T-Mobile Customers Get Free Data

In its latest act of corporate altruism, T-Mobile announced last week that it would double the amount of data offered on its $50 Simple Choice plan from 500 megabytes to 1 gigabyte at no additional cost. Customers will also have the option of tethering their 4G LTE data connection to another device.

The plan change will be automatically applied to all postpaid Simple Choice accounts on March 23. Prepaid accounts will be updated on April 26.

"In the mobile age, wireless data caps and overage fees are just this side of extortion," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile in a press statement. "Take the basic plans from the Big Two with ridiculously low data limits that hit you with fat overages each month. It's like getting your data from the neighborhood loan shark and paying 100 percent interest when the bill comes due. It's the classic shakedown."

In addition, customers who opt for the $10 4G LTE add-on now receive 3GB of data, up from 2.5GB. The carrier is also offering a new unlimited 4G LTE data plan with 5GB of tethering for $30. Previously, unlimited data was available for $20, but that plan only offered 2.5GB of tethering.

T-Mobile will also be providing all Simple Choice customers free unlimited international texting—a first for any domestic carrier, according to the company. Users will be able to send texts from the U.S. to over 120 countries at no additional cost.

"In a couple weeks, every single one of our millions of Simple Choice customers will wake up with more value without lifting a finger," said Mike Sievert, chief marketing officer for T-Mobile. "Who does that?  We do. Because that's what being the Un-carrier means - giving more to you without asking more from you.  I'd love to see our competitors try to follow suit."