T-Mobile Adding New Pay-Per-Use Data to All Smartphone Accounts Without a Data Plan

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T-Mobile is making some more changes to their customers’ plans with the rollout of a new Pay-Per-Use data feature on all smartphone accounts. This change will affect around 11.4 million smartphone users currently not enrolled in any kind of data plan on T-Mobile’s network. Although technically, Pay-Per-Use wont cost anything extra, those of you who only use your Android handsets via WiFi will have to be a little vigilant at monitoring the data your apps are using — that is, if you want to avoid extra charges on your monthly bill.

According to this leaked doc on TMoNews, the changes will go into effect on September 15th. Customers will be notified about these new changes with their September billing information prior to the change. It also seems the only way to remove this added data feature is by calling in to customer service. I feel like T-Mobile is changing their plans every other week. Will these new changes be affecting any of our Phandroid readers out there?

[Via TMoNews]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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10 Comments

  1. I’d imagine you can still call them up and request that data be disabled for the lines you don’t want it on. Although, maybe not. Back when AT&T did Pay-Per-Use data billing, your only choice was either disable data on ALL lines (including lines you actually had data subscriptions on) or none at all.

    1. Looks like T-Mobile is prepping for the AT&T merger =/

  2. Question for chris chavez…

    Any idea if this will affect our contracts? I would imagine we would be able to back out of our contracts without the early termination fee if they keep changing this on us.

    1. If you’re on a contract without a data plan, you might be able to use this as an excuse to get out without the ETF. But I seem to remember hearing something about T-Mobile increasing their regulatory fees at the end of August. With that one, you definitely can get out of the contract without worrying about the ETF.

    2. Yeah, what Quantum said. Anytime they make changes to your contract, you can get out without paying an ETF (if you escalate it to the right rep).

  3. I completely forgot about that one. I been fighting with tmobile as of late. I upgraded to the g2x and I have problems keeping a steady signal. now they are trying to exchange it for the tmobile g2, which isn’t even on their site anymore. With the horrible support and constant change in plans/fees I am ready to leave.

  4. Fees are subject to change at any time according to the terms and conditions read to you upon new activation. Agreeing to those terms allows T-Mobile the ability to change it when they see fit and you are still bound to your contract because you agreed to it before you got your equipment.

    I have been raising lots of questions about this on the internal forums (on the same article tmonews copied this from) and have been getting a lot of mixed answers. I raised the question why the previous up sell message you used to receive if you didn’t have a data plan wasn’t sufficient. I also commented that if your cable company added 100 extra channels without your consent and billed you if you watched them that would be seen as a problem, but that’s exactly what T-Mobile is doing.

  5. @Chris, I said the same thing. Looks like T-Mobile wants their customers to hate them as much as at&t.

  6. Why don’t they start charging for voice AND data on Galaxy Tab 7’s???

  7. as the contract states, their fees are subject to change at any time. yes. however, you also have a choice to accept the new contract or reject it. whenever they make any changes in the contract they have to notify you of the changes and you have a grace period as in which you may back out of the contract without being charge the early termination fee (ETF). the raise in the fees isn’t what is making me decide to leave tmobile, it is their support. I have had issues with my new phone and they refuse to do anything to help, except exchange it for a much weaker, cheaper device. This change in my contract to me is not a reason to leave, but it is a way out. Now i can go to a different carrier, get better coverage, and a device that works. The customer support and the fact that tmobile was the cheaper of the bunch were the two main reasons i settled with tmoble years ago, however those two perks have been thrown out the window. T-mobile seems to be making changes, changes that seem like they are making to make at&t happy. it is going to hurt them, especially if the merger gets denied!

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