T Mobile Data Allowance Query

CountDrakma

Hello All
Been looking into getting a smartphone and was checking out T mobile's site. Now, one of the plans includes what they call 750MB "Standard Internet" which they describe as (quote)
" Standard internet Comes with WiFi, and great if you use your smartphone quite a bit for browsing, and checking out Facebook, as well as a little YouTube now and then".
Note the 'a bit for browsing' which to me implies 'not a lot'.
Now, when I went into one of T Mobile's stores two assistant's told me that the 750 MB is actually only for downloads (eg apps, music etc) and that simple browsing (BBC News etc) is "unlimited". This seems at odds with what I've quoted from their website.Why don't they just say 'Downloads 750MB and Browsing unlimited'?
Has anyone had any issues over their data usage/allowance? Are T Mobile trying to mislead?
Thanks
CountDrakma

grumbler

CountDrakma wrote: »

...Now, when I went into one of T Mobile's stores two assistant's told me that the 750 MB is actually only for downloads (eg apps, music etc) and that simple browsing (BBC News etc) is "unlimited". This seems at odds with what I've quoted from their website.

In such cases the information on website is always more reliable unless you can get it in writing from the shop. Many 'assistants' are either incompetent or lie blatantly to make a sale. Their word costs nothing.

That said, the information I see on the website is unclear.
In their 'example' they do count "Visits to rich-content sites". Why would they do this if in their fair use policy they brag about "browsing and emailing on your mobile broadband connection with no limits"? Is it not weird to hide 'unlimited' in the FUP?

Some time ago they definitely limited only streaming and downloading and this was stipulated very clearly. They changed the tariffs recently, and it is not clear to me anymore.

eljmayes

My "unlimited browsing" tariff is limited to 100 MB of streaming so I'd imagine it would be in that area.

Cash-Strapped.T32

It's a nonsense distinction anyway, browsing or downloading; - Anything on or in your phone that comes from a website; Written text in emails or web pages, video streams from iPlayer or Youtube, the coloured banners on pages, emoticons, images, sound effects ~ all of it ~ is downloaded.
Otherwise, how could it be displayed if it had never been transferred (downloaded) to the phone?

That's just the mechanics of it & this is something that interests me a bit as I'm on one of T-Mo's deals that on paper gives unlimited data, but I bet if I tested it with any vigour I'd soon find their limit - I've never really looked into it.

I know Grumb's info is (was?) correct in practice, but how do, or can, the networks make this, false distinction? And how would one define a "content rich" site?
Is MSE content-rich, with all it's thousands of posts, and myriad links & images?

I would say so, but if you added up all the files that make up a typical forum page, is there really that much data? New, proprietary definitions like this always make me a bit suss' for obvious reasons.


Do they log data transferred via http in a different "free account" to data streamed via other protocols?
I don't know tbh, maybe I'm a cynical old git but whatever criteria is used I'm sure it'll prove to be underhand..

Ne5555

I am with tmobile. After bill cut off date i get message saying i am over the limit and i will not be able to download anything from 4pm to 12 midnight.
Between these times i can not watch youtube or download my emails to my mail box. But i can still see my emails on web browser and i can watch bbc and use all other internet. I have no idea how they amounts to download but i love it. I was with o2 and after my limit i was paying for £1 for coupleof hours.
My son(4year old) watches cbbies all the time and tries to watch youtube(thank god hasnt discovered yet how to work it out)
It gets my allowance.

CountDrakma

Thanks all. As it happens I've had three "online chats" with T Mobile advisors which I printed off. Two seemed to confirm that their website data allowances - eg 750MB- are for downloads only and that there is "unlimited" browsing on top of that. Another initially told me that the 750MB was "inclusive for all kinds of use", then "you will get 750MB for downloading any data" then when I mentioned my conversation with in-store salemen then mentioned "unlimited browsing" as well as 750MB downloading!!! Why all the obfuscation from these people? My enthusiasm for going with T Mobile or even going for a smartphone is rapidly waning.