T-Mobile announces 1GB data cap on 3G network
With all the Google Android and T-Mobile G1 news coming out today, people tend to only focus on what is right in front of them. However, if you are serious about purchasing the G1, you have to find out all the details, such as the dreaded data cap.
Unfortunately, T-Mobile decided to be stingy with the data cap on the 3G network and limited it only to 1GB. For those who use their G1 a lot for Internet, then they may not be all that pleased with this number. Obviously, T-Mobile wants to compete with giant companies such as Verizon and AT&T, who also own a lot of 3G capable smartphones. Well, their data cap is a bit more generous at 5GB. Labeled in the fine print, T-Mobile also says that if you go over the 1GB cap, then they have the right to significantly lower your speeds to 50kpbs, which would be painfully slow.
People who plan to use their G1 for a lot of Internet surfing will have to be careful to not go over the cap. I think T-Mobile should rethink this, and at least make the data cap the common 5GB.
Read [T-Mobile]
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Ok, let me say this first: I’m entirely against data caps on fixed line broadband services (ADSL, cable broadband, even wireless broadband via WiFi, WiMAX, etc). However, mobile broadband is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Saying that 1Gb is not enough for most mobile web users is just plain stupid. I’m on T-Mobile UK (... in the UK) and for my first 18 month contract, I was on their base ‘Web ‘n Walk’ package - £7.50 per month for their 1Gb fair usage package. In reality, they’re probably the laxest of all the UK providers - they don’t charge you for overage if it’s an infrequent thing, and it’s only if you’re really HAMMERING your mobile web access (several gigs, three months in a row for example) that they’d put you on the ‘naughty pipe’.
However, some services are now blocked thanks to their new billing system allowing finer granularity over the control of the packages - email still works, but FTP, PPTP tunneling and VPNs don’t work either, neither does MSN, and you can’t get HSDPA on the base package. As part of my upgrade when I renewed my contract, I got a free upgrade to their middle tier - ‘Web ‘n Walk Plus’ - which is normally £12.50 per month but has a 3Gb allowance, HSDPA is enabled and allows everything except VoIP. The top package is basically a ‘do whatever, you’re paying us enough!‘ package, but that’s mostly reserved for corporate customers I think (nobody in their right mind would use a 3G network to make VoIP calls with its 500ms latency!)
Anyway, my point is this: I have a WinMo smartphone, and I run SPB GPRS Monitor on it (don’t let the name deceive you, it just monitors bandwidth of your phone’s data connection, regardless of the way it connects, be it HSDPA, 3G, GPRS etc). Most months, with just on-handset usage, I rack up 100-300Mb usage - TOPS - I’ve never gone over half a gigabyte of usage without have my phone tethered as a modem at some point to my laptop.
The only times I’ve even approached 1Gb of usage in a month is when I’ve been using the device as a tethered modem - and I’d consider myself a heavy user. You’d have to be running something like pTorrent on your phone 24/7 torrenting files directly to your mobile device to even come close to the usage limits!
Calling for a higher cap is pretty pointless - a provider which has lower thresholds, but enforces them more laxly or with a greater tolerance for people who may go over their limits occasionally is far more desirable than a provider who has higher limits but enforces them RIGIDLY, charging you per kilobyte for every moment your data use exceeds the agreed amount of your package (a couple of providers still do this in the UK, if memory serves, and it totally sucks).
Mobile data tariffs are NOT replacements for fixed line broadband, and as such should not be thought of in the same way. You should not expect huge allowances, but heck - if you’re regularly clocking up five entire gigabytes through your cellular connection, what the HELL are you downloading?! If you’re using it that much, you should consider just getting a USB 3G dongle on a data-only tariff, and be done with it completely. I find it HARD to believe that any regular user (even moderate to heavy users like myself) could come anywhere close to even 2Gb of usage in a month just from regular use, never mind 5Gb.
So, my request to Mr. Sood is this: stop being so sensationalist, and ease off with the unrealistic demands while you’re at it! No casual mobile web user needs 5Gb allowance on their tariff.
on September 24, 2008 at 02:51 PM - LINK