If you saw our story this morning about the T-Mobile ‘Gift Pack’ mobile broadband deals that don’t allow you to watch videos or download files, you will recall that it raised some questions in our mind, that we then raised with T-Mobile. Several hours later, we’ve just had a call back. (If you didn’t see the story this morning, just scroll down.)
The T-Mobile spokeman I spoke to told me that the fair usage policy referred to in the press release did not, in fact, have a fixed data allowance. When I made the point that this lack of a figure not to be breached would make it difficult for anyone to stick to, he referred me to the 3GB and 5GB allowances on the network’s pay-monthly mobile broadband offers. When I then pointed out that the fact there are two different allowances for two different plans suggests that the Gift Pack plan might have a completely different allowance, he took my point, and promised to find out what it is. Hopefully we’ll have news on that later.
He also made the point that T-Mobile does not consider mobile broadband to be an “outright substitute” for fixed-line, but rather, something for people to use while they are out and about. This, I feel, is a moot point. I know a few people who live on their own and have never bothered with fixed-line Internet because they could always get online at work, but who have now bought into mobile broadband as a low-cost way of accessing the web at home, without the need to commit to a fixed line contract or installation.
In any event, the good news is that if you do exceed the fair usage policy on the Gift Pack plans, you will simply get an email asking you to reconsider your usage, or to make sure you use the service outside peak hours.
As for our question about email attachments, we were told that people have to use their common sense, but that if the attachment “is a 20-slide PowerPoint presentation, there is a risk they may exceed the fair usage policy”.
I promise I’m not making this up as I go along, but it sounds to me like someone is.
David Murphy
Editor 
