T-Mobile took a big step forward today in the realm of transparency over customer data allotments and throttling. A statement released by the FCC indicates that T-Mobile will begin providing a link to a speed test that will provide accurate results for users who have already been throttled for the month, rather than displaying potential network speeds as it currently does. In addition, the magenta carrier said it would be clearer about data throttling in its text alerts once users have gone over their high speed data cap for the month.
The reason for the agreement is a reaction to a step that T-Mobile took earlier this year by exempting speed tests from customer data allotments. While this was a welcomed change, it caused issues with providing accurate speed test results once a user had been throttled for the month — instead displaying normal network speeds.
As part of the agreement, the FCC says T-Mobile will take the following steps:
- Send customers a text message once they hit their monthly high-speed data allotment linking to a speed test that customers can use to determine their actual reduced speed
- Provide a button on customer smartphones linking to a speed test that will show actual reduced speeds
- Modify the text messages it currently sends to customers once they hit their monthly high-speed data allotment to make it clear that certain speed tests may show network speeds, rather than their reduced speed. The modified texts also will provide more information about the speeds that will be available after customers exceed their data cap
- Modify its website disclosures to better explain T-Mobile's policies regarding speed test applications and where consumers can get accurate speed information.
What do you make of this agreement? Let us know in the comments.
Source: FCC
Reader comments
T-Mobile agrees to display correct speed test results for throttled customers
I can't believe people are actually defending them. Here's a newsflash fanboys. T-mobile and their idiot CEO are not your friend. They only want your money.
Everyone wants our money... I live in an area where tmobile has great data service. When I leave my city that's another story. It's worth it to me to pay the 30.00 a month for unlimited data and not have to worry about jumping in and out of wifi networks. While I have 4glte data at my house. There is no high-speed isp companies that service my house. So my family are data hogs on tmobile.. :)
Posted via the Android Central App
wait so you have to deal with T-Mobile's crap network AND get throttled?
Posted via the Android Central App
*You Gave Them Eyes.. But They Cannot See*
It's so sad.. that carr*ass*er lives in such a "Nowhere" area that she can not take advantage of T-Mobile's Excellent 4G LTE Network..
And it's too bad carr*ass*er does not understand.. Unlimited = Full Speed Data 24/7.
One Dollar A Day...
That's all it cost to have UNLIMITED 4G LTE with T-Mobile..
Most people spend more than that on bubble gum and chips.
If you have a 4G LTE device it makes sense to just pony up the $1.00 a day.. and nix this conversation.
Your slicing your own balls if you choose anything less than unlimited.. Stop restricting yourself.. you're a T-Mobile Customer for Christ sakes...
But if people aren't using that much (and most won't), why spend extra money on something that isn't needed? It's like eating every meal at a buffet, regardless of whether or not you're hungry.
Business transparency benefits customers, and when customers are happy they become brand loyal.
Posted via the Android Central App
Do you guys really get throttled? Sprint in theory does but I never have been
Posted by my soon to be retired Note 3
By the comments above I would say yes they do.
Posted via Android Central App
Only people on the 1 GB, 3 GB, and 5 GB plans get throttled, if you pay $30 extra monthly over the 1 GB price you get truly unlimited with no throttle.
People who don't use their phones as often or are on wifi most of the day choose to go on lower plans to save money. Although corporate stores try to shove more data down your throat and sometimes won't let you get the 1 GB plan, terrible upper management policies.
I didn't find that to be true at all. Sure they want you to spend more, but I was shown all the plans in the store, I chose plan X based on a guess and after two months it was obviously more data than I would need, so I changed it online and no questions asked, no harassment, nothing. It just changed.
It will vary store to store. Some are worse than others just depends where you go. Changing online is no problem though.
There was some article recently about stores adding JUMP insurance without permission when creating new accounts.
I'm on Sprint and happy, but we are always throttled. Lol
Posted via the Android Central App
Lol... I still really don't have it. I enjoy close to the same speeds I had on Verizon a few years back
Posted by my soon to be retired Note 3
not getting LTE is a form of throttling
I have to admit that I am somewhat puzzled as to why anybody would want to know potential speeds rather than their actual speeds, but clearly T-Mo must have felt somebody did or else they never would have set things up that way.
Having said that, it sounds like it might have been a technical thing and making the needed corrections was not high on their totem pole, thus it took the FCC to sort of "encourage them" to offer up a solution.
