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   T-Mobile Tweaks T-Mobile ONE Before Launch

   Josh Centers

   When T-Mobile announced its 'unlimited' T-Mobile ONE plan, many
   outlets, including TidBITS (see '[1]T-Mobile and Sprint Announce
   Unlimited Data (for Higher Prices),' 19 August 2016), complained that
   for most users, T-Mobile ONE would effectively be a price increase.
   Just days before launch, [2]T-Mobile has announced some changes to
   T-Mobile ONE to ease concerns.

   When first announced, tethering on T-Mobile ONE was limited to 2G
   speeds ' 5 GB of high-speed data would have cost $15 per month. Now,
   all T-Mobile ONE customers will get unlimited 3G tethering at no extra
   charge.

   T-Mobile ONE is limited to SD video streaming unless you pay an
   additional fee. Originally, that HD streaming fee was to be $25 per
   month. Now, T-Mobile has added a $3 Day Pass, which grants HD streaming
   for 24 hours.

   Perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of T-Mobile ONE Plus,
   which replaces the previously announced $25-per-month HD video fee. For
   $25 per month per line, T-Mobile ONE Plus includes unlimited HD Day
   Passes, 'unlimited' 4G LTE tethering, and 2x faster data speeds abroad.

   Of course, there are catches to T-Mobile ONE Plus. T-Mobile says in the
   fine print that customers who use more than 26 GB per month must mostly
   use that data with a smartphone or tablet. There are no specific
   penalties in place for using too much data while tethering, but
   T-Mobile says you [3]might get a call if you're a heavy user. Also,
   T-Mobile says that it will prioritize smartphone and tablet data over
   hotspot data.

   Finally, T-Mobile ONE availability has been moved up, from 6 September
   2016 to 1 September 2016.

   To alleviate customer concerns, T-Mobile also emphasized in its press
   release that existing customers can keep the plans they have for as
   long as they wish.

   Some have complained that T-Mobile's changes further complicate their
   'simple' plans, but I applaud the company's attempt to respond to
   complaints. Bundling HD streaming and high-speed tethering in one
   package does make things a bit simpler.

   However, after an industry-wide trend of simplifying mobile plans, it
   is frustrating to see a move back toward basic plans with complicated
   add-ons, such as T-Mobile ONE Plus and the $15 Safety Mode on
   lower-tier Verizon data plans (see '[4]Verizon Wireless Offers More
   Data for More Money,' 7 July 2016).

References

   1. http://tidbits.com/article/16697
   2. https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news-and-blogs/t-mobile-one-amped.htm
   3. http://www.t-mobile.com/company/company-info/consumer/internet-services.html
   4. http://tidbits.com/article/16608

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