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British mobile operator T-Mobile has made a dramatic U-turn in the wake of the furor that erupted over the firm’s announcement that it was dramatically reducing the firm’s ‘fair use’ data usage limit.
The 500MB maximum data per month now only applies to new and upgrading customers from the 1st of February rather than retroactively affecting existing customers. The original move came as the firm sought to bring T-Mobile and Orange data plan terms in line ahead of the merging of the two brands into Easy Everywhere.
"Following a further review of our policy, these changes will now be introduced from 1 February, to new and upgrading customers only – not existing customers," said T-Mobile veep Lysa Hardy.
"There will be no change to the data packages for existing customers for the duration of their contract and we apologise for any confusion caused. The revision to the Fair Use Policy is designed to ensure an improved quality of service for all mobile internet users."
Consumer magazine Which? Mobile had argued that T-Mobile appeared to be breaching its own terms and conditions by making a significant change without 30 days’ notice. Which? Mobile also complained to Ofcom and called on the telco to allow customers to exit their contracts early on the basis of the change.
T-Mobile suffered widespread criticism following the original announcement that along with announcing the dramatic reduction in data usage, proceeded to tell customers that the ‘Mobile Internet’ was not for downloading files or watching video and that such activities should be done on home broadband.
The company will now offer an optional Mobile Broadband Booster option to new customers which will give them the 1GB data limit which had previously been standard but it did not announce what the option would cost.
The change means that T-Mobile now effectively offers a tiered level of service based on data consumption.
