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T-Mobile US and Sprint announce new unlimited data plans for customers.
A lot has been happening in the U.S. mobile industry this week, from the start of the 600 MHz auction to the launch of new data plans from AT&T, T-Mobile US and Sprint.
Here’s a quick run-down of some of the recent events:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) kicked off the second part of the country’s 600-MHz spectrum sale in Washington DC on Tuesday, when 62 bidders were expected to start submitting their offers for TV broadcasters’ airwaves.
By the end of Thursday UK time, the auction had completed its third round, with net proceeds estimated at just over US$9.7 billion. That’s far shy of the target amount of US$86.4 billion. You can follow events at the auction’s web site (auction 1002) here, with rounds 4 and 5 due to be completed on Thursday.
While AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile US were expected to take part in the auction, this did not appear to stop them from engaging in their usual high level of competitive activity.
AT&T unveiled new Mobile Share Advantage plans that eliminate data overage charges for its mobile customers. The plans will be available from 21 August. Essentially, the company plans to throttle data speeds to 128 Kbps once caps are reached rather than charge for extra data.
Not to be left out of the limelight, T-Mobile bustled in with a new unlimited plan called T-Mobile One as part of its “12th Un-carrier move”.
In typical showbiz style, T-Mobile US CEO John Legere unveiled the move in a video blog, declaring: “The era of the data plan is over. After Un-carrier 12, the wireless industry will never be the same again.”
T-Mobile One will offer unlimited talk, unlimited text and unlimited high-speed 4G LTE smartphone data from 6 September. The obvious downsides are just 128 Kbps speeds on tethering and of course an FUP: customers using more than 26 GB a month “may see their data traffic prioritised behind other users.”
T-Mobile also described it as a “radically simple subscription”, but see what you make of this:
“A family of four can get T-Mobile One for just $40 per line…The first line is $70 a month, the second is $50 a month, and additional lines are only $20 a month up to 8 lines with auto pay. And it’s just $5 more a month per line without auto pay. All include unlimited talk and text and unlimited 4G LTE smartphone data while on our blazing-fast network.”
Sprint also launched its own unlimited plan, jostling for headlines with T-Mobile US. The Unlimited Freedom plan offers two lines of unlimited talk, text and data for $100 a month.
Marcelo Claure, Sprint president and CEO, said the company wants to provide “simple, worry-free and affordable wireless plans” to its customers.
"There can be a lot of frustration and confusion around wireless offers, with too much focus on gigabytes and extra charges. Our answer is the simplicity of Unlimited Freedom,” he said.
