T-Mobile To End Domestic Data Overages And Hopes Other US Carriers Will Do The Same
April 14, 2014
T-Mobile has announced plans to end domestic data overages. The No. 4 carrier in the United States hopes to force AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon to do the same.
In a new press release and petition posted on change.org, T-Mobile CEO John Legere declares that overages are “just plan wrong” and “must end.” As a result, he wants the other large carriers to take T-Mobile’s lead and abolish overages “once and for all.”
He says:
Traditional wireless plans start with a low monthly fee for a fixed amount of domestic minutes, texts or data. Once consumers go over those limits – even by a little – they’re hit with dramatically higher rates and extreme penalties. These plans seem purpose-built to drive customers over that invisible line into massive overage charges.The carrier says that it will end all domestic overages starting in May for the June billing cycle. It is likely to continue charging overages for international use. Instead of automatically charging for data overages, T-Mobile offers day- or week-long data passes for those who wish to go over their limit. This news follows last week’s announcement of T-Mobile’s new Simple Starter plan and new perks for tablet users. The former includes unlimited text and talk and 500MB of high-speed data for $40 per month. For a limited time, you can buy a 4G LTE tablet at the same price as a Wi-Fi only model. The carrier is also offering zero down and interest-free financing for well qualified buyers. To sign T-Mobile’s petition, click here.