T-Mobile this week quietly announced plans to tweak the way its "Mobile Without Borders" feature works, adding a 5GB data cap.
Introduced in 2015 as an Un-carrier initiative, Mobile Without Borders is a T-Mobile feature that's designed to extend LTE coverage and calling to Mexico and Canada at no additional charge. It was designed to use a customer's normal voice, message, and LTE data allotments while roaming in Mexico or Canada.
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With an unlimited data plan, customers using Mobile Without Borders had access to "unlimited" 4G LTE data up to the standard cap of 50GB while in Canada or Mexico.
Starting on November 12, T-Mobile is limiting LTE data usage for Mobile Without Borders to a maximum of 5GB. After 5GB of data has been used in Mexico or Canada, or a high-speed data allotment has been reached, data speeds will be downgraded to Simple Global speeds (128kb/s for most T-Mobile plans, or 256kb/s for T-Mobile ONE Plus).
T-Mobile says that less than 1 percent of people who travel to Canada or Mexico use over 5GB in a month, and that the change is being implemented to "prevent usage beyond the intent of the product."
Customers who need more than 5GB of LTE data in Mexico or Canada can sign up for the T-Mobile ONE Plus International plan, which is an additional $25 per month on top of the cost of a T-Mobile ONE plan.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)More like...a few people using it as advertised: continuing to use data while abroad just like they would at home. That's how the feature was presented, and it was a great thing while it lasted. Maybe the moral of the story is, don't promise something you can't actually afford?
After customer uses all 5 GB in Canada or Mexico (less on plans with less than 5GB), the data speed is throttled to 128 Kbps or 256 Kbps (ONE Plus or ONE Plus International).
How ironic, T-Mobile Germany within Germany throttles to 64kbs lolIn Europe and other countries, data is always throttled to 128 Kbps or 256 Kbps, so the limit does not apply.
What about overseas in Europe.
After customer uses all 5 GB in Canada or Mexico (less on plans with less than 5GB), the data speed is throttled to 128 Kbps or 256 Kbps (ONE Plus or ONE Plus International).In Europe and other countries, data is always throttled to 128 Kbps or 256 Kbps, so the limit does not apply.
('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/13/t-mobile-mobile-without-borders-5gb-cap/')
If so few people go over, why bother changing the plan? Just leave it.T-Mobile says that less than 1 percent of people who travel to Canada or Mexico use over 5GB in a month, and that the change is being implemented to "prevent usage beyond the intent of the product."
Thanks to everyone who abused this perk, because now it is gone.
Why is it the rules need to change when only 1% of the customers are "over using" it? If 99% are using "normal" amounts of data, why have to create a new rule? I think TM uses the 1% abuse as an excuse. I go to Canada about once a year. Sometimes, the Hotel internet sucks, so I use LTE. Now I have to worry if I am going over 5GB (which isn't much...certainly not enough to watch a movie or two).Introduced in 2015 as an Un-carrier initiative
I actually switched to Tmobile because of this feature and I liked their different take on their offerings to customers. But now?It’s just another carrier, sadly