T-Mobile, Android phones, and the 3GB FUP - A Warning

JoeA81

Hello,

I am familiar with the posts of many people here who bought Android phones on a T-Mobile contract, but through a reseller, and were put on the 1GB FUP with throttled data rates - and then had to fight with T-Mobile to get their phone onto the 3GB FUP with the full HSDPA speeds.

Consequently I decided to go for the "safe" option and buy my HTC Desire direct from the T-Mobile website, as the main reason I wanted to go with T-Mobile was for the 3GB FUP!

Well...I had been checking my phone for the last week in about 10-15 differenct HSDPA locations, and running the speed test app, and many, many times my maximum speed was 0.35Mbit/s - which funnily enough is the speed at which T-Mobile throttles you to, if you are on the 1GB FUP.

So several emails and calls to customer services where several times I was told "Oh no, T-Mobile dont throttle speeds at all" and "Oh yes you are on the 1GB FUP - thats correct for your phone" (no it isnt you idiots why dont you try looking at your own website!).

Finally I got someone to realise that I was on the wrong data tariff, and they were able to put me on the 3GB FUP (Web and Walk Plus - Or has this been renamed Internet on your phone Plus?), and hey presto 10 minutes later I did a speed test and immediatly got a 1.5Mbit/s DL speed. No thanks to T-Mobile.

So beware, even if you buy your android handset direct from T-Mobile, they still might put you on the 1GB FUP and throttle your speed, even though on the website it clearly states:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/uk/fairuse/?WT.mc_id=fup#fup2

And when you phone up to complain you get fobbed off by people who dont have a clue what they are talking about - but stand firm and demand the service you have paid for!

daindian

The best way to check is on your bill

samba

I've been using an android phone on a normal t-mobile contract for a few months now and have not noticed any slowdown from when I was on an android t-mobile contract previously. I don't do speedtests so hae no defintive proof, but this all seems like FUD to me - I have been using an android phone since soon after they came out and the only month I even came close to hitting 1GB was during the world cup when I was watching/listening to some games on my phone using beebPlayer. In 18 months I've never been over 1gb and I use this phone all the time to get my emails, google stuff, navigation, social networking, checking prices, etc.