T-Mobile has updated the data usage policy for its 5G Home Internet service. Going forward, new customers will experience slower internet speeds after exceeding a 1.2 TB monthly data allotment. Note that T-Mobile Home Internet still provides unlimited data—this is data throttling or traffic shaping, not a data cap.
The new data usage policy was introduced alongside T-Mobile Home Internet’s January 18th price hike. And, like the price hike, it only affects new customers. Longtime T-Mobile Home Internet users may exceed 1.2 TB of data usage without any consequences. That said, all T-Mobile Home Internet users are subject to data throttling when the local 5G network is congested.
According to a 2023 OpenVault report, the average person consumes about 533.8 GB of data each month. Very few T-Mobile Home Internet users will hit the 1.2 TB monthly data allotment. However, you may hit this threshold if you have a large family, if you’re an online gamer, or if you regularly download large media files. Unfortunately, we can’t estimate the impact that data throttling may have on your internet speed, as T-Mobile Home Internet performance varies by region.
Just to be clear, data throttling is only enforced after a customer exceeds 1.2 TB of data. Data usage is reset each month, so if you hit the data threshold in February, you’ll return to normal speeds when your next billing cycle begins in March.
This story was first brought to light by The Mobile Report, which initially referred to T-Mobile’s data threshold as a “data cap.” T-Mobile provided some clarification for The Mobile Report, stating that the new “fair usage policy” is designed to “ensure that all of our customers get a great network experience.” By reducing the internet speed of users who exceed a 1.2 TB allotment, T-Mobile can ensure speedy performance for all other users. According to T-Mobile, only 10% of its Home Internet customers will hit the data threshold.
It’s easy to see the logic here. Everyone deserves good internet service, and T-Mobile’s new policy will benefit the average customer. On the other hand, heavy internet users (particularly large families) shouldn’t be punished for choosing a low-cost plan like T-Mobile Internet. Reliable high-speed internet is essential to modern education and employment—it shouldn’t cost a fortune.
Before shopping for a new internet plan, try to figure out how much data you use each month. You’ll find this information on your ISP’s web portal or on your monthly statement. If you regularly exceed 1 TB of data (which may be listed as 1,000 GB or 1,000,000 MB), try to find an internet plan that doesn’t enforce any usage limits.
Source: T-Mobile via The Mobile Report
