In November 2019, T-Mobile committed to offering a new, budget plan if a merger between T-Mobile and Sprint was approved:1
T-Mobile launched that plan last week. I didn’t expect it to be available so soon. It looks like the plan’s rollout was accelerated in response to the coronavirus:2
Plan versions
The new T-Mobile Connect plans come with unlimited minutes and texts. Subscribers have two options for their data allotments:
- 2GB plan – base price of $15 per month
- 5GB plan – base price of $25 per month
Taxes and fees are not included in the base price of either plan. T-Mobile plans to boost data allotments by 500MB each year:3
Plan terms
I’ve read through a lot of detail’s T-Mobile’s published about the plan. Here are my biggest takeaways from that reading:
- New subscribers must purchase a T-Mobile SIM card for $10.4
- International roaming is not available for T-Mobile Connect plans.
- Data has a hard cap. Subscribers who’ve used all their regular data cannot continue to use the internet at reduced speeds.
- Up to five T-Mobile Connect lines can be combined on a family plan. Line prices stay constant regardless of the number of people on a plan.
- Mobile hotspot and tethering are permitted.
- Video is throttled to 480p by default, but subscribers can turn off throttling.
Metro’s offer
T-Mobile’s flanker brand, Metro, will temporarily offer a plan similar to T-Mobile’s $15 plan:5
Unless I’m missing something, it seems like anyone who’s torn between the T-Mobile’s $15 plan and Metro’s plan should go with T-Mobile.
My take
T-Mobile’s Connect plans will be a great option for budget-sensitive consumers that don’t use a ton of data. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it looks like subscribers on the Connect plans will have a level of priority on par with most of T-Mobile’s postpaid subscribers. If my speculation is accurate, that may give the Connect plans a big advantage over the budget-friendly plans offered by many of the MVNOs that operate over T-Mobile’s network (e.g., Mint Mobile).
Earlier today, I placed an order for the $15 per month T-Mobile Connect plan. I’ll write more about it once I’ve had a chance to trial the service.