T-Mobile UK cuts 'fair use' allowance to 500MB, sends you home to watch online video

[HotelUser]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/t-mobile-uk-cuts-fair-use-allowance-to-500mb-sends-you-home-t/


In one of the most insensitive announcements in recent PR history, T-Mobile UK is telling its customers who want to download or stream online video to their mobile devices to "save that stuff for [their] home broadband." The carrier, one half of the UK's biggest operator Everything Everywhere, had up until now offered one of the better monthly allowance deals with a 3GB data consumption limit on Android phones. It still is, in fact, since its new changes aren't coming into effect until February 1st, but come that fateful Tuesday, T-Mo's understanding of "fair use" will shrink down to 500MB each month -- after which point you'll still get to browse the web and email for free, but any video content will presumably be subject to an extra charge. It's not clear how "that stuff" will be handled by T-Mobile once you cross the frugal new threshold, nor is it clear whether customers who signed up for big bodacious 3GB of data will be set free once this new lockdown on mobile video is in effect. Godspeed to you all.

That must be annoying for a lot of people, it's been this way in Canada for awhile and 500mb is too easy to burn through.

[Recursion]

This may be to ease congestion when they turn on the T-Mobile UK <-> Orange UK HSDPA/3G domestic roaming in March.

[jackass]

This is outrageous! I seriously hope it's just temporary, because I was so close to buying a new phone with T-Mobile...

[Agnostic Bear]

It's a good job only 3 people use T-Mobile and orange combined.

[Recursion]

It's a good job only 3 people use T-Mobile and orange combined.

Largest user base in the UK combined :P Well done :clap:

[Casanova]

Hmmn, I think it's unfair on one hand for those who signed up in good faith they can run over tons (considering their contracts would state a fair use policy, ie they can change it at any point) but it's more in line with most networks no and it's pretty fair?

Agnostic, T-mobile have millions of customers!

[dirrty]

This is outrageous! I seriously hope it's just temporary, because I was so close to buying a new phone with T-Mobile...
not really outrageous considering o2 has a limit of 500mb aswell i think.

[jackass]

not really outrageous considering o2 has a limit of 500mb aswell i think.

Hence why i'd never even consider going with them.

[Chippiewill]

Well, they can hardly keep calling 500mb Unlimited, I read somewhere that they can only cap unlimited if only 5% of users notice, I'm fairly certain more than 5% will notice. This is misleading customers and is false advertising.

[Casanova]

but the contracts you sign state "Unlimited internet" and in the small print it'll say subject to a fair use policy. also in your contract, they can terminate your use of said device, or part of your plan. ie, cut your internet, remove text/call function.

You never win.

Vodafone, o2 and orange all have this (except iphone tariff's/stated otherwise/panther tariff on orange).

[Jam]

That's why you use GiffGaff.

[Chippiewill]

but the contracts you sign state "Unlimited internet" and in the small print it'll say subject to a fair use policy. also in your contract, they can terminate your use of said device, or part of your plan. ie, cut your internet, remove text/call function.

You never win.

Vodafone, o2 and orange all have this (except iphone tariff's/stated otherwise/panther tariff on orange).

Ah but it said subject to 3GB of fair use bandwidth blah blah, they are now changing the terms of a contract halfway through. That's like removing somebodies call minutes. It's insane.

[Casanova]

on all the one's i've sold they state "unlimited internet, 500mb" :P they've been doing it for months.

they may make a u-turn. Three did.

[xxMATTGxx]

Which?’s legal team says that by failing to give customers 30 days’ notice of such significant changes, T-Mobile is likely to be in breach of its own terms and conditions.

Read more at; http://conversation.which.co.uk/mobile/mobile-phone-networks/t-mobile-is-likely-in-breach-of-its-customers-contracts/

But I'm with O2 and been using the 500MB limit for months now so yeah.

[HotelUser]

Out of curiosity would any UK users with data plans (with Android or iPhones) mind posting what you get and how much you pay a month?

[xxMATTGxx]

Out of curiosity would any UK users with data plans (with Android or iPhones) mind posting what you get and how much you pay a month?

I'm on pay as you go and I own an Android device with the O2 network. I pay £15 for like unlimited texts and internet, although the limit is around 500MB and haven't reached the limit or have not been told about reaching the limit.

If anyone does want to send a complaint in to OfCom then feel free to use this template the VillainRom guys have put up:

http://www.villainrom.co.uk/vBwiki/index.php/Ofcom_Letter

[HotelUser]

That's $20 less than the cheapest 500MB dataplans you could get where I am, still not bad.

[Hayleigh]

My unlimited internet was cute on 02 to 500mb a few months back at least now i can see how much i am using though xD

[Casanova]

my tariff is on Orange, supposed to be £40 including vat.
1200 xnet mins, unlimited texts, unlimited satnav, unlimited email, 750mb of 'net, unlimited blackberry (pin, server access etc), 50 picture MMS, free voicemail.

[Firehorse]

Goddamn it, I was just going to move my android to T-Mobile because I could get £5 a month unlimited (1gb fair use) internet. Imo 1gb is minimum for having the freedom to download apps and browse the web without having to constantly check how many megs you've used. These limits are the bottlenecks in mobile communications technology. I mean by giving everyone a useage limit then they just control the overall amount of data downloaded, why don't they just limit people's speeds in busy areas if their more concerned about "fair use".

[Hayleigh]

I'm on pay as you go and I own an Android device with the O2 network. I pay £15 for like unlimited texts and internet, although the limit is around 500MB and haven't reached the limit or have not been told about reaching the limit.

If anyone does want to send a complaint in to OfCom then feel free to use this template the VillainRom guys have put up:

http://www.villainrom.co.uk/vBwiki/index.php/Ofcom_Letter
Idk if this still applies but when i was on t-mobile until march ish if i topped up £10 the next month i'd get unlimited internet and texts so had a tenner to spend on calls or w/e