Dan
I think it was more about trying to deceive users into thinking they were getting faster speeds than they actually were.
Look at these comments, there is at least one person defending T Mobile here.
I don't think they set it up specifically for this.
If I read it correctly, what's going on is that none of the services which are exempted from your data limit get throttled when you break the limit.
In other words, even if I torrented 50GB of data, my streaming music is still going to run at full speed.
Since speed testing is exempted, it kept going down that non-throttled path.
So I see my torrent went from 40Mbps to 128kbps, so I go run speedtest, which says that I'm getting 50Mbps from the network. Confusing!
So this is really just to make it clear to people that yes, you are in fact getting throttled, even though Ookla says you're fine.
To be honest, it really benefits both T-Mobile and the consumer. T-Mobile and the speed test providers use that data to measure network speeds which is how they come to the conclusions which network is fastest and whatever in all of these market reports for advertising purposes. Customers use it also to be able to see what speeds are like in specific areas, but mostly it helps the carriers gather aggregate speed data on how the network performs.
The primary way it benefits the consumer by whitelisting the speed test is that it doesn't count toward the data allowance. This is good because a speed test uses a good chunk of data. So it is a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, it doesn't count toward your data allowance, but in doing that, it also doesn't accurately measure your data speeds when throttled <i>because</i> it is exempted from the data allowance and operates outside the throttled portion of the network.
This makes perfect sense. The entire point of a speed test is to show you what speed you are getting at the moment the test is performed. To show any other result is meaningless.
Posted via Android Central App
Thank you. Was getting a bit pissed off by my 0.01 MBS speeds and getting 30 or 40 on speedtest.net.
Posted via the Moto X Pure Edition
So far I am happy with my 10gigs LTE from cricket. Even if it is throttled to 8.
Posted via the Android Central App
I'm sure if its Android Central posting a lot about t-mobile, but it seems like they are the only company that is trying to make a difference in the industry. Verizon and AT&T seem to be too content with where they are
I think the guys that are responsible for putting up 4G transmitters into cell towers would take umbrage with your assertion that VZW and ATT are doing nothing while T-Mo seems to be making a difference.
I just went to check out T Mo's 4G coverage map...Their website only stated that 5 cities in the state have 4G coverage....
Maybe if all you care about in the industry is gimmicks meant to sway you to their subpar network. I will stick with the carriers actually making a difference, not the one making up for a subpar network with marketing.
Admittedly T-Mobile isn't good for everyone. But there are a lot of people that it is perfect for. Where I live, coverage is great and I don't have any issues with T-Mobile. I don't travel much, so I don't really need Verizon and their exorbitant rates and limited data. I am happy with my fully unlimited data and LTE with no contracts with coverage that works for me. If I lived in an area with terrible T-Mobile coverage, obviously I wouldn't use T-Mobile, but just because it isn't great everywhere doesn't meant it is terrible everywhere.
You can't be serious.
Posted via the ACA on NEXUS 6
You mean like XLTE abs VoLTE? Oh you probably don't know what those are since you are on Tmo.
Posted via Android Central App
XLTE is a marketing word like DROID and TMo already has nationwide VoLTE.
Posted via Android Central App
That is not true at ALL, Verizon is the ONLY national carrier to have VoLTE active, Nationwide.
T-Mobile uses a similar codec over their voice calls on the 3G/4G HSPA network, but you cant talk & surf at the same time on LTE like you can on Verizon.
Verizon has 400 markets plus that is VoLTE. AT&T has FOUR, T-Mobile has about 6.
Um, Tmobile has this. You just need a compatible phone.
Posted via Android Central App
Bullshit about XLTE, once it was turned on there was a big difference in certain areas with my phone. So yeah keep telling yourself that.
That's just weird (the old policy).
I already receive these types of messages from T-Mobile when I reach my 1GB 4G data bucket...I have the basic family data package (1GB 4G then the rest throttled until the next month cycle)
Good move. Might make them more money in the end.
Posted via the Android Central App
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.kfsoft.android.Traffi...
Good app that let's you not worry about stuff like this.
Posted via my Rooted Sprint GS3 FreedomPop(MVNO)
(Rooted Sprint LG G2
(Stock "Contest Won - Sprint Galaxy Note 4/Coming Soon."
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(Stock Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
(Stock Tmobile Galaxy Note 3