto-switching business is total BS. i still don’t understand why a smartphone user somehow deserves to pay more for exactly the same services (blackberry is *not* the same as they provide push email for you).
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they are not sure. if your currently on the a data plan at the moment im sure that you will be grandfathered
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What are us that are on family plans going to do that have the unlimited family text plan and a couple of us use blackberrys. We pretty much get screwed with this one.
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1. So, if I read this correctly, if you purchase an 8120 with TZones, TMo is now going to force you to upgrade to a BB plan? If you already have the 8120 before the plan changes, will they still force you to upgrade? And if not, if you ever swap your sim into another phone and back, will they catch you then (And no, I don’t need another discussion on “why would anyone want a BB if they’re don’t want push eMail”)
2. Does this imply that you will be able to use your data portion for personal eMail? Or will TMo still force you to burn your messaging limit to get your eMail?
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Is the Hotspot access included in the G1 Unlimited Data Plan?
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This is crazy hopefully this info. is incorrect. I’m sick of cell phone companies upping their prices. I own a sidekick and I enjoy what I currently pay and I refuse to pay an increase. The sidekicks dont even use 3g. First they sell me a G1 full of issues (like purchasing a Ferrari that has a Honda engine) now they want to up their prices. And those G1 plans are a rip off $25 for 400 messages (NOT just texts, but IMs and emails as well are included in your 400 messages) pretty much forcing most of us to purchase the $35 plan. I’ll cancel tmobile just as fast as I sent the G1 back.
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Ok. 2 Questions. I have a Tony Hawk Sidekick LX, not for long thou, so does this mean, it’ll rocked up to $35, since I want both my data & messaging. Or for other Sidekicks that will have 3G, cause u we’re saying with the new 3G network, and all. And by “Phone First devices” you mean like the Samsung Behold right? Therefore, it would be $20 for unlimited messaging, and data right?
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Well, seeing that I’m in an area (northern FL) that won’t see T-Mo 3G until mid next year, this is BS.
They better not auto-switch my BB plan or I’m walking. Its bad enough that I have to put up with crappy phone offerings & slow data speeds. At least I could always say “well, they’re the cheapest”. Not anymore.
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It sounds like these price changes are going to make a lot of people leave. Do they know this isn’t going to go over well because AT&T like someone said has cheaper net plans for regular phones or whatnot. I wonder what will happen to the creditability of Tmo now with these new data plan changes…
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@enjoijams yes hotspots is included with the G1 plan.
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Christ…it’s been said before but bears repeating…that’s one helluva price hike on Sidekick Data…I’m thinking it might kill the device…
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Anyone know where I can get the app that tells me how fast the G1 hits the ground.
I bet I can throw mine the fastest!!!
Oh ya great that hot spot is included…
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I agree that a 10GB cap at a $19.95 unlimited date plan without messaging it a fair path for T-mobile to follow.
More so as some also have the unlimited $9.95 messaging family plan, otherwise T-mobile is double-dipping to be kind in words and “double charging” to be not so kind in words.
As T-mobile sees data is different than messaging either offer two plans one with and one without messaging or lower the entry level (with x amount of messaging) to $19.95 would “win the hearts and minds” of consumers.
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@ Sandy, Att’s Media Net might be $15 without texting but the majority users of cell phones, 3g or not, uses messaging a lot so imagine with media net with unlimited messaging thats $35 a month there so t-mobile is almost doing the same but the data cap limit on t-mobile is a tiny bit more than att’s data cap limit so t-mobile is trying to make it flexible still affordable. so wifi and hotspot is included, thats still a fair deal. The only thing that ATT cant beat on T-Mobile is customer service.
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did you all know with at&t they will totally shut off your data if you exceed the limit not just slow you down plus they will also cx you if they feel you use it to much to often I really don’t think this is going to impact to many customers besides sidekick user if you have one of the other devices ces most people already pay 19.99 for there plan plus something for txt msg anyways. I tthink tmobile is being very respectifull in there prices while also looking at the cost for the company as well. you guys wanted more well when a company has to spend money so do you that’s just the way it works
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This blows, Looks like when my contract runs out in a yr i’ll go with att, with the discount my sister gets it’ll be cheaper than tmo.
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So what happens to my pre-paid data on my sidekick?
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@ Sandy
i also wanted to add that if att’s iphone or any smartphone needs a data plan and ur gonna text, u’ll be paying 30 dollars for data and another $20 for unlimited messaging so thats $50 right there and ur saying that t-mobile is going overboard with thier data bundle, att is worst. they overcharge like nothing and monopolize the cell business.
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Tell me this is not true. I really hope this is not true because the i would have to pay $35 for the Sk unlimited plan right?? but what if i already have the plan will it change to to $35????
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also why is tmobile doing this for non 3G. This should only be for 3G plans.
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Lets just keep in mind if you have a sidekick now, your price wont go up when this goes in effect. But Lets look at the big picture why get a sidekick and pay 35 as a new sidekick user if you can get a blackberry or any other phone. I love the im experince and all but with lack of growth and more people to compete against it is hard to say sidekick will survive. Specially I would bet the data usage isnt that high hell I know I dont use 100mb a month or at least currently. So lets talk about if their is a 3g sidekick in hopes to adjust for price increase and all how much u want to bet they will force current sidekick users off their current plans to the new plans because the grandfather plan isnt compatiable and the server auto switchs you to the 35. I really dont have a problem for the people who buy a smartphone tmobile doesnt sell and being force to a smartphone plan , which is typically high data usage. I just have a problem forcing non 3g sidekick users that been praying for danger to surprise us with an revolutionary update to OS to improve on what is already a good device that is need of a good old update.
-illusion
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I have noticed that there are a few people that seem to want the best phones and the fastest data and everything else under the sun at the lowest possible price. And who doesn’t? I would like all of these wonderful things myself but I do realize that I will probably have to pay a few bucks more in order to get these things. I have yet to have TMO just change my plans and features w/o my knowledge or consent so I am guessing that this will apply in this situation as well. And I have always had the philosophy if you dont like it, fix it. If ATT sounds better maybe this is a sign that its time for you to make a change…..just a thought. (This does not apply to a majority of the board, just the same few people that constantly make the same remarks.)
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