T-Mobile Ups Android G1 Data Cap from 1 GB to Unlimited

When engadget yesterday studied the fine print on T-Mobile’s G1 page it emerged that the company would be pacing customers who went over 1 GB of data in a single billing cycle.

“If your total data usage in any billing cycle is more than 1 GB, your data throughput for the remainder of that cycle may be reduced to 50 kbps or less. Your data session, plan, or service may be suspended, terminated, or restricted for significant roaming or if you use your service in a way that interferes with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users.”

Needless to say, 1 GB sounds terribly restrictive and the eyebrows of prospective customers were raised. Anything other than casual use (i.e., email, light browsing) of the G1 would push you past the cap if one were to stream video or radio. Today the 1 GB cap had been removed from the fine print although T-Mobile is still reserving the right to reduce you to 50 kbps if you’re abusing the service. The fine print now reads :

“To provide the best network experience for all of our customers we may temporarily reduce data throughput for a small fraction of customers who use a disproportionate amount of bandwidth. Your data session, plan, or service may be suspended, terminated, or restricted for significant roaming or if you use your service in a way that interferes with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users.”

We’re happy to see T-Mobile checking itself on this one and it’s fair use policy seems pretty reasonable if it is only used to ensure “quality service to other users.” What we don’t get is how they even landed on the 1 GB data cap in the first place when iPhone users on AT&T all get a soft-capped 5 GB plan. With its 3 megapixel camera and a browser based around Google’s media-friendly Chrome, as well as access to the likes of YouTube, Gmail and Google Maps it wouldn’t be all that hard to hit 1 GB in a billing cycle for the power user. Let’s hope the unlimited data sticks and that T-Mobile doesn’t slow too many people down for excessive use of the service.